The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-01-09
The Legislature.

" The attendance of members during the holy
days, stoscs large majority Of those ,cho haUe
remained at their post to do business to be Dem'
ocrats, athletic Republicans, almost to a man,
| hare obseated Themselves, and agith0W asking
leace Of absence"
| The above contemptuous language ap-
peared, day or two since, in the Pioneer 9
| Democrat, and to show lis talsity we will just
mention the facts in tie case as they have
presented themselves daily at the House for
the past week. BY reference to the daily
| journal ofthe House, it will be seen that as
| general thing, from seventeen to twenty-five
| of its members have answered to the call
from day to day. Twelve, at least, OF these
have been Republicans.
| Now take from the balance the six st.
| Paul members who are at their homes in any
event, and it leaves the number Of Demo
cratic members who did not leave the city
and 90 to their homes, to be extremely
smal-too small at least to DO used as a ba-
sis for the above assertion.
Now that the papers seem disposed to
commence the war, we think Unnecessary and
lust that statements should be correctly
made on both sides. and the party to which
blame is due should be placed before the
public as to receive their just deserts.
REPUBLICAN MEMBER.
The above communication has been on
our files for day or two.
While we give it insertion on account OF
the wish ofour correspor dent to place before
the public the 'lative attendance of the Re-
d. blcan and Democratic members of the
Legislature, respectively, during .the daily
sessions of either branch, we care nothing
for the fact itself as involving, in any degree,
responsibility by the Republican party, for
keeping up quorum.
That responsibility rests entirely with the
Democracy. They have majority in each
house. The Democratic members of them
selres, when all present, compose quorum to
do business. They say they believe it is
right to 60 ahead, and manufacture laws. l
they are honest in this view, which is also
their party view, it is their duty to hold all
Heir owa members rigidly up to the work.
Upon tins doctrine, they have already acted.
Two United States Senators elected, are the
fruits of their determined adherence to the
dogma that we have at this time a State EX-
ecutive, whose signature sufices to complete
the Iormalities of law making.
There is something extremely weak and
dispicabe in the Democracy wanting now to
saddle portion of the responsibility CT doing
nothing for weeks, upon the Republican
members. The latter conscientiousy believe
in the do-notAing policy, until we have a
Constitutional Governor. They regard Me-
DAIRY, and still more, CHASE, as asmpers.-
Laws passed with only their approval they
hold to be worse than worthless-they think
them positively nischievous.
There is not lawyer in st. Paul, of either
party, who does not condemn in toto legisla-
ton under such circumstances or express,
at least, grave doubts respecting the VALID.
ty of acts of the State Legislature whilst we
are thus in our quasi Territorial condition.
1t is proposed, we see, to adopt a general
Banking Law. To issue bonds and raise
money upon them is another project.
These are measures which in their validity
should be free from the shadow Of doubt
Capital is timd. 1t shrinks back terrified
from flaw in legislation, and we may rest as.
sured that neither bonds will be cashed, nor q
single bank organized, unless the legislation
| III, fhn oil &c
unimpeachable in authority. Like Caesars
wife, laws affecting monied interests, and the
loan of capital must be above suspicion
1t is of great consequence, also, that thu
hundred and one laws affecting the commu
nifty in various ways, in their liberty, thei
lives, and their property, should beindlsputa
ble
Therefore, have they been in favor of an ad
iournment over until after our admission int
the Union, because they wished to save thu
people the expense of useless and danger
Gus session of weeks before any valid Law
could be passed.
Therefore, it was, that the Republicans
have been aversc to legislating at all, at pres
ent.
Therefore, is it, that they deem themselve
. under no obligation to keep up quorum il
q either the Senate or the House, when th
Democratic majority finch from sustaining
n their own position. If the latter want t
a preserve Quorum-want to so on and legis
e late-let them hunt with their own Demo
5, cratic pack The Republicans wash the
hands of the whole unconstitutional, reel
? less. and mschievous business.
e Not that the Republican members wi
It interpose any factious opp,s iton, If the d.
e mocracy summon together their own qu'
: rum, and proceed to legislate. Under prt
!. test, the Republicans will then go in an
e help mould into the Lest shape possibl
is the measures proposed SO that in case pl
: able party judiciary should possibly sustai
the usurpatiOn, wi.sstever may have been don