The Minnesota pioneer., 1850-06-13
CONGRESS-.
TUESDAY. May D.

HOUSE.-Mr Boyd chairman of the
Committee on Territories) called for the
regular order of business. This day he
believed, had been set apart for the con-
sideration Of territorial business. He
moved that the House resolve itself in
to Committee Of the Whole on the state
ofthe Union, to take up the territorial
bills.
The Speaker The Chair will state
to the House that to-day and tomorrow
have been set apart by the order of the
House for the consideration of the busi-
ness relating to the territories
The question was taken and agreed
to.
The House accordingly resolved itself
into Committee ofthe Whole on the State
ofthe Union, MIR Strong in the Chair. }
The Chairman stated that by previ-
Gus order of the House, this day and
tomorrow had been set apart for terri
torial business. The practice of the
Committee, he believed, had been to
take up the business in the order in
which it was moved by the Delegate or
the Chairman of the Committee, though
the rule, were it strictly enforced, re-
quired that it should be taken IN its Or
der on the calendar
Mr.. Boyd think the business may
as well be taken up in its usual order as
it stands on the calendar.
The Chairman.-Thatc course will be
pursued.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN MINNESOTA AND
| OREGON.
The first bill on the calendar was the
bill ito make further appropriations for
public buildings in the territories of Min
nesota and Oregon.
! Section ], arpropriates SW,OoO to
each of the said territories for the e.
rection of penitentiarlcs.
Section ,, authorizes the expenditure
of an appropriation made by section thlr-
teen of the act Of March B, ISl9, for
the erection of suitable public building
at the temporary seat of government of
Minnesota.
Section 3, appropriates $40, 900 in
addition to former appropriations for the
erection of suitable public buildings at
the seat of government of Oregon
| Mr. Sibley said that there was within
the limits Of the entire Territory of
Minnesota no place OF confinement for
criminals-a fact from which they were
suffering great Inconvenience. In the
case of Iowa, S35, 900 had been aPpro-
priated for a penitentiary.
He moved that the bill be laid aside
to be reported, with recommendation
that it pass.
A brief conversation occurred be-
tween Messrs White and Sib!ey IN which
Mr. White suggested that some amend-
ment should be made to secure a suita-
bic and fair accountability for the cX-
penditure ofthe money.
Mr. Preston King said thatthc bill pro-
vided that these appropriations should be
expended under the direction of The gov
ernors ofthe respective territories.
MIR White mot having an amendment
prepared gave notice that he would Of
fer one TO the House.
The bill was laid aside to be reported
with recommendation that il pass
ROADS IN MINNESOTA.
The bill to provide for the construc-
non of certain roads in the Territory of
Minnesota was next taken up.
The bill was read. 1t appropriatcs as
follows:
'Tor the construction Of road from Point
Douglass, on the Mississippi river, via Cottage
Grove, Saltwater, Marine Mills, and Falls of St.
Croix. to the Falls or Rapids Of the st Louis riv-
er OF Lake Superior, fifteen thousand dollars for
the construction of road from Point Douglass,
Via Cottage Grove, Red Rock, ST Paul and Falls
st Anthony TO Fort Gaines, ten thousand dollars;
for the construction of road from the mouth of
Swan river, or the most available point between
II and Sauk Rapids, to the Winnebago agency at
Long Prairie, five thousand dollars; for the con-
struction Of road from Wabashaw to MENDOZA,
five thousand dollars; and for the survey and lay
ing out of a military road from Mendoza to the
mouth Of Big sioux river, on the Missouri, FIVE
thousand dollars: The said roads to be con-
structed under the direction of the Secretary Of
War, pursuant TO contracts TO be made by him.
Mr. Jones moved that the bill be laid
aside to be reported, with recommen-
dation that il do not pass
He said that bills of similar character
to that under consideration had been re-
ported to this House in the cases of the
former Territories of Wisconsin, Iowa.
and, he believed Indiana these bills
were, on some occasions, he knew, re-
Ijected. He thought that the people of
the Territories could lay out. cut and
make their roads as well as the people
of the States. Ifthere were not so ma
ny people there, they would not want so
many roads. There was, in his opinion
no more propriety in the government
making roads for a Territory than in
doing the same work for a State. He
hoped the bill would not pass.
Mr.. Sibley.-In reply to the gentle
man from Tennessee, would state that
it had been the uniform practice of Con-
gress to aid the organized territories, by
appropriations ofmoney for the construc-
tion of roads. The government being
the only greatlandholder, it is in accor-
dance with its pecuniary interests, as
well as just to Minnesota, that proper
means of access should be afforded IN