The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-04-17

$50. n :rs., -
OF sbe. broadsids says, ssthere are Findley,
Bradley. Robefts, and Others in the aHeii,'
(for Co.nnssidpers,) ':Nho can I,erurchhs--
edf, We can ten the Rice organwhom he
attempted to purchase, by the sacrifice OF
one. Of tlaeir.-awn. .candi,latcs-anL that is
Samuel J. Findley, WHO had The offer Of be-
ing run s5y the. Rice faction, Nth one Of
their. candidates, the other TO be thro,cn off,
Oh! the nice, consistenr, caucus-abding
folks, who inonopolizelall the Democracy |!
Pshaw! What do such fellows care fer, but
TO ride Into office or secure paironage'
There is Capt. Holcomh, of Washington
county, who followed a procession of Rice
factionisfs through St. Paul, the other day,
men, boys and negroes, shouting hurra for
Jackson, until he was so hoarse that he had
TO tie his stocking around his neck at night
when he went to bed, after saying his prayers
old Billy Holcomb himself, is going it
blind now in Saltwater, to elect j. M'Ku-
sick, wing, Commissioner Of Public Build
ings, over Nathan C. ID. Taylor, democrat!
And here is the editor of the Rice organ,
busy al the same time, trying to buy the vote
Of Dakota county at the expense Of their
regular nominalion--Dakotac county, which
he is every week asserting, has no right to
vote at all, being Indian territory!
| In the number before the last of the Dem
ocrat, is a scurrilous and abusive attack up
on Mr.. Anes, Speaker of the late House Of
/ Representatives, for one of his decisions
which didn't suit the editor and his faction;
and the statement given Of il as false as
most other matter in the last numbers of
that paper.
The Speaker determined Gas it was his
duty to do,) that a majority Of all the mem-
beers OF the House of Representatives con.
stituted quorum for business.
Aud such is the parliamentary rule and
/ practice in all Legislative bodies, where a
different number is not prescribed, either by
constitution or statute, which of course is
not the case in Minnesota.
But it is said that the 10th rule Of the
House Of Representatives provides that
eleven members shall constitute quorum,
and so it does; and the rule Was adopted by
the majority for the domestic government
Of the House; and the same body have the
undOultet power and fight to suspend that
or any other rule Of its own. In this in
stance, a majority of all the members elect
eel were present, and voted unanimously TO
suspend the rule.
! About the correctness of the decision,
there is not and cannot lie the shadow of
doubt.
The majority principle is one that lies at
the very foundation Of all free govern
ment.
! Suppose that rule had been adopted at
the commence nient of The session, saving
that eighteen members (the whole number
elected,) should constitute a quorum, aud
one member had died or resigned, could not
the other seventeen, the whole number left,
suspend that rule. Or in consequence of
the death or resignation Of single member,
must the whole Legislature be broken up:
Suppose member had purpOsely absent
ell himself and gone to New York, must
legislation stop on that account, while Il
clear majority remained to act? Rnlicu-
ious! No; the why for minorites, the only
right and lawful way for minori,ies to do, is
TO stay and attend to their duties. There
must be majority and minority, if not u
tie or a unanimous vote, to pass any law
bnt if the Ohier doctrine is correct, minor
ity has constitutional right to block the
wheels of legislation; and no law can ever
he passed without their concurrence.
A wretch, TO gain notariety, once burnt
down the Alexan.lrian library; and he sue
ceede.l. A minority attempted TO disorgan-
ze our Legislature, method of ,rctoing
ta,cs, utterly abhorcnt to every freeman
Whether these men wish to be sent down TO
posterity, like The three wise men of Goth
am, who went to sea in bowl, or not, we
arc confident that they win be longer re-
meinbered for this mischief which they at
tempted to do, than for anything, good or
bad, which they ever did 10 or ever will
Here are their names RICE, Form, Gil
MAN, SLOAN. NORTH, PArCu and WAR.
rem. ,. ....
Most Of the present session has been oc-
cupied in the revision of a general code OF
laws for the Territory, as we have been,
and still are living under and governed, by
old, scattering. mutlated, and in many in
stances, obsolete statutes Of The late Terri.
tory of Wisconsin; and the whole revision
Of the laws, as well rs other important bills
was before the House not adopted, but re-
naming TO he acted upon hy that body IN
conjunction with the Council, when the fac
t;n,s ,,;noritv ch.aotoJ ,ho,r.ol,., r..- Il .