The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-02-21
THE WEST SIDE.

his editorials Of last week were written,
left St. Paul for an extensive tour through
the Sioux country,-whose people he has
SO much slandered and vilifed-upon
which he expected to be absent three
weeks, leaving in charge Of his columns
some one of the future Governors, Secre-
taries, Marsha!s, Judges, or Delegates to
Congress Of Minnesota, with whose names
the democrat Building is outwardly
coated, done up in bright tin and gilt, re-
minding one, upon moonlight evening,
Of cargo of rotten mackerel scattered
along a white sand beach. We are GER
tain as to the general identity of our
neighbor's loc,m tenens, from the very
profound legal conclusions arrived at in
the ''leader' Of this weeks Democrat.
Otherwise we would have thought law
yer more deeply red had been left in
charge.
The old song is the burthen of the
aforesaid leader of this Hedgling. The
stale TRADE against the people west of the
Mississippi is rehcarsed, and then the
points in controversy are settled by the
following conclusions:
"What we particularly object TO, and
what we wish KEPT BEFORE THE pEo-
PIE, is that this THE apportionment1 bill
gives to country erclusicely under the con-
troll Of Congress and in no way affected
by Territorial Legislation, representa-
ton in the Legislative Assembly.
"Ihat ii enables men to make laws for
us, rhich are not binding on THEM OR
THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
''That it allows them representation,
when they cannot be made to contribute
one dime towards the support of the Ter
ritorial government.
'And that the bill, without even the
dignity of mere political or party meas
ure, was solely intended to confer power
on individuals to be used to forward their
pecuniary interests"
Now, we are not going to be guilty, on
this occasion, of the absurdity of arguing
at length the reverse of these assertions.
The whole ground has been gone over so
often, and SO conclusively, that every vo-
ter in Minnesota has the whole matter at
his tongues end. We will merely give
good democratic document in answer,
which, although published in other papers
of the Territory, the editor of the Demo-
crat has never had the manliness 10 let
his readers see. We allude to the follow
ing reply TO a letter addressed by Mr..
Sibley TO Judge James Thompson, for
years one of the most prominent Demo-
Gratis of Pennsylvania, representative in
Congress for two or three terms from the
Erie district, and member Of the COM
mittee which framed the organic act of
Minnesota. If this be not good Demo-
cratic authority, we do not know what is.
And if our neighbor will publish it, we
will agree to publish any legal opinion,
on the opposite side, of twice its length,
which may be prepared by the editor,
Rice, Hollishead & Becker, or anv of
the below-stairs APPENDICES to his estab-
lishment:
HousE OF REpREsENrArIvEs,)
Washington, Feb. 27, 81.
Hon. James Thompson, Chairman of the
Judiciary Committee.
DEAR SIR: There are questions mooted
among the people of Minnesota, as to the
extent of the authority conferred by the
Organic Act, upon the Legislative Assem-
bly, OF the Territory, and other matters
connected with the exercise of that iuris-
diction in the Indian country, which COM
prises all the region west of the Missis-
sippi. The distinguished position you &C.
cupy as the head of the Judiciary Com
mittee, and your acknowledged eminence
as lawyer, will invest your opinion with
great weight in the settlement Of the
points referred to. | have the honor,
therefore, to. request that you will reply
to the following queries, to wit:
list. Does, or does not the Organic Act
OF Minnesota, grant to the Legislative
Assembly full jurisdiction over all the
country embraced within the limits of the
Territory, restricted solely by the provis-
ions OF Indian treaties conflicting with it,
should such exist?
I'd. Does, or does not the Organic Act
secure to all the people, living as we'll On
the unceded as the ceded lands the r;obt
of representation in the Assembly, and of
voting at all elections, subject only to the
restrictions Of the laws to regulate the
qualifications of voters, and are not cleo
tons held on the unceded lands made
equally valid and legal by the provisions
of the organic law, with those held on the
ceded country?
An early reply to the questions will be
gratefully acknowledged by, ..r
.na3 . Yours, very respectfully,
H. H. SIBLEY.