The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-08-01

Inherent In the nature and results from the
he case any one, therefore, doubts that Mr. Chase
acus ~ virtue OF his Seeretaryship competent t.
call the Convention to ORDER one can doubt that Mr.
Nortn, member Of the Convention, was fully CONNIE
se' W perform that Office. We take for granted tia
s.r Sase was competent person to do this, but tina
Mr. North was equally Both these gentlemen actin,
concuIreny put questions in the usual parliamentar,
form, to an assembage of persons within the bar of tb
Convention. One was for adjournment the other fo
an organization Both motions were declared carried
We have here IN one assembly two separate and dis
certain that majority Of the assembly n
the proceedings initiated by Mr. Chase and acted
the motion put oy hn we are not that any of tn,
consequences would follow which the Pioneer deduce,
from Its assertion Of that fact But it is nossbIe ~
ascertain any such thing, and 1t is to saw the least
highly improbable that such was the case 1st r.
majority had consented to recognize M MI
beforehand and had requested him in writing 70 cs
the meeting to order. End. Because the majority al
republicans had every motive for ignoring the
ings Of Mr. Chase. Sd. They acting at the sans
time upon motion of their own, agreed upon before
hand, and consented to beforehand unanimously.
But 1t must have struck every one, that all this bal
derdash about the competency Of this that officer has
nothing to do with the question. 1t is Of the ieas
consequence who puts the questions preliminary to
that by some means other the will of the majority
ascertained The mode of procedure does
he essence OF the act The will Of the majority, how
ever expressed is the act Of all the parties parcpatn,
IN the proceeding The single circumstance that but
y-hve Democrats withdrew from the Hall, in accord
ance with the resolution to adjourn while Re
puDicans remained ana organized in accordance will
the motion 80 to do, put concurrently w.t. the other
would seem to express in the clearest most empat
It's doubtful IL majority of those present
the authority Of Mr. Chase II Is bevond disnute
majority recognized the authority Of Mr. North There
is no evidence at all Of the one and there is the mos
absolute evidence Of the other
On the next day, the Democrats, now increased "a
lolty-sx' met pursuant to adjournment AS THE CON.
sIiTuTioNA CoNvENTIoN-as an adjourned meeting OF
the convention and came in body to the Hail occn
pied by majority Of the MEMBERS who had already or
as the Convention and demanded the surrender
OF the Hall to them, as the convention Being refused
they adjourned again to the Council and though mi
nority, and therefore not quorum, organized as the
convention. 90 WIG
We are the advocates Of no party We have too b;ob
respect for the prominent members of the recusant
delegation, to believe that they would lend themselves
without good reasons to the ambitious schemes of
agogues for party domination, obtained by wicked
and unjust means but confess we are at loss tn
understand how, even admitting for the moment, that
te adjournment upon which their action was predjca
ted was the sense of the meeting at the Capitol on Mon
DAY noon We are at loss to understand how IT could
De considered in any sense the adjournment of tho
convention THERE'S no evidence that of all those who
participated IN the proceeding, any was a member
OF the convention. 1t Is known that several
were present who were not membe There had been
no organization no credentials had been presented
The Convention did exist as a deIberafive mr. mr.
ianentary body when that meeting adjourned if it were
an aoJournmen IT can only be considered in its most
favorable light, the act of an informal and tnmut
Gus assemblage OF men, speaking without
anu nereore without authority. And there is not the
least DOUBT that If every member in the Hall had
on he motion to adjourn, prior to organization that
majority of all the members Of the convention this
ing quorum, would still, as such quorum he con,na,
to remain and organize.
Again, It is objected that majority of all
the members elect met and organized in the
usual and parliamentary manner, and pro-
ceeded to the business for which they wer,
elected, without taking notice of the factious
and discourteous conduct of the minority or
its bubbles.
A great deal has been said about potion
made by an individual-no one knew wheth.
er by a member of the Convention or not
because the journal of the proceedings of that
days Convention, which they will present to
you, does not show who We're members of the
Convention that day, and does not even show
that any members were present. because a
isl OF the members was never called by til
individual who protested to be chairman 2vo
tenn. at that time. Had he followed the
universal rule he would have called the list
that day. But motion was made to ad
journ to II O'Clock next day. 1t is asserted
that that motion took precedence of I'll 9th
ers. Now, granting for the sake of the argu
ment,-nothing mOre-t at the official WHO
pret' nded to be the presiding officer at that
time, was the presiding officer in fact. deny
that motion to adjourn to fixed time was
privileged motion, and Charge tt at those
who pretend it is, know better.
