Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-03-26

10. l...The Election Of Congressman.
Sibieyss Reasons for Disffanchising
Minnesota Examined.
During the recent absence of the Senior
editor, an article written by him was forward
ID for publication, in which the predicament
n which Minnesota had been placed by the
Democratic Party of the State, in reference to
her being represented or not in the next Con- |
sress, was submitted at length for the consid-
grafton of the public. Since that time, the
adjournment of Congress without passing the
Post Office Appropriation Bill, has rendered
the probability of an Extra Session Of that
body still more probable; and makes it expe-
dent that we should revive in the minds OF
our readers, recollection of the facts, with
view,to thorough understanding as to what
we shall or can do, to get the State represent
ed on the floor of the National Legislature
We therefore proceed, as preliminary, to re-
capitulate the main points of our former arti-
Gle:
1t was therein shown, that if BUCHANAN
called an Extra Session as was then rumored,
and is now most probable, Mr.. HENRYM. RICE
would be the sole representative of the State
in both branches of the National Legislature;
and that whether an Extra Session was held
or not, we would, at anyrate, be unrepresent-
ed in the lower branch at the regular Session
of Congress, commencing in December next,
unless the Republican Party of the State
"took the bull by the horns,' and, State law
OF. no State law nominated candidates for Con-
gress to be voted for and elected by the peo-
pie at the next General Election in October OF
the present year!
1t was contended, that this would be no
violation or usurpation Of, but strict COM
pliance oith laso-the law Of the Union!
For, it is well known that under the act
admitting Minnesota, the People of the State
are authorized to elect tao members to repre-
sent US in eoery Congress; and it is fair argu-
ment, that in the absence of any State law on
the subject prescribing the time and manner
of said election, the people have perfect legal
right to choose such members at their regular
election phich occurs nert Immediately precsd'
ing the meeting Of Congress. 1t is not to be
presumed, that the neglect Of the State legis'
lature to regulate the election Of Congress
men, either renders nugatory the provisions o.
the United States act admitting Minnesota
into the Union, nor voids the right OF the
people to elect under them.
Still, there should haze been no necessity
for any argument about it. A law OF the Stat
should have made the time and mode OF elect
ing our Congrestmen perfectly clear and ~n
mistakable, without our having to fall back
upon an Interpretation of the act Of Congress
to prevent our being disfranchised before the
Union!
In our article already referred to, we show
ed how Minnesota came to be in this predica
ment, which involved our thus, in measure
taking the law into our own hands, or els'
leaving the State without representation unit
the Session of December, in the year 1860
We showed that it was oceasioned by TIM
deliberate policy of the Democratic Party o
Minnesota during the Session of the first LIE
gislature of the State nearly year ago.
In that body, the Democrats had decided
majority in both branches.
1t was their duty to have passed law reg
ulating the election of Congressman. But j
is fact, that they persistently neglected ant
refused to perform this duty; and the fact il
the more disgraceful to them, that they neg
lected their duty to the State aud tho People
solely and avowedly to subserve their oao,
party purposes!
Rather than risk the defeat of their candi
dates for Congress, which they apprehende'
would be the case should they adopt Law
authorizing Congressional election last Octo
Der, they preferred to sacrifice State pride ant
State interests and rather leave Minnesot
without any representation in Congress unit
December, 1860, than that she should be rep
resented by Republicans
Was ever party desperation carried to
greater extent2
We also showed, moreover, that the Re
publican members of the last Legislature wer
anxious to have Congressional election il
October last, let it result as it would, and tina
they zealously tried every means openly t.
induce the Democratic majority to pass a Law
on the subject, but unavailingly. The ma
jory steadily declined to perform this act o
justice.
Finding them therefore thus deaf to consid
erations of duty to the people and regard TO
the interests of the State, the Republican
then resolved to attain, if possible by strata
gem what the Democracy refused to thei
open efforts. The Republican members o
the Legislature took counsel together; and il
bill Regulating Elections, managed to hav
inserted a simple| and unpretentious claus
which would have had the effect of authori
ling Congressional election in October last
but which effect the Democrats overlooked
and so passed the bill
We showed, that the election law being 81
passed, the Legislature almost Immediately
adjourned; and that the bill went to SIBLE1
for his signature; who would undoubtedly
have signed it, had not the secret in regart
to its authorization of Congressional election
unfortunately leaked out and came to his ears
when he vetoed the bill instantly; assigning
however, and of course, other but insufficient
reasons for his action.
The deduction we drew from all these facts