Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1859-12-24

and award the said contract, or contracts, for
said printing, binding, and advertising to the
lowest and best bidder or bidders, for the whole
or any portion of said printing, binding Or advcr-
tlslng for said term of two years specified in said
public notice. This shows that when the work
was divided or cas-cd into different portions
or items, that any one portion or item was to
be let to the lowest bidder, for that Item
Nov this course was not pursued, and with
respect TO many Of the items or portions Of
the work advertised in the proposal, we find
that the bids Of Mr. Goodrich were made
| hi%her than others, and that nOtwithstand-
| ili5 ttiS tie contract for the whole work was
let to Mr.. Goodrich, instead of those portions
only upon which he was t,lc lowest bidder
This course we conceive was in violation o!
the Statute, and that the contract would be
| unauthorized an invalid
For these reasons the Committee report
| adversely to the resolution.
j. II. STEWART,
L. l.. KING
The report Of the committee was accepted
laid on the table, and made the special order
OF Friday next, at | l o'clock A. II.
Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE-The House was called to order
at the usual hour, and opened with prayer by
the Rev. E. d. Neill.
Roll called, and journal read and corrected
REPORTS.
of Committee on Elections submitted a re-
port on the contested seat case of Jefferson
| 0S. NettletOn, recommending Luke Marvin as
proper commissioner in the case, to be paid
$50 for his services. The report was adopted
DIR. TROW, from the Committee on Inter
nal improvements, submitted report on the
bill referred to them, authorizing the Cover
nor to receive tha 5 per centum due the
State from all Public lands sold therein, re
commended that it pass. Adopted.
Mr.. VAN WORRIES from the majority Of
the Committee on Printing, submitted re-
port, which was read at length.
Mr.. STEPHENSON of Ramsey. submitted
a report from the minority of the same Com
mttee, which was read at length. Another
document, which was appended thereto, was
read, proving to be a proposal from E. S.
Goodrich to submit the question of the valid
ty of his contract to any District Judge
| Mr.. SECOMBE offered the following rcso-
lution:-
Resol5ed-that the report of the majority
the Committee on Printing be adopted, and
that Messrs. Newson, Moore, Foster & Co.
be anu are hereby elected to do the Incident
al Printing of this House during the present
session of the Legislature: The said Print
ing to be agreed upon by and between the
said persons and the Committee of this House
on Printing
Mr. SW EET moved to lay the minority
report on tho table and print it.
Mr.. ROBERTSON moved to lay the major
ity report on the table, together with Mr.. Sc
conbes motion. Lost--Ayes %, noes 81
Mr.. STEPHENSON moved to refer the re-
ports Of the majority and minority to the Ju-
dietary Committee. Lost-ayes 2l, noes 54.
BY Mr.. ROBERTSON
ResotOeh, That the majority and minority
Reports be referred to select Committee of
Messrs. Stevens, Mitchell, and Sanborn, to re-
port on the legal questions therein.
Mr.. SECOMBE moved the previous ques-
ton on his resolution. Not ordered
Mr.. ROBERTSON got the floor, and made
a lengthy speech i'll favor of his substitute
Said the majority were about to commit all
outrage. That they had been worthless as a
minority. and now would be more worthless
while in power. Mr.. r. was very partisan in
his remarks, and seemed to be particularly
bitter towards the Republicans of the House
lie upheld the right of the Goodrich contract
that it was awarded tairly-and the Legis-
lature were bound by 1t.
Mr.. ACKER moved to amend Mr.. Robert
sons substitute, to strike out names, as usur-
patOry OF the prcrogatives of the Chairman.
Mr.. STEVENS of Winona, said another
objection waS--twO of the gentlemen had al
ready by their votes-eXpressed their opinion.
Mr.. SECOMBE said there has been so
much delay already, we ought to settle it at
once, 50 as to have our accumulated orders
for Printing executed.
Mr. ABBOTT mentioned the Infamous
clause in the Goodrich contract, requiring the
State to pay him in warrants at cash prices,
while all others doing service for the State
have to take them at par. Can we pretend to
retrench, and still allow this swindle Oh our
Treasury?
Mr.. TROW said We should settle this
now. We must not spend more time without
settling 1t, or the fears of the gentleman from
Ramsey (Ir. RObertson) for the majority
may be realized, we were consuming time
which cost the State several hundred dollars
per day.
Mr.. SANBORN said that in voting on the
question he bad voted according to his belief
in regard to the question. The gentleman
from Ramsey (Mr Robertson) has called us
a worthless minority. We might not have
had any power while such to have prevented
abuses, but now, while we are the majority,
we would not show that we were worthless ,
by allowing such abuses as have been COM
united by those who were once in power to
| continue.
He replied to a question (frOm Mr.. Robert
SOM that he believed the Goodrich contract
was worthless and void, and stated the rea-
SONS for the belief, to lie in the manner of its
award twas not made in accordance to the
| spirit Of the law. But we were now only
about to elect an Incidental Printer for the
| House. WemuSt commence to correct abu-
ses now, and this abuse instituted under the
Goodrich contract was great one. 1t was
an action on our part only as one person
would do with an agent who had colluded
with a third party do defraud him. No con-
tract made thus would be recognized by the
principal. But these questions were imma-
teral We are sent here to correct abuses.
and as honest men it was our duty to do SO.
Mr. ROBERTSON, replied, endeavoring to
show that the contract was valid, that air.
Goodrich was printer, would sue the State
for his "specie payment" the Repub-
licans would ruin the State, DC
Mr.. MANN, of Hennepin, answered the gen.
tleman from Kansey-showed how the award
of the contract to Goodrich was plainlv uI,.o.
al-that, in fact, there aoas no cor..ract an !,
that what the House PROPOSE to do was to
elect printer to do th.,lir work, and not a
second printer. t.ne gentleman (Mr. Robert
SOM had declared he had come here to reform
abuses. Why does he then uphold this most
extravagant, fraudulent, ruinous abuse p
and then to declare that WE (Repubcans)
were trying to squander the money of the
people ,ce, who come into power on Treas
ury which you have bled to the bottom, and
are still sendeavoring to keep your leechcs hold
OF it. He hurled these charges back into the
faces OF the men who cried reform abuses
and yet were trying to still uphold them
(Appause.)
Mr.. SECOMBE said he was afraid to face
| such whale of law and constitutional know