The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-03-11
TIE MINNESOTA PIONEER
s5t. paul, Rlinnesota,
Thursday Morning. March III, ~.
New Advertisements.
;rJs See 6rst column on this page.
Review Of the Third Session of the
Legislative Assembly of Minnesota


Review of the Third Session of the |
Legislative Assembly of Minnesota
Territory.
For several reasons, we have omitted 10 pub
lish the details Of legislation. in the Pioneer, du
ring the session. BY Transforming to eur columns
at the cad of each week, the matter composing
the daily journals, we might, it is true. have
saved a heavy expense Of compositions; bn. who
wants to read the dull, formal routine Of law ma
king, interspersed and eniiven-d only by the roll
Of ayes and nays! Our object is, first 10 make
newspaper and second, 10 make money. We
ers, hundred coipmns Of the daily journals,
from the whole ocean Of which, the most patient
reader could only have hshed out few resuts,)
collected as il were in al eel pot, all the scaly
progeny Of the session. Every Legislature, like
every person, has its individual characteristics.
/ A Legislative Assembly is noun Of multitude;
that il, multitude Of nouns (the most Of them
pfonouns howeyer) which may be considered
! collectively or individuality; bat TO characterize
our Assembly, Individually, would be inyidious.
We shall aim at making crayon sketch, rather
than phototypc. Two or three, or sometimes
one, mind impresses and stamps itself indebly
Upon the character ofthe social, political or Leg
islative body, OF which it Is component part
/ As one magnet may po.araize all the steel and
iron around it, an make it part of its own pow
er, part of itself, So one mini may be as it
were the whole brain to the body and the nervous
system ola Legislative Assembly. In our Leg
/ isaiure, we have discovered no such remarkable
predomiaance .aal concentration Of power in one
man, as that which used to enable Henry Clay,
in the House of Representatives, say in 1872,
ana 1913, TO thrust the Democracy of the House
into MS forge AMI blow the party into spark
ling heat, draw !, out Kissing hot upon his anvil
a,,l like a staiwart smith, with few vigorous
blows. shape ii as he liked. This he did by the
combined strength Of personal power, acting by
and through party. When questions ofthe great
est m gnituie and OF the greatest Importance
to b decided, by Legislature, the influence of
one or two leading minds, most preiominates.
Ga the question of apporlionmsa:, in tn, second
session, there not wanting prominent, ac-
tive an able leaders, either in our House or
Council. Orr first Legislature, was merely
prcilce. The next ono Of vast importance
1t h I'd principle, The principle of suffrage. not
to originate, for it originated with the declara-
ton of American Independence AMI was inter-
woven in organic Act, that Act the arr. in
which Young Minnesota, Ike Moses. was hid
IN III bulrushss, ia lS49-it had that principle
to protect and to defend. Political rights and
equal representation, were by that Legislature,
guaranteed to all ,hs censusabe population ofAIin
nesota. The last session hls been one of mo re
quiet. Nopirty, fictioaal, or political questions
have been involved Important amanlmen,s
have been made to our Statutes; and there has
been an unusual amount of l. egis,alioa upon pr-
waite Bills. With little experience, especially in
the lower House, the msmbers Of both Houses
were generally msa of fair abilities. They have
hil pertiaacoasy pressed upon them for their
decision, the question Of enacting ga Maine
! Liquor lAw;'' new question, and one surrounded
with ditiica'ies and one which it might well en-
determine Viewing This question as question
/ of personal rights well as Of public morals,
question of expediency of justice Of praclicabili-
ty--conssering it and weighing it deliberately,
without being influenced by cant and fanaticism
on the one hand, a reckless disregard to tenn
perance, sobsiety and COOL order in society, on
the other hand, but with most sincere and ear
nest desire to determine and to advocate what is
right, on this subecl. we have but just yet form
Ell any decided opinion on it, aud that opinion
always subject to be corrected for errors, we
shall publish. in week or two. This Maine
Liquor law, our Legislature passed, subject to
its ratification by the people. We respect the
Legislature for their Difference to the will Of the
people, bat I'VE are not prepared to deny that the
position Of the Democrat that no law which makes
the people an element Of Lesisl,t power, Gan
element unknown to the ordinance we are MOI,
prepared to deny that the Democrats positi IN
may be rightly taken. Our opinion is, that men,
bers have voted on this question, les. actuated
by desire for popularity than from uncertainty
and ignorance how it their duty to VOTE p
In all Legislatures there are two prime ipIes al
ways operat. e, to re:ar1 or to advance a
measure; viz: attraction Or the influence of one
casa of msmbass ia lis favor, and repulson, Of
the influence Of aao;hcr class against it. This
last Is often sort ofnegaiivs power, which helps
measure through; being the opposition of mem
bers who are always taken for granted TO be in
the wrong. The way to extricatc load with
baiky horse IS to harness him nto the cart,
with his head towards the load; then when he
settles hac into the bre.chi ng, he win accom-
plish twice as much IL exiricalins and advancing
the load, as ever he possibly could by drawing
ia the collar. Precisely such is the way to Sc
cure the passage of measure through the Leyis-
lhtare-certaia members to secure their effective
aid mast be harnessed in opposition to it--put in
to the cart tail foremost; waea with lhs aid of
the straightforward frienls OF the measure. il
can be nj once got throroh IN, co,y a.. 49,.