On page seventy-nine of Crlshings Manuel
find the following:
motion to adjourn takes the place of all other
tons whatsoever; for otherwise the assembly might be
kept sitting against its WILL and for an indefinite time
but in order to entte this motion to precedence IL mnst
be Simply to adjourn " without the addition of any
day or time and as the object Of the motion
'hen made In the midst of other proceeding anc
with view to supercede question already proposed
rs simply TO break up the sitting, does not admit of
any amendments by the addition particular dav or
n any other manner, though if a motion to adiourn is
made, when other business is before the ASSEMBLY, il
nay be amended like other questions"
Now, Sir, what was the motion made by
sentleinan,at tile time the Secretary presented
himself as the presiding officer? 1t was a
notion to adjourn to certain day and to a
certain time. Hence that motion could no,
be privileged motion, and was not in order.
Is tie notion made by Mr.. North that Mr..
ialbraith be elected President pro tempore
vas previously made. But surprising it Was
contend that it was impossible for them 10
I1lourn at that time. There was no Con-
'ention to adjour-no assembly to adiourn
They were simply mass Of individuals with. |
ut organization. No one knows or ca,
now, who voted for or against the motion |
whether they were members having right
seat IN the Convention, or merely citi-
ems OF st. Paul. l refer again to Cushine's
lanuel, page l66, and find
The reason why motion to adjourn, moved for the
ne purpose of succeeding or supnresne
pending question is not susceptible of amendment,
, that II amended it would at become inadmssa-
lie In point OF order, on ground of its being troduc
llfas fiAn hn,
Ie place OF question already pending and entitled to
t fist disposed of.
L submit the testimony of an unbiased
IAN as to the condition we were actually in
the time the motion was made. l extract
ON the editorial of the Advertiser. j uly %.
Let us anayse Theron without disputing him. tn.
pint at issue is this; the motion for adjournment
Monday the 18th inst put by NJ. Chase, in the Hall
the Convention, to the persons there assembled pror
organization, and decla cd carried BY Mr. Chase
as this adjournment of the Convention binding as the
Il OF the Convention on al! its members?
IL this were indeed So then tis beyond DISPUTE thai
the Democratic delegates in session at the Counci
namber' rishtfuy belongs the duty OF framing a Con.
tuition for Minnesota,
The act Of the Convention? By what process had tb
'rsois who had met within the bar of the House be-
'me the Convention? What and who constituted
ZEN the Convention? We had supposed it to be fun.
imentai law of the nce ton Of laraments that as
inbies OF men convened to transact the business of
irilameitary bodies-must first become parliamentary
|
'aes An a. Journment binding upon the nbers of
body such, necessarily implies the ex.
fence OF parliamentary body. An adjournment |
ior to organization is thing impossible. There can
adjournment because there is nothing 10 adjourn
i'll Theron, will MIR. Fandrau will the Pieneer expaj,
the ople of Minnesota, how a number of persons |
aggregated informally, and without organizations with
the bar OF the Cow enton, could adjourn as the Con-
nfion before they existed a Convention? Will any
e tell us how such au act could be the act Of parla
entary body, obligatory the members thereof as
CHI before the first step had been taken to constitute
EN- parliamentary b.dy?
We repeat that a motion for adjournment at that
age OF proceedings was simply absurd 1t could only
regarded in its most favorable light as an informal
I'd exceedingly impertinent and foolish suggestion and
unanimous concurrence of all present it, could
nothing more than the voluntary dispersion of n |
OVID We are sure that are right in saying that If
motion to adjourn had met the unauinaIs concur. |
nee OF every one he proceedings Gould have had no
nding force, except as tact agreement between ind
iuas and quorum of the nchoate convention might
We reassemDled at any time thereafter and pIoceeded
organize without reference to it. The first and only
ps which the unorganiZed assemblage OF Individual
Inning to be members elected to the cenyention was
paole OF taking, was the step necessary to orpan
tion No other could within its powers TN a,r
Before that might dispense, or the in.
Eluuais RnS composed .ne meeting, might in their In.
ritual capacity de what they pleased but IL cond not
tourn as parliamentary body '' ,
Throwing aside all technical tests and reducing Il 70
estion OF legal riRh-what was the sense of m.
those present at the meeting on Monday noon What
IS the sense OF majority of those present who were
rally and rightfully entitled their seatsf There we're
y-hve kepablicans at least with credentials in their
ckes-I SIX were bogus there would remain fortynne
favor OF organization. The highest number claimed n
the Democrats, including several who had not "
ntals-was fofty-ive Il
Now, sir, when this mltiop to adjourn was t.
ade, member of the Convention was oc- if
PyiLg the desk by the authority of ma h
rity OF all the members elected, and by 81