The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-03
receive the per diem certificates of members,
in receipt for taxes was passed.

receive the per diem certificates of members,
In receipt for taxes was passed.
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
The House resolved itself into Committee
Of the Whole, Mr.. DAY ION in the chair.
A bill to encourage the formation of
companies tor mining and manufacturing
purposes, was considered, and referred to the
committee on Interpretations.
EMIGRATION BILL.
A bill constituting Board of Emigra.
ton, consisting of the Governor of the
State, Mayor Of St. Paul, President of the
German Reading Society, and two others,
was taken up.
Mr.: KINKEAD urged the passage of
the bill.
Mr.. MORRISON said the Committee on
Emigration had the entire subject of emf
grafton before them, and would report to.
morrow. He moved to postpone the con-
sideration of the bill.
FORECLOSURE OF RAILRo DAD SECURITIES.
The House took up the bill, which has
passed the Senate, being an "act in addi-
ton to an act concerning thel Land Grant
Railroad Companies"
The bill authorizes the Governor, upon
default in the payment of interest on the
State Railroad Bonds, to foreclose all mort
cages and trust deeds executed by the
Railroad Companies to the State. The sale
upon the foreclosure is to take place in st.
Paul, and the Governor is authorized to
purchase the properties and franchises of
the roads, for the State, if the public inter-
ests require such action and the properties
so purchased shall be held by the State for
the payment of bona fde holders of the first
mortgage bonds of the Railroad companies.
Mr.. PURDUE moved the bill be post
poned until the Committee on Railroads
make their report.
Mr.. DONOHUE favored the motion
and was opposed to any action until the
report of the Committee was presented.
Mr.. GREEN, of Steele, favored immedi.
ate action upon the bill. 1t had no relation
to the complications of the Railroad ques-
ton, but was merely intended to protect the
State, by placing the State upon an equal
ty with other Railroad bondholders.
Mr.. CLEVELAND concurred with Mr..
Greene. The bill was prepared by the
Attorney General, with a view to the pro
lection OF the interests of the State, and had
and could have no relation with any dispo-
sition of the railroad report.
Mr.. PURDIE opposed immediate action
upon the BILL
Mr.. SANBORN explained the objects
of the bill.
Mr.. PURDIE withdrew his motion. and
the Committee of the Whole recommended
to the House the passage of the bill.
FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGES.
The Committee next took up House
bill in reference to the foreclosure of mort
cages. 1t provides that all real estate here
after sold under any decree of Court, or
foreclosure of mortgage, shall be redeemable
by the mortgagor at any time within three
years, upon the payment of the amount paid
thereon, by the purchaser, with interest at
the rate of seven per cent. per annum. The
use of the property from the time of sale
until the expiration of the period of redemp-
ton, is guaranteed to the debtor. The
Committee recommended the passage of the
bill.
A bill for the relief of sureties upon Off
cial bonds, was recommended to be passed.
A COUNTRY LYCEUM QUESTION VENTILATED.
Mr.. ACKER moved to 'take up the bill,
providing that no woman or girl shall
be executed for murder 10 this State.
Adopted. Mr.. A. then moved to strike out
"woman or girl and insert "person."
Mr.. SWEET objected to the amendment,
as being designed to kill the bill.
Mr.. BALDWIN moved the bill be
indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. GREENE, of Olmsted, moved to
strike out all after the enacting clause.
Lost.
Mr.. SANBORN had no objection to the
adoption of the amendment, if the original
proposition prevailed. He was opposed to
discrimination, whether of sex, age, or color,
10 the punishment Of crime; all parties
culpable should suffer alike. He defended
capital punishment as one of the safe guards
OF society. The principal argument used
by those in favor of the abolition of capital
punishment, was that Imprisonment for life
was the greatest punishment of the two.
This argument had no weight in this State.
No convict dreaded Imprisonment in our
Minnesota jails. He did not know of a
single one who had remained in Jail longer
than elk or nine months. Those sent to the
State Penitentiary certainly did not. The
Legislature possessed no power to commute
the sentence of death it could suspend the
sentence by abolishing the death penalty,
but such action would be virtual acquittal.
The action proposed, would not reach the
case of the unfortunate woman under SEN
tence of death.
Mr.. SWEET said that if the Legislature
had power to suspend, it had also the power
to commute. Mr.. S. contended there should
be distinction in the treatment of men and
women as culprits. The reverse of this
would give US the woman's rights doctrines
of Mrs. Swisshelm and Lucy Stone. 1t was
not the severity of punishment that pre-
vented crime, but its certainty.
Mr.. CLEVELAND spoke at some length
denouncing capital puns hment, as relic of
barbarism and instanciDg the effect OF the
abolition of the death penalty in Maine,
Vermont, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Messrs. MANN, ACKER and PURDIE
advocated the abolition of capital punishment
using the usual argument to support the
DrODOsitiOnS.