The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-01-09
Justice to the Democratic Members OF
the Legislature.

A communication in the Pioneer E Demo-
crut of the 1st inst, written avowedly by
member Of the Legislature, and signed "a
DEMOCRAT AT HIS Posr," alludes to and
winces q good deal over a short editorial ar
ticle in the Minmesotian last week, which re-
ferred to the fact that the State Legislature
was Gas good as adjourned"-in effect II no'
formally-through the non-attendance OF
quorum in either house, because of leave o.
absence granted, or French leave taken, by
large moiety Of its members. The commune
cation closes with this question
"Will the Minnesotian do justice to the
Democratic portion of the Legislature q
TO which naive inquiry, we answer GER
tainly most certainly
"You shall have justice remarked ajudge
to a trembling Irish criminal at the bar o1
his court-"rely upon it, my man, will see
that you have justice !" "Be jabers, joodge
an that's what I'm afeerd Of" replied Pat
Now, we are quite as much disposed, as
this said judge was, to render justice to Grim
inals; and consequently the Minnesotian may
be counted upon, to even "do justice to the
Democratic portion of the Legislature"-
never fear us, on that score
AS preliminary step to just Judgment
we extract from the communication referred
to, the following paragraph:
cit is true the Republicans protested a.
gainst any action in the making of laws, un-
til after the admission of the State into the
Union; but the Democrats took upon them
selves the responsibility of keeping the Leg
islative ball in motion, and by that decision
they still abide"
1t will be noticed how in the foregoing par
agraph, the position occupied by the Repub-
lican members of the Legislature, as '.protest-
ants against any action in the making Of laaos
until after the admission of the State into the
Union," is freely acknowledged.
We are glad to have this admission from
the Democratic side. 1t confesses the Repub-
lican Party to be standing upon an elevated
platform of principle before the people and
taxpayers of the State. The protest of the
Republican members was based upon the
clear unconstitutionality of MEDARY acting
as Governor of the State and the conse-
quent nom-Ualidity of laws passed with only
his signature to approve Of them. Having
taken at the beginning this position, both con-
scientiously and from sound expediency, they
have maintained it ever since.
These being their views, they pressed up
on the Democratic majority the policy of ad
journing over for six or eight weeks at the
end of which period, they urged, the Con-
gress of the United States would probably
have admitted Minnesota into the Union ;
that the regular and constitutional authorities
of our State would, by that time, have en-
tered upon the duties of their respective Of
fees and that then the Legislature could
safely proceed with the public business, with
out incurring the risk, on account of MEDIA
RVS usurpation, that the validity Of their
acts would be questioned at future period
before the judicial tribunals of the country {;
and avoiding besides, by such an adjourn
ment, plunging our new State into that con-
dtion Of legal chaos and confusion, affecting
disastrously individual rights as we'll as pub
lie affairs, which doubts resting upon the va
lidity of legislation, inevitably produce.
Another reason urged by the Republicans
for adjourning over, besides the foregoing
potent ones, was that such an adjournment
would result in q sauirg to the State Treasury
Of about $4,000 dollars, in the expenses OF
the Legislature during perhaps eight weeks
of leg islative dawdling here, trying to do
nothing and succeeding admirably
Now, toentyJfos thousand dollars sared, at
the start of our infant State-saved to the
taxpayers these hard times when the real
people of the land are enough overburdened
by the pressure of the times, and by the ex-
igencles of their daily wants-is sum that
the Republican members felt to be something
of an object, though their Democratic col
leagues seemed disposed to esteem it only a
small and trifling matter compared with the
immediate choice of two U. S. Senators Of
their own party, and with thereafter spending
the whole winter in St. Paul in purposeless
kind of loa6ug at So per day-unless, how
ever, piling up an extravagant printing bill in
favor of the Pioneer establishment, for the
taxpayers to foot, may be considered by them
a purpose of sufficient moment to justify the
course of the Democracy in refusing to ad
journ over until they could properly proceed
with the business of legislation.
But these different views of the two par
ties in our legislature, may be accounted for
upon still other premises. The Republicans
all represent substantial tax-paying commu
mites. They were sent here by the real
bone and sinew-the sturdy yeomanry of the
country. But on the other hand, a large
moiety Of the Democratic members were vo-
ted into their seats by the hordes of Irish in
and about the cities and towns, or by yet
wilder hordes of savage Indians in the will
derness and frontier counties. In no fair
sense, does the Democratic strength in either
house represent the real pith and stamina Of
the land-those who pay the bills of the
State iu time of peace. and who are it's reli-
ance in time of war to furnish the sinews, the
money, that sustains it, and the men and the
blood which it consumes.
These being mainly the different constitu-
encies of the two parties in our State Legis-
lature, it is not surprising the Republicans
should want to SAGE the dollars that must
come out Of the pockets Of their constitu.
ents; nor is it whit more surprising, that
many of the Democratic members shouldn't