The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-06-27


inclined to withdraw the motion to post
pone; | am sure, from the generosity of
his nature, he will do so.
Mr.. Butler. / am not in the habit of
appealing to sympathy in legislation, and
dislike to hear arguments of the kind
used by my friend from Mississippi this
morning. In stating my objection to the
passage of this bill now, said that /
needed further information. However
we'll others may be prepared to act, l for
one wanted to know more about il, for |
am not now able to give an intelligent
vote; as parliamentary privilege, l in
terposed my objection to prevent the
hasty passage of the bill. AS regards
my personal feelings in relation to these
people, l do not think proper to disclaim
or acknowledge them one way or the
other. l thought it an extraordinary
exercise of power that we could put
$40, 900 under the control of the Legis-
lature of Minnesota at this time; ] say
this with reference to the fact, that if the
money be appropriated at St. Paul, and
hereafter the seat of government is
changed, they may come here and call
for another appropriation of $50, 900 Or
$40, 900; / am not prepared to vote for
it; if had all the information which the
Senator from Mississippi has, perhaps l
should be induced to vote for it; but
say that now, according to my present
impressions-what my judgment may be
hn,,,Gap I -h,,f oncnrItnr <.>
my present information, think it an ex-
traordinary piece of Legislation to es-
tabIish prisons at the seat of government
of Territory where prisoners must be
carried five hundred miles for trial II
Territorial Government is worth hav-
ing, they ought to establish prisons in
the counties. AS to the penitentiary
system, do object to it; but as this de-
bate is taking up too much time, and as
the Senator from Illinois has shown that
there is some necessity for making this
appropriation for Oregon, though think
there is none for Minnesota at present,
l will not press my opposition to taking
the vote. But l shall vote against the
appropriation, notwithstanding all the
arguments l have heard. l therefore
withdrew my motion for postponement.
Mr.. Atchison. 1t seems to me this
is very simple matter, and amounts to
about this. We are told by the chair
man of the Committee on Territories
that there is no Jail in Oregon or Mime
sofa.
Mr.. Douglas. VIII the Senator from
Missouri allow me to state one fact
The delegate from Oregon tells me-and
| am also told by the Chief Justice OF
Oregon--that there are now as many as
six Indians arrested for murder there !;
but there is no place in which to confine
them, and they have to detail military
guard to watch them, at the public ex-
pense, while they await their trial; sew
eral men have been arrested on charges
of horse stealing; If convicted, there
will be no place in which to confne them.
There are other prisoners there, and a
military guard, at the public expense, il
detailed to watch them; in one year the
expense of guarding them in this way,
will be twice what it will cost to build a
prison.
Mr.. Atchison. The Senator has said
on that subject, what was about to say,
and need not repeat it.
The bill was then reported to the Sen
ate, and was read third time and pass
ed
HOUSE June l4-Mr Boyd, from the
Committee on Territories, reported a
bill authorizing the Legislative Assem-
bly, of the Territories of Minnesota and
Oregon, to prolong their next annual
session to a period of ninety days /;
which, being read first and second
time by it's title.
Mr.. B. said that he was instructed by
the committee to ask that the bill might
be put on its passage.
The bill was then read through.
Mr.. Boyd said he would say a single
word in explanation. By the law estab-
fishing territorial governments in Min
nesota and Oregon, the Legislative As
semblies of these Territories were au-
thorized to continue their sessions one
hundred days, for the purpose Of COM
pleting a code of laws, so that the ma
chlnery of the governments might be put
in operation. For some reason the
members had not been paid, SO far, at
least, as Oregon is concerned. In con-
sequence of this state Of things, the leg
islatures sit but little more than half the
time allowed by the law, and adjourned
without completing the codes. They
asked, and this bill proposed, that the
next session might be extended only 90
days. He hoped there would be no OBJ
lection to the bill being put on its pas
sage.
The bill was read a third time and
passed.
| I. o of o. r.