The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-12-23
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House met at the usual hour and was
opened with prayer by Rev. Mr.. Mattocks.
LOG AND LUMBER DISTRICT PRAYED FOR.
A petition by Mr.. ARNOLD from citi>
zens of Wabashaw for Fifth District, for
surveying of logs and lumber below Lake
Pepin was read and referred to the Internal
Improvement Committee.
THE PRINTING QUESTION.
Mr.. VAN WORRIES stated the Com.
mittee on Printing had prepared their re-
port, but had not presented it to the minori-
ty of the Committee for examination.
Mr.. SECOMBE hoped the Committee
would report this morning, and allow the
minority to present their report. at future
time.
Mr.. STEVENSON remarked that so
far as he was aware there had never been
meeting of the Committee, and he did not
know what was in the report, and thought
the minority of the Committee ought to
know what was in the report before it should
be presented to the House.
Mr.. DONOHUE, said that there had
been no full meeting of the Committee, and
he thought the disposition of the House to
force the report into the House before the
minority had an opportunity to examine it,
was a disposition to gag the minority of the
House, disgraceful to the majority and if
persisted in would rebound to their injury
in the future.
Mr.. VAN WORRIES explained that
there were two meetings of the Committee
appointed, but owing to some misunderstood.
ing as to time and place, the whole of the
committee did not meet together. He was
in favor of giving the minority an oppor-
tunity to read the report.
In the course of the remarks on this
question it was stated that the Republican
caucus of the previous evening had voted
that the report should be presented this
morning.
The committee were instructed to report
tomorrow morning.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
The Committee on Towns and Counties
reported against the organization af Pierson
County. Report laid on the table.
Mr.. ARNOLD submitted bill amend
ing the act regulating the traffic in logs ard
lumber.
Mr.. ACKER submitted bill to amend
Article 3, Section 3, of the Revised Statutes,
page 800.
Mr.. REHFELD submitted a bill to
create Board of Emigration, and appoint
an Emigration Agent.
CONTESTED SEAT.
The report of the Election Committee
asking for the appointment OF Luke Marvin
as commissioner to take testimony in the
case of the contested seat of VIM. Nettleton
by Robert +. Jefferson, was taken up.
Mr.. ROBERTSON opposed the adoption
of the report. The House would be at the
mercy of any body who chose to contest
let the contestants pay the expenses of wit
nesses. 1t would be dangerous precedent
for the House to pay expenses of obtaining
witnesses. He thought that men who
claimed seats should bring their witnesses
here as matter of justice and right. He
moved an indefinite postponement of the
report.
One of the members ofthe committee said
he had never seen the report of the commit
tee.
The chairman of the committee stated
that all the committee intended by the
commission was to inquire whether the
residence of Mr.. Nettleton was in Minnesota
or Wisconsin.
Mr.. SECOMBE moved the appointment
af Edmund F. Ely, a resident of the Lake
Shore, to take the testimony required, and
to return the same under seal, and to receive
three dollars per day for his services while
taking the testimony
Mr.. NETTLETON stated that he had
no objection to the commissioner selected bv
the committee, but as Mr.. Ely was per.
sonal enemy, he trusted Mr.. E. would not he
selected. ~ ,g>
The motion to indefinitely postpone was
withdrawn, and the report was referred
back to the committee.