The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-03-10
TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1855


1
r Our formal reports of the last days proceed
ings are so voluminous that we have conclud
ed to omit them. We believe all the importan
bills which were before the Legislature OIL Fri
day, became laws, with the exception of thu
, County Auditor bill and the bill relative
to the time of holding Courts in certain new
, Counties West of the Mississippi. The latter
sleeps the sleep Of death in the hands of the Go
vernon.
1t is a matter of great regret, particularly to
the people of the more heavily populated coun,
ties. that the bill creating the Office of County
Auditor did not pass. The naked measure it.
self passed both branches, but in the Council it
was encumbered with an amendment which met
the disapproval of a majority of the House, and
thus caused the death of the bill. Next year
this business should be looked to early in the
session. This thing of allowing County Com
missioners to audit their own accounts, is ve-
ry poor and very dangerous policy. If men
are never so honest, the placing of the whole
revenue of such Counties as Ramsey and others
in their hands, without any check whatever
upon their manner Of disbursing it, is temp
tion to wrong-doing which should never be
thrown before mortals.
The Revised Statutes have again been SUBJ
jected to the annual warfare of their three or
four enemies, but have come out as usual un-
damaged. The abolishment of what was called
by few demagogues imprisonment for debt
was effected without opposition, and we are re-
joiced that it is so. Although really no such
| thing as imprisonment for debt ever existed on
| a Minnesota statute book, it is we'll that the
Legislature repealed the portion of the statute
which gave color to such construction. and af-
forded few polit ical nonentitiesabout town
small capital to trade upon. The code of prac-
tice was not interfered with, although desper-
ate efforts were made to that end.
An act was passed allowing a change of
venue in civil cases, and also giving the
courts greater discretionary power in cases of
divorce from the bonds of matrimony.
The charter of the city of St. Paul was
amended in some important particulars, which
we think will render it much better adapted
to the wants of q properly managed city gov
ernment.
Mr.. Haus' Mechanics Lien bill finally be-
came a law on Saturday night after hard
struggle. 1t required considerable outside
pressure to put this highly just measure thro',
but the ''bone and sinew" were there to do the
work successfully.
Before adjOurning, the Council appointed
Messrs Brown and Stimson, and the House.
Messrs. Hanson, Davis and Cave the joint COM
inittee to declare the apportionment of men,
bers among the several Council districts after
the census is taken.
The bill to incorporate the city of st. An
thony finally became law on the last day of
the session.
An act was passed appointing an emigrant
agent for the Territory, to reside in the city
of New York. The Governor and Legislature
have the appointing power, but no appoint
was made previous to adjournment.
County seats were located by acts of the
Legislature as follows: Stevens county at St.
Cloud Wright county at Monticello Carver
county at San Francisco LIE Sueur county at
LIE Sueur city 1ower town) on block forty nine;
Fillmore county at Carimonee.
|
who applied for ferry charters, that their bills
went through, and their name is legion. No
divorces were passed this session.
The gentlemen who composed this legisla-
ture have generally worked for what they no
doubt conceived to be the wishes oftheir consti-
! tuents. With some few exceptions, the House
was not composed of men possessed of the nee.
cessary talents, experience and enlarged views
which alone beft men to become intelligent
! and useful Legislators but they no doubt did
the best their capacity allowed to them We
never did, and never will in all probability,
as was elected last fall through the combined
| aid Of the Pioneer and Times-not that we have
anything personal against any of the I,en,-
but we must be permitted to say, that the ac-
tion of three of them has probably saved the
great Railroad enterprise and for this, many
sion should be overlooked.
| The Council-and we were present at every
| day of its deliberations save one--was body
throughout the session which for order, cour-
! tesy and decorum could not be excelled by the
United States Senate ITSELF Except on the oc-
casion when two Of the members became highly
ncensed because all the other members chose to
vote contrary to them on the great question of
the session, there was no angry feeling what
ever displayed b. members, and on that occa-
sion the feeling was only on one side. After
day or two. however, the storm subsded !;
good feeling was again restored, and continu-
ed to the final hour of adjournment. The pre-
vious question was never called in the Coun-
ell during the session, and we have no recol-
lection that any member was ever called to Or
der in debate. The late Council was a BODY
of Intelligent gentlemen and well qualified leg
islators and their constituents will have no
reason to find fault with their acts in the
main.
We should have stated in the proper place.
that acts were passed to incorporate the Bos-
ton and Minnesota and Pittsburgh and Mime
sofa Mining Companies.
| RAILROAD IN THE SENATE.-We find in the
Globe Of the 18th, the following among the
Senate's proceedings:
Mr.. SEWARD presented the memorial of the
Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad Compa-
ny, praying that the joint resolution of the
Honse Of Representatives, now before the Sem
ate, disapprOving the act of the Legislative As