Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-04-17
For the Times.
THE APPORTIONMENT BILL AND HON. J.
II. BROWN.

For the Times.
THE APPORTIONMENT BILL AND HON. J.
II. BROWN.
MIR. EDIToR,-In the St. Paul Democrat Of the
lth inst, find communication bearing the cap
tion-"The German Party, so. called, and Hon.
Joseph r. Brown" which were it to remain un-
answered, might lead those not conversant with
the facts to suspect that Mr.. Brown was much
injured individual, and the Governor very bad
man! The ear marks of this article leave no
doubt of its paternity. In speaking of the bill
giving additional representation to the West side
of the river, introduced into the Legislature du-
ring the session of 1854, the writer says:
ssMr. Brown not only introduced the bill HIM
self, but he fought it through the Council inch
by inch. After the bill had passed the Council,
it is we'll known that he labored assiduously to
get it through the House, where it was eventually
defeated, as we are credibly informed, by an un-
pardonable violation of faith the part Of a
prominent member of the ''Gorman Party so-call-
ed.'
1t is true, Mr.. Brown did introduce the bill in
question, and that he 'sfought it through the
Council; but it is not true that the bill was de-
feated in the House ''by an objectionable viola
tion of faith on the part of prominent member
of the German Party, so-called.'' The bill in
question was considered in the House and passed
that body after it had been returned to the Coun
Gil, it was discovered that there was an error in
it, and resolution passed instructing the
Chief Clerk to call upon the Council and obtain
the bill for further action. When the Clerk call
ed for the bill, it was found that by some species
of ''juggery" it had passed into the hands of the
En-: olling Committee and had been reported COR
rcctly enrolled and uihhout eUer haring received
the signature Of the Speaker Of the House, or Of
lhe President Of the Council, or the certificate Of
the Secretary Of the Council that such a bill had
eper been Introduced; it had been laid before the
Governor for his signature and arproval AS
tonished at such proceeding, Governor German
at once sent for Mr.. DIXON, the Secretary of the
Council, for the Speaker and President of the two
Houses, and for the Chairmen of the respective
Committees on enrolled bills, when it was ascer-
tained that the bill in question had never been
enrolled officially, but that Mr.. Brown had en-
rolled it before ii had passed, and had never been
presented for the signature IF the presiding Off
GERS of the respective Houses! Of course the
bill was returned to the Council and that body ut
once complied with the request of the House and
transmitted it to them when owing to the fraud
ulcnt manner in which it was attempted to be
hurried through, Mr.. DAVIS moved q re- consider
alton of the vote by which it passed his motion
prevaileI-and the bill was defeated and all
the evils arising thcrefrom are attributable to
Hon. Joseph r. Brown. Mr.. DAVIS was strongly
in favor of the bill and were it not for the ncfa-
rious manner in which it had been attempted to
be foisted into a law, would have remained its
ardent supporter. AS it was, honor, right, and
his oath compelled him to do as he did.
SO much for this portion of the communica-
ton. The writer further says:
s'To him (Mr. Brown) may be attributed in
great measure, the passage of the present appor-
tionmcnt law, which will so effec. .ually equalize
the representation throughout the Territory, un-
less the refusal of the Governor to sign the bill
attaching the unorganized Counties shall prevent
thorough apportonmcnt."
do not deny, sir, that s'in great measure
may be attributed the passage of the present ap-
portionment law to that gentleman" for cer-
tainly he labored necessarily for it but DO OBJ
ject to the writer's even by Inference asserting
that Governor German was either directly or
indirectly opposed to the bill. Such is not the
case. No one was and is more anxious than he
that fair, just and equitable apportionment law
may be passed and also object to the writer's
saying that the Governor refused 'to sign the bill
attaching the unorganizcd countless" without
giving the reasons for this refusal. 1t is known,
to many, at least, that this is the bill which was
fraudulcntly altered after it had passed both
Houses, and gone into the Clerks hands. 1t is
known that the alteration made changes the
whole intent of the bill. 1t is known that the
Secretary of the Council refused to certify that
that bill passed that body. 1t is known that VIM.
p. Murray, President of the Council, Hon. Ivan
Etten, Hon. F. Andros, Hon. James Beatty, and
others, assured the Governor that the bill before
him for his signature was fraud. 1t is known
that Hon. Joseph r. Brown and A. NJ. Fridley
admitted that the bill had been altered after its
passage, and yet the Democrats correspondent is
irving to force censure on the Governor for re-
Committee selected by the Legislature to appor-
ton the Territory do not succeed What knave-
rvl Had Governor German acted differently
from what he did in this matter-had he suffered
fraud bill to become a law, he would have de-
served and received the excavations of every hon.
est man in the Territory. ....
have nothing to do with the writer's illusions
to the press of the Territory, or with his denun-
citation of citizens, nor would | have written a
word in relation to anything contained in his ar
tcle, did not deem them worthy an emphatic
contradict on by
ONE WHO KNOWS.
St. Paul, April 9th, 1855.