Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-02-28
THE LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION.

c. The LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTlONs
Mr.. Adams offered the following resolution: -
Whereas Certain general charges have been
made both by members on the floor of this House,
and by newspapers published in the city of St.
Paul, of bribery and corruption on the part of
members of this House who voted for the remov-
a. of the seat Of government to St. Peter. there
fore, be it UJi
Resolved, That members of this House, to-
gether with the editors of newspapers published
in the city of st. Paul, be requested to make
said charges in a specific manner, and when said
charges shall have been so made, that commit
tee be appointed to thoroughly investigate said
charges and report to this House.
Mr.. Murray offered the following substitute;
Resolved, That Committee of three be ap-
pointed, and vested with power to send for per-
sons and papers, to administer oath, and take tes
timony respecting the charges of bribery and cor
ruption of members of this House in voting on
the removal of the capital to st. Peter.
And supported it by saying that the resolution
offered by the gentleman from Dakota (Mr. Ad-
ams,) made it necessary that certain specific char
ges should be made, before this committee could
be appointed or this investigation commence,
whereas, he thought the charges already made
were direct and bold enough. If the charges are
the part of certain members on this floor and ac-
quit the rest, if they are not sustained, all the
imputations fall to the ground, and every mem
Der occupies a position honest and honorable be-
fore the people of the Territory. The proposed
substitute provides for an Immediate investiga.
tion-and why shall it be delayed?
Mr.. Adams rejoined; saying that he, for one,
was willing and anxious that the proposed inves-
tigation should take place, but insisted that the
charges should first be specific, so that We shall
know who is implicated, and where to begin.
The charges which have been made by members
upon the floor of this House, and by the newspa-
pers of the city, are general and sweeping, they
hit nobody in particular, and yet implicate every
member who voted for the removal. He read
from the editorial columns of the Times of the
same morning in regard to the alleged receipt of
''certain considerations" for their votes upon
this question. These newspapers, he said, were
closed against all communications in favor of the
removal of the capital, but every morning they
TEEN with imputations against members, end
these We want Investigated. This body ought to
request them now, TO make their charges specific,
80 that We can be ready to meet and refute them.
Mr.. Murray replied, saying that the presses Of
this city were entrely free to express their opin-
ions without instructien from this body sr an.
other. He believed that the H. "a .'a :.
woala % gssosd \ aui newspaper
- as " their own sense of propriety
/, ",tnout any dictation from US. [Mr. Murray i
right. The st. Paul Press needs no dictation from
second-rate Legislators, either in or outside o
the Republican party, and any such an attemp
on their part, viii make them appear more ridic