Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-10-04
SATURDAY, SEPT. 81, 1856.
Territorial Officials.

The Pioneer takes it as a great and Infamous
SANDER to doubt the immaculate purity" Of the
recipients of public patronage in Minnesota; con-
sequently, our article of Wednesday seems to have
given the newly returned Earl quite diarrhea Of
words, an array of which, filling over column,
he gives to bolster up the tottering regulations
of our Territorial Judges. and official corruption
lists generally. To do which he quotes law
of Congress, and then another law of the Mime
sofa Legislature Yes, a veritable law of the
Minnesota Legislature, with all its ear marks up
on it to insure its genuineness, from which latter,
it would seem, there can be no appeal. 1t is not
the first time have witnessed the reading of the
statutes by young pettifoggers in defiant air
rs much as to say, "gentlemen of the Jury, that's
the law, and appeal to you for justice in behalf
of my CLIENT 'and it not unfrequently happened
justice was rendered, and the "cient' suspended
between heaven and earth.
There is an act of Congress making it the duty
of the Judges of our county courts s'whenever any
po rtion of the surveyed public lands have been
settled upon and occupied as . town site, and not
subject to entry under the presumption laws" to
enter the same sat the proper land Office, in
trust, for the several use and benefit of the occu
pants thereof" This act also provides that the
execution of this trust shall ssbe conducted under
such rules and regulations as may be provided by
the legislative authority of the State Territory
in which the same may be situated.' "a.
Thus it will be seen that the law Of Congress
of 1914 makes it the duty of the Judge to enter
town sites for the use and benefit of the occu-
pants, to be conducted under the regulations ef
the Territorial or State Legislature. To make
effective this provision of Congress our Legisla-
ture Of 1855 enacted the following - ef n
SO 10. As soon as may be, after the expiration
Of sixty days from the first publication of the
notice mentioned in the third Section of this Act,
the corporate authorities, Judge or judges, hold
ing the title to the lands described in such notice.
shall make a true statement in writing containing
true account Of all moneys by him or them er-
pended in the acquisition Of the title and the ad
minsstraion execution Of the trust TO that time
INCLUDING ALL MONEYS PAID BY HIN Or THEN FOR
THE PURCHASE OF SAID LANDS, ALL NECESSARY TRAv-
ELLiNG EXPENSES, ALL MONEYS PAID FOR POSTING
AND PUBLISHING SUCH NOTICES, AND FOR PROOF
THEREOF, and for all other necessary and proper
expenses incident to such trust" 7C ..
Thus far, the Legislature strictly complied
with the spirit of the act of Congress of 1874
authorizing s:ules and regulations )" but when the
Legislature licensed the Judge Judges to charge
for time and trouble in doing the same, they went
beyond the prescribed instructions of the law Of
IA, which says nothing whatever of conpensa-
lion, as it is the undoubted meaning of the Act
regulating the salary of Territorial Judges to
amply remunerate them for ALL SERVICES rendered
while on the bench-for which they owe their
undivided time and attention. The idea Of OPEN
ing an avenue of speculation to take up the Of
tention of our Territorial Judges is perfectly pre-
posterous and contrary to the cardinal principles
on which the Judiciary rests. 1t has universally
been an object of the greatest Importance to
keep the Judiciary entirely aloof from the cor.
rupting spirit of speculation, and when the Leg.
islature of Minnesota or the editor of the Pion.
eer, which last winter were synonymous terms,
claims for these Judges the right to charge ex-
orbitant and unjust fees for entering town sites,
and then add thereto d notary's fec for making
transfers, they are guilty Of screening system
that will corrode the very heart of Justice in this
Territory.
To the rules and regulations prescribed by the
Legislature is added discretionary" compensa-
ton which has secured to some of our Judges
fees, within the past three years. amounting to owe,
$4,000. Administers Of Justice authorised BY
our Legislature to practice system Of sscoercivs
speculation that nets them from Eve to seven
Thousand dollars per annum! Truly may the
Jealousy Of the people be aroused at this profit.
gate contamination of the judiciary, whose puri.
ty from faint is essential to Justice Justice j,
essential to the welfare of society or the Consti.
tuition to oar liberties, and every wild, extrava.
CANT and corrupt theory calculated to weaken tn,
power of this conservative arm of our Govern.
ment, BY making it the instrument to advance
schemes Of speculation and plumber, should meet
wiki the most exemplary Reproduction. a
SUPPORTING THE USroS.-Mr. Buchanan's CHIEF
organ in his strongest State, the Charleston Mer
curry, says: .44i 7..4 .aa.s.t SO
"Ws hope our sentinels in Washington vii
keep bright watch in the coming night, and viii
aspirit kindlipg to the contest. Let ths Govern
icent perish, bu! let the South be preserved"
ftt
aoKTH roNr.-The anniversary of the battl
of North Point was celebrated at Baltimore OF
Friday last, with considerable eclst. The militia
ry paraded, and the association of Defenders HEX
their usual celebration on the battle ground. q
FREMONT "BEEF SrEALxR.noWhen the ques
ton of Fremons's Beef Contract in California VA
before the Indian Committee, MIR, Buchanan %
peared as witness in his behalf, certified to th,
propriety OF the contract and accounts, and up
held him emphatically. "Put that 10 your pipe
and smoke it," you who have condssoended 4
,st f.,l hvc - y. n