The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-02-14
Reported for Pioneer.
Reported for Pioneer
S1xTH SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE
OF MINNESOTA.
COUNCIL.
COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, Feb IL.
Council met at the usual hour. Prayer by
chaplain. The journal Of yesterdays proceed
ings was read.
The Clerk of the House announced the pas
sage of, and concurrence in, sundry bills by
that body.
Mr.. Murray offered a preamble and resolu-
ton, praying Congress to repeal the clause in
the organic act of Minnesota, which gives that
body the power to review and annul the legS-
.atiOn of this Territory.
Mr.Vun Etten moved that the resolution be
amended so as to make it joint resolution OF
the two Houses. Lost.
Mr.. Murray moved that the rules be sus-
pended requiring it to lay ov one day for dc.
bate, and that it be put on its passage.
In presenting his resolutions, Mr. Muir
ray said, in substance, that his reasons for
so doing were that Minnesota was the only
Territory in whose Organic Act the provis-
ion sought to be annulled was to be found
that he believed, as friend of the doc
trine of Squatter Sovereignty, it should of
right be stricken from our fundamental law
that its retention gave Congress full and
exclusive control over our legislation, and
that as we had just seen this right exercised
10y the National House of Representatives,
it was high time q stop should be put to it.
MIR. Van Etten was surprised to hear his
colleague speak as he did. Remembering
his antecedents for the past four years, he
could not refrain from saying his position
now and at that period had undergone
material change. He was surprised to see
any gentleman willing to introduce such
resolution into the Council. AS we'll might
a State, claiming its right, under the doc
trine of Sqlatter Sovereignty, attempt to
pass laws at variance with the Constitution
of the United States, as for Minnesota to
attempt to throw off her Organic Act given
her by Congress. Upon that body, we were
dependent for appropriations with which to
keep in motion the wheels of our Territorial
Government, and if he were not opposed to
the principles contained in the resolutions
offered 10y his colleague, as matter Of pei
icy he would oppose them. 1t would come
with better grace, if it were necessary to
have the organic act modified TO request it
Of the next Congress. That Eody had
been elected ecenty-they were fresh from
the people and were selected with reference
to this doctrine Of squatter sovereignty.
Mr.. Murray was astOnished at the course
of his colleague-a gentleman claiming high
position as Democrat ard leader of his
party. AS his antecedents had been adj
verted to, he would ask the gentleman
where he stood in New York ?
MIR. Van Etten lad no conceala.ents to
make, either in Council or out of it. He
had never shrked the responsibility Of cast
ing his vote upoa any measure, as had Mr..
Murray, by leaving his seat and the Coun-
Gil Chamber to prevent it, time and ag;in
He had never told his constituents he would
pursue one course of policy, aud the next
day follow another. His colleague could
not say as much. He Mr.. Van Etten)
had never sought to be a leader of his par
ty. lie sustained the Democratic party
with all his ability SO long as il did rig CHIT
when in his judgment it did wrong he
would not sanction it. AS to his position
as politician in New York, he believed
it consistent 1t was identified with those
who by their actions proved they were
working for the greatest good of the great
est number His first vote had been cast
for Silas Wright, and with that branch Of
his party in New York had he been ident;-
fed He would meet his colleague at any
time and at any place, and be perfectly
willing to compare notes with him in past
consistency of action. His colleague { MIR.
Murray seemed to have very treacherons
memory. lie seemed to forget that in
Ohio he had acted with the Wings, in In.
diana, with Abolitionists, and in Minnesota
with no-party-party composed of all sorts
of broken-dOwn politicians, until the Democ-
racy got the ascendancy land he now
claims to be par excellence, THE Democrat of
Minnesota. AS be (Mr Van Etten) said
before, he had no ambition to CRAFTY fur
tier than sustaining the Democratic party
while believed it right, and censuring it
when wrong.
The rules were suspended, and the resolution
passed.
Mr. Stearns reported sundry bills as cor
rectly engrossed.
MIR. Brown offered an amendment to the
bill defining the boundaries of certain counties.
The Council then went into Committee of
the Whole, on the bill Incorporating the city
of st. AnthOny-made progress therein, and
reported same back to Council.