The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-10-05

AT the last session of Congress, while the
Mail Route bill was pending in the Senate,
at the instance of Senator WILSON, of Mas
sachusetts, the following amendment, among
Others, was adopted:
And be it further enacted. That the Postmas.
ter General be, and he is hereby authorized
and directed to provide for the conveyance of
the entire United States mail on which letter
postage is paid, weekly, from st. Paul, Mime.
sofa, via st. Cloud, and from Superior Wiscon.
sin, via Crow Wing, to Seattle, on Puget's
Sound, with branch to the Dalles, in Oregon,
with the same presumption right as heretofore
allowed upon other through routes; PROVIDED,
not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars,
and the trip to be performed in twenty days,
from May LIST to November lst; in thirty days
the remainder of the year.
This amendment was supported by Sena-
tors RICE and WILKINSON. 1t was regard
ed by them, if we may credit their speeches,
as the "opening wedge" for practical legis-
lation in aid of Northern Pacific Railroad.
1t passed the Senate, by unanimous vote,
for the reason that it was coupled with
amendments for Southern mail routes, across
the continent, which secured for it the sup
port of all sections. The bill was then
sent to the House, and was called up by
Mr.. SCHUYLER CoLFAx, Republican, on the
last day of the session. He urged its i'm
portance, and insisted upon its immediate
consideration. Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, the
Republican leader in the House, objected,
and said it was too late in the session to
take it up. Mr.. CoLFAx replied, denounc-
ing such excuses; he said members were
paid $4,000 per year, for attending to pub
lie business, and the session should be ex-
tended, if necessary, for that purpose. Mr..
CoLFAx then made the necessary motion,
that the rules be suspended, and the bill
taken up, and put upon its passage. This
required two-third vote, and the vote
upon it stood as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Charles F. Adams, Aldrich,
Allen. Alley, Ashley, Avery, Barksdale, Fran.
els P, Blair, Blake, Bonham, Branch, Bristow,
Bufinton, Burch, Burlingame, Burnett Carey
Case, Clopton, John Cochrane, Colfax, Cox
Crawford, Curtis, John G. Davis, Delano, Dim
mick, Dunn, Edwards. Eliot English, Ether.
idge, Ferry, Florence, Foster, Frank, Gartrell,
Harris, Helmick, William Howard, Hughes,
Jones, Junkin, Keitt, Francis w. Kellogg, Ken
yon, Landrum, Larrabee, Leake, Logan. Loom.
is, Love, Marston, McClernand, Mcpherson,
McRae, Miles, Sydenhsm Moore, Morse, Nib.
lack, Peyton, Phelps, Porter, Pryor, Reagan
fin, Scott: Scranton, Singleton, William Smith,
William N. H. Smith, Spinner, Stevenson,
James A. Stewart, Stout, Tappan, Theaker,
Underwood, Vallandigham, Vance, Israel
Washburn, Winslow, Woodruff, Woodson, and
Wright-94.
N4Ys-Messrs. Babbitt, Barr, Bingham, Sam
nel S. Blair. Boyce, Brabson, Brayton, Burn
ham, Butterfeld, Campbell, Carter, Horace F..
Clark, Cobb, Corwin, BUSon Craige, Davidson,
h. Winter Davis, Duell, Ely, j. Morrison Har.
ris, Hatton, Hill, Hoard, William A. Howard,
Hutchins, Kilgore, Dewitt G. Leach, Long !,
necker, Mallory, Charles D. Martin, Maynard,
Mexican, Mcknight, Mcqueen, Nilsson, Moor,
head, Morrill,, 0lin, Palmer, Perry, Potter
Pugh, Quarles. Sedgwick, Sherman, Stanton,
Stokes, Vandever, Van Wyck, Verree, Wade,
Walton. Eihu B. Washburne, Webster, and
We,ls-55.
The motion was negatived. it lacking sir
votes of the necessary two thirds. In the
affirmative vote, the reader will recognize
the names of nearly every Democratic
member Of the House, and of many promi-
nent Republicans, among whom, we are
glad to notice, the name of Col. ALDR1cH.
10 the negative vote we count the names of
thirty-sir Republicans against this measure,
appropriating 100000 to be expended in
Minnesota, in furtherance of the favorite
enterprise of the people of our State. The
name of Mr.. WILLIAM WINDOW does not
appear on the list of votes. He lodged
the vote on the most muni6cent appropria-
tion proposed in the last Congress, in aid of
Minnesota! The Pacific mail route is a
measure which has elected the warm sup
port of men Of all parties, in Minnesota.
1t has been endorsed by public meetings
and legislative support-by Democrats and
Republicans. No man has ever raised his
voice against it in the State. Yet when
the time for decisive action comes-when
but two or three votes are required to pass
the bill-we find that Mr.. WINDOW, who
receives $4,000 per year for representing
Minnesota at Washington, absents himself