The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-02-14
0Ir. ThOmpsOn,s Census bill.

The friends of this measure, now in the
hands of Committee of the House Of Rep
resentatives, are so extremely sensitive about
it, that an editor scarcely dare raise his pen
to denounce its unjust and anti-Republican
features without being accused Of perpetrat-
ing personal attack" upon the worthy
gentleman who introduced it. and those who
support it. Disclaiming any such motive, or
any hostility to the interests of any part
of Minnesota, or any man in it, we will pro-
ceed to say more about this bill than has here
tofore been convenient.
We have been frequently called upon to
We will name few of them at this time, and
leave others to be considered hereafter:
LIST: Mr.. Thompson proposes to take the
census by the Sheriffs, and their deputies, of
the several counties, which enumeration is to
be returned to the Governor and Secretary
of the Territory, who are to be the sole judges
of the validity of the returns. We do not
object to this feature because Willis A.
Gorman and j. Travis Rosser are Governor
and Secretary. In fact, it is almost certain
that the first named gentleman will not be
Governor at the time; and it may be, we
shall fall into worse hands. But this tribu-
nal of Governor and Secretary, whoever
they may be, are to decide upon all technic-
alities of the several Sherifs' returns, and have
power to reject such as they may deem not
to be in proper form. The poor Sherifs, pro-
vided this tribunal of Governor and Secretary
decide that their returns are not properly
made, will not only have to see their counties
partially disfrapchised in the Convention,
but they must suffer certain pains and penal.
ties for failing to please President Buchan-
ans Governor and Secretary.
I'd. We object to Mr.. Thompson's bill on
the ground that it proposes to introduce the
old rotten borough system of G eat
Britain into Minnesota. The feature of the
bill which allows person who has resided
only ten days in county or district to be
eligible to seat in the Convention, is radi-
cally wrong. We cannot see why Mr..
Thompson should wish any of the political
adventurers Of Ramsey county to be allowed
to make ten days bogus residence in his
county Of Houston in order that they NAV
secure, to the detriment of better men, seats
in the Convention, or why we of Ramsey
county should suffer like infiction from the
cast-off political loaferage of his county, il
there be any such.
Sd. The bill under consideration will in.
volve the Territorial Treasury to the amount
of at least $50, 900, merely, We judge, in or.
der that the people of Minnesota may have
the opportunity of fixing up this State mat
ter in their own way" We can't help
thinking that certain Councillor, who fights
with bulldog tenacity every appropriation
from the Territorial treasury, however small
or just, but who now goes for making this
extensive plunge to find the bottom of tn,
public chest, and even break through it, is il
the predicament Of the boy who was "only
waiting till dad got dollar ahead he didn'
want to hook only two shillings."
We should consider the while that thii
expenditure will all be saved to the people
of Minnesota, provided we are brought int
the Union as State in accordance with tn,
wishes of Congress.
We have only space this morning to Sc
forth the above, which are very few of tn,
main objections to Mr.. Thompson's bill.
might be further stated that its provisio,
giving the Governor the power of appointn
persons to take the census in the unorgau
lied counties is very decided objection /