The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-13
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House was called to order at ten o'clock
by the Speaker. ...
The roll was called by the Clerk. .f
Prayer by the Chaplain.
On motion of Mr.. Rolette, the reading of the
Journal was dispensed with. ....!.
The Speaker requested the members to noti-
fy the Clerk ofthe newspapers they desired, in
order that the resolution adopted yesterday on
this subject could he carried out ..
Mr.. Willim moved that the resolution offered
few days since, by Mr.. Sibley, in regard to
MFR. Fridley's seat in the House, be taken up.
Agreed to upon division. ..''
The Clerk then read the resolution, as fol-
lows:
Whereas, the Sheriff of Ramsey county has
been elected member of this House, and now
occupies seat therein, in violation of the sta
tute, which provides that no Sheriff or Deputy
Sheriff can hold any other civil office, except
Deputy Marshal, therefore, .i
Resolped, That the seat of Abram Fridley,
elected member of this House from the Third
Council District, be, and it is hereby declared
vacant and the Speaker of this House is here
by requested to make known to his Excellency
the Governor, the fact of such vacancy"
Mr.. Hanson Obtained the floor, and explained
his opposition to the resolution, when it was
offered, ON Tuesday. He then believed that the
gentleman had right to his seat but he was
not prepared at that time to show authorities
in support of his position, that member of
this House is not civil officer. lie had au
thorities with him now, which showed conclu-
sivey that member Of Congress was not re-
presumed no one would deny that the same
rule governed both Congress and this Legsla-
ture--they were both legislative bodies. The
gentleman, in support of his position read nu-
merous authorities. He gave the definition of
the word CIVIL" as in Webster, and read from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, vol. l, PIP. PSI, and
Sergeant's Constitutional Law, PIP. 37G. In the
face of these authorities, the gentleman said he
did not believe there was a single member on
the floor of the House, who would not vote for
an indefinite postponement of the resolution.
Mr.. Hanson accordingly moved that the re-
solution offered by Mr.. Sibley, which had been
laid upon the table on Tuesday, and was taken
up to-day, be now indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Sibley said that this question had been
sprung upon him, and those gentleman who
sided with him, so suddenly, that he was not
prepared with authorities to controvert those
presented by the gentleman. He, however, did
not agree with the const ruction placed upon
the constitution which the gentlemen gave to
that instrument. His colleague deemed that he
was actuated by personal motives in introduce
ing the resolution he done so in accordance
with a conviction of duty and conviction that
Mr.. Frdley was not entitled to his seat. He
would have done the same to any friend upon
the floor He favored the free and full discus
sion of the subject, and hoped the members
would not take advantage of the minority in
which he was in, to postpone the resolution in
definitely. '-.++.
On the motion to postpone Indefinitely, the
yeas and nays were demanded, and were as
follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Dixon, Grant, Hanson Reyes
ter, Rolette, Stanchfeld, Thompson, Willinn
and Speaker-9.
mfr. Frdley was excused from voting.]
Nays-Messrs Andrus, Beatty, Brawley,
Cave, Davis, Haus Lcmay and Sibley--s.
The resolution was indefinitely postponed.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Dixon that each
member of the House he authorized to pur-
chase thirty dollars worth Of stationery for his
own use, was adopted.
MIR. Willim Offered a resolution that the
Chief Clerk informj the Council that the House
was now prepared to meet the Council in joint
convention, for the purpose of hearing the
Governors message. The resolution was adOp
ted.
The Secretary of the Council informed The
House, that that body had appointed Messrs
Kittson and Van Etten a committee, to act ir
conjunction with the House committee to wal
upon his Excellency, the Governor, and inform
him that the Legislative Assembly was per
manently organized, and ready for the recep
ton of any Executive communication.
Mr. Thompson gave notice that he wonld OF
some future day, introduce
A Bill relating to certain records OF th,
courts of Fillmore and Winona counties.
A resolution was offered in regard to tn
procuring of postage stamps and envelopes, 70
the use of members. Upon explanation, it wa
withdrawn.
Mr. Dixon from the committee appointed t
xrait unon the Governor, reported that til