The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-16
STATE LEGIsLATURE.
SENATE.
WEDNESDAY, May z, 1860.
PASSED.

OF Cn6 legislature, was reaQ Lnrec umSS uu'
der suspension of the rules, and passed.
1t provides that the members shall not
receive pay for session lasting over sixty
DAYS, or for an extra session for over thirty
days.
A bill for an act relating to prisoners in
county jails.
MoRITzoUs.
The committee of the whole recommended
that the House bill relating to the town OF
Moritzous be so amended as to repeal its
charter, and also the charter of Lower Mon
ticello, and the Senate concurred.
The Senate took recess.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
BILLS PASSED.
A bill for an act to levy tax for State
purposes for the year 1860. This bill pro-
vdes for levy of four mills on the dollar
for the current year.
TWO VETO MESSAGES.
The Governor returned the act " for the
removal of the State Bank of Minnesota"
He stated that the terms of the act are in
indistinct, and must have been illconsidered,
and that its enactment would cucumber the
statute book without being of any possible
benefit or service to any party.
Also, the act defining the boundaries OF
Aiken county," with similar objections.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Mr.. WATSON, of Freedom, in the
chair. The bill aboishing capital punish
ment was amended so as to apply only to
women convicted of murder, and recon-
mended to be eDgrossed for third reading.
A large number of bills were considered
and ordered to third reading. They were
mostly of local nature.
After acting upon the recommendations
of the committee the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
Mr.. CLEVELAND, from the committee
on the constitution and constitutional revis-
ion, submitted report on the petition of
certain citizens of Hennepin county, who
asked that the word "white," be stricken
from that portion of the constitution, defining
the right of suffrage. The committee re-
commend SHAT an amendment to the con-
stitution, to carry out the views of the pc
titioners, be submitted to the people.
Mr.. MITSCH presented minority re.
port, adverse to the petition.
Mr.. SECOMBE, although in favor of
equality of suffrage, deemed that the sub.
mission of such an amendment at this time,
would be inexpedent. 1t would be voted
down by the people the Democratic party
would vote in a mass against it, and it
would fail to obtain the votes of many Re.
publicans.
Mr.. HUNT was in favor of negro suf.
frage, but it was not expedient to pass it
yuin no hot fbo
tion of this measure turns upon its "expe-
diency," and not its justice.
Mr.. HUNT moved to lay the reports on
the table.
Mr.. COGGSWELL (Mr. Greene of
Steele, in the chair) hoped the bill would
be indefinitely postponed. 1t was too late
in the session, to occupy the time of men,
bers with the niger question.
Mr.. CLEVELAND opposed the motion to
indefinitely postpone the proposed amend
ment. In submitting the report, the COM
mittee did not expect it would be considered
unless there was ample time to do so. He
thought negro suffrage a vital question,
involving in principle the rights of every
man in the State; the speaker was in favor
of negroes voting, and made spread eagle
Tor rather spread .crow,) speech on the
subject, so earnest that one was tempted to
enquire whether the destiny of the universe
hinged upon the subject.
Mr.. SECOMBE made speech denun-
ciatory of the political course of Speaker
Coggswell. He (Secombe) was not sur
prised that that gentleman had moved to
Indefinitely postpone the proposed amend
ment to the Constitution, giving negroes the
right to vote, and had used the stale cry of
g. niger " to effect the postponement. He
would not be surprised at any act of his,
since he saw him, elected Speaker of this
House by Republican members, vote as he
did the other day to establish the vile in
stitution of slavery in this State. APP
plause from Republican members Mr..
Secombe then referred to the record of Mr..
Coggswell, as member of the Republican
wing of the Constitutional Convention, and
read declarations made by Mr.. G. in that
body, expressing himself favorable to the
submission of a proposition to the people
permitting negroes to vote. He (Secombe)
said that the Speaker at that time was in
favor of universal suffrage; but now, under
the stale cry of nigger," he asserts the
Legislature should indefinitely postpone the
question. He was not surprised however /;
his (Coggswell's) vote the other day, to
establish slavery, prepared the House for
almost any thing.
Mr.. COGGSWELL said after what had
fallen from the gentleman from Hennepin,
the House would naturally anticipate from
him, some remarks in reply. He would say,
firstly, as regards negro suffrage, that he
stood to-day where be always stood whether
in the Constitutional Convention or else
where. In that body, certain members,
(Messrs. Secombe and North were referred
to- were in favor of the incorporation into
the Constitution of provision permitting
negroes to vote, and opposed the submission
to the people of that question as separate
proposition. They contended the Constitu-
ton should stand or fall with negro suffrage
in it. He (Mr CoggswelD took issue with
them on this policy, and urged the submis-
sion of the question as separate PROPOSE
ton, and if approved by the people, then let
it b. incorporated in the Constitution. He
was not willing that the Constitution should
be voted down. because it contained single