The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-03-27

Cal went INTO cotnInUtee oil the wnOle,
Mr.. Forbes in the chair, for the further
consideration ofthc bill.
Inc question was declared to he upon
the gdoption of the substitute, offered by
Mr. Olmsted during the morning.
Mr.. LOOMS. The course of the gem
tlcnlan from Long Prairie strikes me as
n very singular one. cannot regard
hi. latc motion 20 refer to a select COM
mi;tes as being at all sincere. 1t looks
as though his only desire was delay-to
get the bill into the hands Of u committee
~ order that 1t may the more easily be
allied. He is wiling to resort to any
thing for delay His course certainly
gives US key to his motives. He sure
ly has no idea that his substitute will re-
ceive any vote but his own; and as he is
aware that We must pass an apportion-
meni bill in some shape or other, what
other conclusion can we arrive ut than
the one here named:
Mr. OLMrED. did not expect, Mr..
Chairman, to he arraigned for insincer-
ity in regard TO this substitute 1t has
been a favorite measure with me for a
long time, as all with whom have con-
vcrsed upon the sub ect very well know
la fact. would go still farther, and re-
duce the Legislature to single House
Of three members. All the delay ask
Is time to investigate the frauds embod-
led n the census returns.
Mr. LOOMS. The gentleman still
complains Of want of time to investigate
whal ne terms frauds. Now, | would
ask II all chances have not been given
him for this and all other purposes. The
census returns have been upon the ta-
bles of members for six or seven weeks
1t has been nine days since this bill was
Introduced, and one week since it was
igst up for consideration. If this has
not allowed him time enough, how much
Ionger, In the name of common sense,
must me wait upon him. As said be-
fore. II his tactics betray his purpose
70 delay and in the end to defeat the bill.
He wished il referred 10 select COM
Inttee-a committee to do heaven knows
what, except to keep the bill in their
pockets till the end of the session, and
then defeat it,
Reference has frequently been made, du-
ring this debate, to the ialsi,y of The returns
from penbina Now, Mr.. Chairman, we
eau entirely dispense with the returns made
last summer, and still produce documentary
proof mat the population of that county is
sufficient to justify the representation claim
I'll for Il by this hill. la the returns made
to Cav. Ramsey, during the summer of
IS49, hich are published in the appendix
ic the Journal at our last session, we find
ihat the population was 6S7-abOut as great
as the census of the precinct Of Stillw aicr,
the hrst Of June last. This return was
made 10y MIR. kitrson, gentleman who re-
ssdes on the spot, and is well known by
many IN this community, as man Of high
charactsr aud standing.
Ma. OLMsrEp. ! am about done appeal
ing 10 proper sense Of justice and right on
the part Of the majority here. | find it does
no good. do not deny that these people
S.ere at Peinbina both when the census was
taken hy Mr.. Kittson in 1919, and when it
Was taken by Mr.. Dahl last year. But
where are they now? On the other side Of
the line, in Queen Victoria's domlnions,
WHERE they belong. | am startled by what
this lriI rlams for these rowing British hun
ters. repeat, want time to further in-
seF,igats the frauds perpetrated hy the cen
sus Irkcrs of Dakota and Wabashaw. !
wall proceed TO point out, Ivy the returns be-.
fore ne, the names of persons who never
resided N those counties, or in the Terri
togy.l
Mn. BoAL. VIII the gentleman allow
me moments explanations?
Ma. OLMsrED. Certainly.
MR. BoAL. The Council are probably
aware that most of the people on the other
sale II The river have French names. The
person taking the census Of Dakota county
spelled great many Of the names as they
are Iraonoanced. Hence, to one familiar
with .the photography of these names, they
appear fictitious.
Ms. OLMSrED. This explanation may
be good As far as it goes. [Mr. o. then
read ;hv names of family, which he said
did not 1--we ia the country. 1t was, howev-
er, SHOWN, upon further investigation, that
ihe osly errors were in the initials Of some
of the children, aud the age of one of the
parents. The family was easily identified
rs that Of one OF the missionaries at Prairie
vile
Ma. McLEoD. should suppose that
hy this time it I've apparent to the gentleman
troT'Long Prairie, how utterly futile it is
40 attack the authenticity of these returns
with any degree of success. have admit
eel tiat there are duplicate returns from the
two COUNTIES OF some forty or fifty names.
but these would have been more than made
up, It the gentleman had returned the in
habitants living on the Missouri.
have but one word further to saw Of the
retufE from Pembinu. ] agree with the
gentleman from Marine, thar ii YOU entire
" brsak down and Invalitlate the enunera-
ton :ot last summer, we can still hold to
that ai Mr.. kitsoa. He is gentleman |
have SHOWN for years, and man of great
er integrity and worth does not live in Min
nesota. He would desI'ise to do a mean
act Tor sny personal advantage whatever.
have full confidence in anything he may
do OF say.
Ma. LOOMS. can very easily explain
how these few duplicate names came upon
the census books. Its well known that
tie line established at the last session be-
tween Dakota and Wabashaw counties was
an arbitrary line, beginning opposite the
mouth Of the ST. Croix, and running due