The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-15
Debate In the senate ON the Admission
Of Minnesota.


We publish on our I'd and ID pages the
report of the debate in the Senate on the
Both. The report concluded with the vote
on the adoption Of the amendment Of Sena-
tor WILSON, Of Mass, giving the State but
one representative and ordering new CEN
sus. The following is the report on the
3lst:
WEDNESDAY. March 81.
The Senate, as in Committee of the
Whole, resumed the consideration Of the
bill Is. No. So for the admission of the
| State of Minnesota into the Union.
Mr.. Polk.-I move to strike out the sec
ond section of the bill and insert
! That the said State shall be entitled TO three
/ Repre- sentatiyes in the Congress vi the United
! States.
Mr.. lvERsoN expressed himself in favor of
Mr.. PoLKs amendment. The vote was as
follows
YEAs-Messrs. Bigler. Bright, Evans, Fitch
/ Green, Gwin. Hammond, lyerson, Jones, Polk,
! Pugh, Sebastian. Slidell and Stuart-li.
NAYS -Messrs. Allen, Bayard. Benjamin,
I Biggs, Broderick, Brown, Cameron, Chandler
/ Clark, Clay, Collsmer, Crittenden, Dixon, boo.
/ little, Durkee, Fessenden, Fitzpatrick Foot
/ Foster, ilamln, Harlan, Henderson, Houston,
Johnson, of Arkansas, Johnson, OF Tennessee
Kennedy, King, Mason, Pierce, rrumbull, Wade
! Wilson, Wright, and fulee-3l.
Mr.. FITcH offered an amendment, giving
the State two representatives, until new
census shall be taken of the three represen.
tatives elected last October, the two having
the highest number of votes 10 be admitted
lie withdrew this, however, and offered the
following
That said State shall be entitled 10 three rep
resentatives to Congress during the present
Congress and thereafter to such number of rep.
resentatives as the census herein provided for
shall enttle IT TO, according to the present ratio
Of representation.
Mr.. DooLrrrrE moved to amend by making
the number tico instead of three.
Mr. Housros repeated his Objection to
the admission Of any of the representatives
elect, on the ground that they had been
elected on general ticket, instead of by dis.
tricts.
Mr.. KING. Of n. Y, SAID
The Constitution furnishes a
rule which we have no right whatever 10
vary. 1t is no matter Of favor or disfavor
TO Minnesota, or, at least, ought not TO be.
shall not vote with any such feeling but
simply with view to admit the State of
Minnesota, as intend to vote TO admit the
State, with the number of Representatives
to which she is entitled. She has right to
justice, but she has right to nothing more;
and have no idea that her people would
desire anything more AZ good citizens of the
country. think it better, instead of at
tempting to determine the number here, that
we leave the question to the House Of Rep.
resentatives passing it, az we have done in
the bill, and leaving 1t indefinite. shall so
vote. have only made these remarks be-
cause | feel embarrassed in undertaking to
decide between three and two. ! am unwilling
to determine any number beyond one | am
prepared to give her one, because she is
clearly entitled to that, and perhaps TO two
but there is no evidence before US yet to
show that she is.
Mr.. HALE, Of n. H., said
| prefer the bill as it stood
originally, allowing Minnesota to have wha,
every OtueT oldtt ushS-- WHAT sHt IL tUfistl-
tutionally entitled to. II you 20 beyond
that, and confer hvors on her, know Of no
rule to measure them. If We are going by
favor, don't know but We might as well give
her three as two, | am opposed to giving
her any thing do not conceive that
have right to do 80. There is contract.
She has right to one. The Constitution
gives her that; and, by the enabling act,
she has right to as many more as the cen
sus-nOt the guess Of members-shows her
entitled to; aud if we are going TO give her
anything, think we had better give three.
II we are going to make present, let US 90
the whole figure. At the same time, ! do
not feel at liberty to vote for three and
am opposed to giving anything. We have
nothing here to give. We are not here al
mOners Of anybody's bounty but guardians
OF constitutional rights. The constitution
gives one member; let her have il. II she
10 entitled to two by her census, let her have
them or TO three, he it so, shall no, find
fault but | will not give any.
The question being taken by yeas and
nays 90 Mr.. DooLIrrLEs amendment 10 the
amendment Of Mr.. FITCH, resul.ed-yess H.
nays So a. follows
YEAs-Messrs. Baysrd. Biggs, Chandler,
! Clark, Dixon. Doolttle, Evans, Hammond, Ken.
| needy, Mason. and Thompson Of Kentncky-Il.
NAYs-Messrs. Allen, Benz amn. Bright, Brod
eriek, Cameron, Clay, Collsmer. Critienden.
Fessenden. Fitch, Foot. Foster, Green, Gwin,
Hale, Hsmiin. Harlan, Houston, Iverson, John.
son Of Tennessee, Jones, Pearce Polk, Pugh.
! Sebastian. .Himm ons. Stuart. Thompson Of New
Jersey, Trumbull, Wade, Wilson, Wright. and
| Yulee--33.
So the amendment 10 the amendment was
rejected.
Mr.. FrcH's amenmen, giving the State
three Representatives was then voted down
yeas IA, nays SO. The yeas were a. iol
lows:
/ No. Au.c ptvlsv Qpt.k, ts..-L r..n,