Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-05-22

| Union. Minnesota, whatever she may hay
been yesterday, is State to-day, and is ci
| titled to representation in the Senate CT til
! United States. Two gentleman present then
selves here, and claim to lie Senator's trol
that State. Does any person object
there any reasonable objection on the part {
the Senators Of the United States to rcceiy
Senators from Minnesota Certainly no
for the Senate is DESTROYS that every Stat
shall be represented Immediately on its It'll
being established.
Does any objection como from the State
Minnesota Certainly not. These Senator
bring testimonials from the authority who
was constituted by the people Of Mnnesot
in pursuance Of the constitution which the
were authorised to establish, and which con
stitutiOn has been submitted in behalf OF tn
people to the Congress Of the United States
We may therefore recognize the election c
the Senators made by the Legislature OF Min
nesota, as an act performed conditionally, OF
as the lawyers say, de Jene esse, an act whlcl
is to take effect from the time when the Stat
shall be admitted into the Union. L belev
in all cases, in legal transactions as we'll as II
political transactions, such things occur
Metaphysically, there is difficulty practl
cally, there seems to be none; and as 1t
clear that the State of Minnesota is entitled
to representation, as there is no opposition
from that State to the admission OF these two
gentlemen in that character, as they come
with credentials which we are satisfied are
authentic and made dependent on this condi
ton, l think our proper course in this case
IN bo - &c 10 oGm
Senators to their seats, subject to the condi
ton, that if the State of Minnesota shall
show hereafter that they are here, in usurp
ed character which she has not given them
then the ct may be repealed.
In regard to the other question, have moi
a word to say. Think the honorable Senator
tiOas I0Cd, if his informants are credible and
respectable persons, did no more Than his du
ty in laying these statements before the Sen
ate. Al the same time, [ agree with the
honorable Senator from Mississippi, that the
gentleman whose character is assailed will
o1ce it to HIMSELF and if he do not the Senate
probably aoM one it TO itself to institute az
investigation.
Mr.. STUART. trust 1 may be pardon
ed for saying a word under the circumstan-
ces and I must express my regret that The
honorable Senator from Iowa took occasion
to present papers of the kind which he did
present at this particular time. l think il
would have been much better for him to pre-
sent them to the Senate at any other time,
and ask for their reference to any committee
for careful and appropriate examination
But sir, l could not think that had dis
charged my duty-at all events not that d,t-
ty which feel that l eve to myseli-if did
not meet this suggestion by saying that
have known the gentleman who asks adms-
sion here to-day, from his boyhood up; and
if there is any one man in America who, more
than another has at all times been the friend
of the settler, tie pioneer Of the country, and
has aided him by his personal and political
influence and by his private means, more
than any other that man is Mr.. RICE. In
respect to this transaction, | know something
PERSONAL---VERY. of the particular charges
made in these papers but know that the
claims Of the settles upon the Fort Craw
ford reservation were carefully examined un
der the instruction of Mr.. RICE by compe
tent men sent out on purpose, and no mans
claim was offered for sale in the first instance
| was there myself at that time, and the in
structiors were specific that wherever there
was claimant on the reserve, those claim
ants having no legal rights at all, the reserve
not being subject to presumption, the facts
were to be ascertained and reported to him
and no such property was offered for sale
but it was withheld, their claims were to be
examined, and they were to have their land
at just such prices as the Secretary directed
In my opinion there has not been an honest
err transaction one that has been conducted
upon higher principles, than that was. What
may have been done by some man who pre-
fessed to be an agent Or something else, | dc
not know but thus far | certify to the Sen
ate and to the country what do know.
In saying thus much, feel that but dis
charge q duty which should have felt my
self ccnsurable if had not done, in regard tc
personal honor and personal character. And
now / have word to say in regard to the
ration of the Senate, that if we were to pro-
coed upon technical compliance with oul
constitutional authority, it would require q
State in form, and fully and completely or
ganizcd, before we could act at all, because
our authority is to admit a State not q
Territory, not State partially organized, not
something that is to be State afterwards
but it is to admit State and there is nc
distinction between State formed out Of
domestic territory, and one that Is carved
from foreign dominions. The practice of the
country has been to take this thing in its
progress, it being proceeding that is to be
completed under our constitutional authority
Congress has not stopped to inquire whether
it was fully or partially organized, as is now
the case in Oregon, and as was the caSs in
Kansas but l say my Judgment has been
that when State is carved out of Our owr
territory, it is an organization that we auth
orize for this purpose. Such is the title Of
our acts. We authorize the people of Ter
ritOry to proceed to make a State organiza
the Union. My own individual opinion is
that if Congress, for any reason of its own
refuses admission, absolutely and unqualified
", the organization fails, it being made for {
particular purpose. Suppose you were t.
take the suggestion of the honorable Senator
from Mississippi that it becomes a State up
on our action what then He aludcs tC
the fact that the Legislature passes law.
which are in force as soon as we admit tht
State. The same thing is true of the electio,
Of Senator. He becomes entitled to hi
seat the moment VIC admit the State. ['Le
us vote"l I did not desire or design to de
tain the Senate q moment on the subject, bu
simply to throw out these remarks; for
rose, as I said, merely to vindicate my per
sonal friend, man who is above reproach.
Mr. HARLAN. ] should not have sal,
another word were it not for the expression
of rcrret on the part Of the Senator from
Michigan that have called the attention O
the Senate to this subject. can say to tha
Senator that it was as painful to me as i
could have possibly been to him; and Their,
was doubt in my mind in regard to my dut,
in the matter; AMI that ry precise condition
may he understood, will take up the tim
of the Senate fer minute to read paper O
two that have been, by citizens of Iowa. for
warded to my colleage here, and one of m,
colleagues in the other House, anil by then
placed in my hands. One of them purpolt
to be petition Of these claimants themselves