The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

some time spent therein, the Senate ad-
journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
REPORTS.
Mr.. MANTOR presented the report of
the Committee on Supplies, upon the bill Of
S. B. Garter and the bill of Edwin Shields.
Mr.. DONOHUE presented the report of
the Special Committee on the bill incorpo-
rating the town of Arlington. The bill was
ordered to third reading.
PETITIONS.
By Mr.. MITCHELL: of citizens of
Winona, asking for change of names.
By Mr.. MANN: For the establishment
of the town of Crystal Lake, Hennepin
county.
RESOLUTIONS.
By Mr.. MORRISON Instructipg the
Committee on Towns and Counties to re.
port a bill, so amending the public statutes
that all owners of land, whether occupied
or unoccupied, shall be required to build,
keep up and maintain partition fences. The
resolution was lost.
By MIR. LANGWORTHY Instructing
the Sergeant-at-Arm to enforce the order
against smoking in the House. Adopted.
A number of bills were ordered to a third
reading.
BILLS PASSED.
An act relative to free schools in the city
of st. Paul.
We neglected to state yesterday, that the
general road bill passed the House Tuesday.
An act for the government and regulation
of the University of Minnesota. Passed
yeas AZ, nays %.
A bill fixing and reducing the salaries of
State oficers,--yeas 60, nays O.
An act to relocate certain State roads in
Mower county.
An act providing for les pendens. Re-
ferred to special commission on Code of
Practice.
An act in relation to summoning Jurors
and regulating challenges, being amendatory
of sections eight and sixteen of chapter 1O4
of compiled statutes. Referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee.
| MRS. BILANsKY's CASE.
Mr.. SWEET moved to take up the bill
committing the punishment of Mrs. Bians-
Ky. Carried.
Mr.. SWEET hoped the bill would pass.
He had never consulted with either Mrs.
Bilansky or her attorneys, bnt be deemed
this bill appealed to the sensibiities of every
member Of the floor. Minnesota should
never be disgraced by the hanging of a
women. He did not believe women and
men should be treated alike, even in the
punishment of crimes Consideration was
due to the sex.
Col. ROBERTSON opposed the bill, on
the ground that under it the Legislature
usurped the judicial powers, by pardoning
Mrs. Bilansky. 1t could not commute, but
could pardon. He (Col r. would trust
the Governor who had the power to COM
mute or pardon-as the public interest re-
quired.
MIR. SWEET denied the power of the
Governor to commute.
Mr.. MITCHELL held that the law if
passed would be void, or would result in the
liberty of the prisoner. He showed that the
Governor of the State had the power to
commute, or grant conditional pardon.
Mr.. HULETr favored the BILL He
justified capital punishment on the ground
of self defence; and believed it should only
enforced when it was necessary to protect
society. He did not believe it was neces-
sary to take Mrs. Bilansky's life she could
be sufficiently restrained by Imprisonment
fol. life, and society would be thus amply
protected.
Mr.. MORRISON supported the bill on
the ground tibet it was blow at capital
punishment, which he considered disgrace
to the spirit of the age.
MIR. STEVENS opposed the bill because,
firstly, it was unconstitutional and second
ly, because he was opposed to the abolition
of the death penalty. He compared the
crime of Mrs BiIansky to that of others,
and showed that the sympathy expressed for
her was ll-founded.
Mr.. PURDIE favored the bill, and criti-
cised the objections urged against it.
Mr. SANBORN denied that it was
proper for the Legislature to interfere with
the sentences of Courts The Legislature
should confine itself to the sphere of its
duties, as expressed in the Constitution.
The speaker announced himself in favor of
capital punishment, and presented argu.
ments in support of his views
Messrs. PURDUE and MANN advo-
Gated the passage of the bill.
Mr.. TROW opposed it, and sustained
apital punishment, as an institution which
had its origin on Sinli's Mount.
Mr.. ABBOTT made speech on capital
punishment, women, &c.
The previous question was ordered on the
reconsideration OF the vote by which the
bill was lost. The vote was then recon-
sidered, ayes 80, nays 80.
Mr. GREEN spoke on the bill, Directing
to its passage.
Mr.. STEWART replied. He had un.
derstood that Biansky was in the habit OF
coming home drunk if so, he regarded
these as palliating circumstances. At any
rete, the speaker had doubts as to whether
or not, it was the whiskey which Bilansky
| drank that had killed him