The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-12-19

Territory of Minnesota were appropriated
the several roads named in an act passe'
Nav 22d, 1857. Your attention is invited u
this subject, with the object OF seeking suci
further legislation as NAV be necessary u
| reap the full advantages oil the grants. Inc
. imnortance of the lands being in market al
soon az possble and the roads completed al
HIGHWAYS of travel and traffic, cannot be
over estimated. In addiction to the facilitie!
of intercourse between different parts of the
State and with the rest of the Union, the
, influence their construction will probably ex-
ert in determining the course of the first great
chain of railways projected from the wealthy
Atlantic coast to the empire springing into
life on the Pacific, is of peculiar interest to
Minnesota, and suggests your attentive con-
sideration.
State and County Lines Should be Fiaed
Prompt measures should be taken to estab-
lsh and fix that portion Of the western
boundary line of the State Fl ON the outlet OF
Big Stone Lake directly south to the north
ern boundary Of Iowa. Settlemer is are rap
! idly increasing in that direction, and county
lines should be defined, and no room left for
doubt as to jurisdiction.
The Militia Should be Organized.
| IA tuOiOuSu vi tNC
system is essential to the dignity and author
ity of the State. The existing regulations
are wholly inadequate, and frontier State
particularly needs military organization OF
un'loubted efficiency. While the preserva-
tion of peace should be the first object of
government, and the employment of force the
! last possible resort, yet all experience teach
es that complete and active preparation for
the latter is the best security for the main
tenance of the former.
Change IN the Duties Of County officers Urged.
Under the present Territorial laws, the
Sheriff of the County is made the collecting
agent. AS there is no necessary connection
between the duties of the Sheriff, and the
collection of the revenues, | would recon-
mend that a Treasurer and Auditor be pro-
vided by law for each county and that it be
made the duty of the Treasurer to collect the
) taxes, and that disbursements be made ONLY
on the draft of the Auditor. would re-
commend also, that the Office of 'Register
| of Deeds" be changed to that of Recorder"
and that the duties be confined exclusively
to recording deeds, mortgages, and similar
| instruments of writing, not pertaining to the
Court Records Also that the election re-
turns be made to the County Auditor, if
/ such office should be created. The officer to
whom is entrusted the recorded evidence of
the titles Of each landholder in the county,
should be relieved from political duties and
confined strictly to the responsible and deli
cate trust repOsed in him
Except that the Sheriffs ought not to be
collectors of taxes-who should be appoin-
ted in each district by the County Com
missioners themselves-the Governors re-
concentrations in the above paragraph are
not valuable. AS he could not have him
voted out, the Governor now evidently
wants to legislate Parson Ames ont Of the
post of canvassing officer for Hennepin Co.
No you don't, Mr.. Medary 1t may be re-
marked, also, that the kind Of timber that
would usually be selected for so unmportant
an Office as County Auditor, would hardly do
to trust the responsible duty Of election can
vassing to-
Notaries Public.
would respectfully suggest that a law be
passed regulating the appointment of No
tares Public, and that copy of said law ac-
company each commission. The propriety of
this will be apparent to all persons living in
| a newly and sparsely settled neighbOrhood.
Commissioner to Rerise Statutes-Fat Otfces for
Somebody.
The Constitution provides that Legal
Pleadings and Proceedings in the Courts
shall be under the direct II Il the Legisla-
ture." 1t also declares 'that every person is
entitled to certain remedy in law, for all in
!iurieS or wrongs he may receive in his per-
| son, property, or character; that he ought to
obtain justice freely. and without purchase;
completely and without denial promptly and
without delay conformably to the laws" |
! therefore recommend that three Commission
ers be appointed TO secure the objects named
| in the Constitution, by revising and simpli-
| flying the practice, so us to render your
Courts accessible to the poorest citizen, who
may have wrongs to redress or rights to
maintain.
The change from Territorial to State
Government will render many existing laws
obsolete; require radical changes in others;
and make many new enactments necessary.
1t is therefore recommended, that complete
revision and codifcation be made. This can
be done by joint committee of the two
Houses, or by Commissioners appointed for
that purpose. The necessity and proprietv
OF the work is apparent. The manner of
doing it you will. in your WISDOM decide.
GOOD IDEAS about the Purity of tie Ballot Boz
No subject will appeal more strongly to
your patriotism than that Of preserving the
purity of the baiIot-b,x. The right of suf-
frage is too sacred an element in our system
of government to be abused or misused. I'm
awed and unnhuenced, the ballot should ex-
! <1 IF 70, -
and any effort to deiraud the voter of this
free and unbiased expression of his opinion,
whether in casting his vote or in making
return of it by the prop'r officer, should be
visited by the scverest legal penalties. The
enemies of free government find their strong
est argument against mans capacity for self
/ government, in the corruptons of the elective
franchise. With a view to assist your en-
deavors to preserve the purity of this right,
recommend that, instead Of election precincts,
as now existing, the townships, as established
by Government surveys, be organized for
their local government, and made election
districts, when sufficiently popuous to admit
of such organization. In thus simplifying
the system, based upon permanent and known
boundaries, with local and political exis-
tence, regulated under legal responsibilities
for other than election purposes, the opportu-
mites as well as the temptation to commit
frauds, will be greatly diminished.
lFair words butter no parsnips The
township system is impracticahle for many
Years. Is Gov. Medary in favor of Regis
try Law :? That is a practical mode of
maintaining the purity Of the balot-box.]
| Mt H.
The condition Of the Penltentiary calls for
your immediate action. No money having
been appropriated for such repairs as were
absolutely necessary for the security of pris-
oners, the officers of the institution have been