The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-01-30

halfway between the two towns. This woald
secure the mutual accoinmodstson Of bstil.
Mr. Rice-I contend, Nd SPEAKER that Il my
colleague, CMr Brunson, is sincere u his wishes
to secure the interests ~ bis constituents, be n
bound 70 vote for the amendment. ~
Mr. Brunson--We have all heard Of gull traps,
set to catch unsuspecting Creatures oinetinies,
however, people get caught IL their own traps;
think INV coliea que will find verifcation IT this
result in the present instance; for one cannot De
caught so easily-neIther can our constituents
Mr. North thought there was too much OF DIS
position to impugn the motives Of members was
this bill SO Pure-.so holy, that NO mo'ion cou.a
be made 10 amend unless the mover was sctuat-
ed by insincere motives? Why these suspicious:
We were all here legslate for the best Interests
Of the Territory; and for his part, If he could not
succeed in getting the prison at ST. Anthony, he
was willing to 20 for ST. Paul; general Interests
should be paramount to local ones. Saltwater
was remote from the business part Of the Terri
tory. and any point was preferable to it.
Mr. Trask-lt appears Mr. Speaker, that any
place in the Territory-even Pembina, suppose,
is paradise for the pehitentiary, in comparison
| to Saltwater. Members have suddenly walked up
to high sense Of the insignifcance and obscu-
rity of the town have the honor in part 10 rep
resent. A change has suddenly ''come DER the
shirt of their dreams.'' But few days since,
certain gentlemen, who have in this debate, OPP
posed Saltwater thought il marvellous proper
place for the prison-provided we would go
against St. Paul for the Capitol buildings. 1t
comes with an i'll grace, now, for these gentle
men to go against what they then favored so
strongly.
Mr. North disclaimed ever having been in favor
of Saltwater.
The question was then taken, and the motion to
strike ont and insert lost
Pending thu motion to engross for third read
ing on Saturday, Mr. North moved TO postpone one
week.
Mr. Tilden thought the opponents Of the bill
had had plenty Of time to ''log roll,'' and could
scarcely expect TO gain anything by further pro-
crastination. The measure had not been hastily
thrust upon them, and nothing would be gained by
further delay. The sooner it was disposed Of. the
more time we would have to consider other i'm
portant matters.
The motion to postpone was lost, and the origi-
nal motion for third reading on Saturday pre-
vailed.
SATURDAY, Jan. 2J.
The bill for the erection of public buildings
came up for fiual passage.
MIR Rice rose TO give his reasons for voting
against the bill. There was evidently an issue
between him and his colleagues all three of whom
he supposed, by their course of yesterday, were
in favor Of the bill as it stood. He claimed to be
as strongly attached TO the interests of ST. Paul
they and yet he could not go with them for the
location of the penitentiary at Saltwater point
entirely disconnected with the great business in
terests of the Territory. He understood there
had been an arrangement entered into between
his colleagues and the members from the Saint
Croix, and il was necessary. in order to act in
good faith, and secure the Capitol at ST. Paul,
that this bill be passed as it was. He was pre-
pared to prove by the act of last session Of Con-
gress, that the Capitol must be located at Saint
Paul, and it vas not in the power Of the Terri
torial Legislature TO remove it IIIere Mr. Rice
read the act referred to, providing that the Legs
lative Assembly may expend the Capitol fund a,
the temporary seat Of government Was it to
be presumed that his colleagues were in favor Of
Saltwater for the prison. because certain political
associations existed between them and ma jority
Of the people Of Washington county, Was their
attachment TO this bill founded upon the fact that
the Governor Of the Territory was, by its provis-
ions, made q member of the Board Of Commis-
sioners; If such were the case, he would assure
them that he was entirely willing to see the Gov
ernor in this position, and did not oppose the bill
on that account. He felt certa in that large ma
jOrity of the people Of St. Paul were opposed 10
the provisions of this bill And were it once de-
feated, he assured his colleagues, that, with their
Cooperation, ten vOtes--two majority Of the
whole House, could be secured to locate the
Capitol here, and The Prison at some point above
us on the Mississippi. He counted four from Ben
ton county, two from St. Anthony, and four from,
St. Paul
MIR Rice argued at considerable length from
these premises, taking the basis Of his oppos-l
ton, the announcement location of the prison.
Mr. North supposed it unnecessary TO saw
anything further in opposition TO the bill. kFrom
J hat h,I L.. 4
hopes Of changing the minds of members
Mr.. Ti'den did not rise to reply at length to
the arguments Of his colleague. Mr. Rice j but
there were one or two points he wished to nEeet
He felt the weight of responsibility resting ZION
him, as representative of st. Paul as heavily as
his colleague possibly could, and he was quite
willing tina, his acts this important question
should be carefully scanned by his constituents,
as was that gentleman. The gentleman had in
troduced the name of the governor, and insinuated
that his lRiccs1 colleagues favored the bill be-
cause Gov. Ramsey made commissioner
under its provisions Had he examined more
closely the act Of Congress which he had read to
the House, he would have discovered by the provi-
sons of that law that the governor distinctly
named as director in the expenditure of the APP
proprations..~ The gentleman appeared to think
that large ma jority of our constituents OPP
posed 10 the location of the prison at Saltwater.
he, on the contrary, mad taken pans to INFORM
himself upon the subject since this bill was intro
duced, and firmly believed nine-tenths Of the
people of ST. Paul had arrived at the conclusion,
that other arrangement could be made by
which we would secure to our town the location
of the capitol. His colleague also claimed ten
votes for bill. (in case this was defeated,) to
locate the capitol here, and the prison above
the Mississippi. He counted four from Benton
county, two from St. Anthony, and, with himself
and three colleagues, four from St. Paul. But,
Mr.. Speaker, where is assurance Of this re-
suit. were this bill defeated /, for one, am not
prepared TO iun great risk in jeopardy ef ST.
Paul, this proposition involves.
Mr.. Brunson had no desire 10 prolong The de-
bate. and hoped the question nigh, be speedily
ia en-. HIS colleague lMr. Reel appeared to
think we were betraying constituents bee ause,
forsoOth, we had made effort to secure the erec-
ton of the capitol at ST. Paul BY locating the pen
tentiary at Saltwater. No reasonable man in
St. Paul or elsewhere ever supposed for mo-
ment, thatwe could secure both buildings Our
people never expected it--they never asked it.
The great object was 10 get the capitol here and
this was secured by the BILL 1t was a matter Of
minor importance what became of the prison.
STILL he believed the location Of the latter as pro-
vided for by the bill would suit our people as well