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

BILLS PASSED.
An act for the relief of School District
No. l in the county of Scott.
APPoRTIoNMENT BILL.
Mr.. DONOHUE moved to postpone the
bill until ~ O'Clock P. NJ.
A call OF the House was moved, and
quite a number were reported absent.
An attempt was made by the Democrats
to have the subject postponed untils the
afternoon session. in support of the motion,
yesterday postponing the bill until Mr.. Sc
combe thought proper to resume his seat in
the House. The Republican members, how
ever, discourteously refused to permit any
postpOnement.
Mr.. STEVENS moved the House concur
with the amendments made by the Senate. If
we do not concur, he feared the bill would
be lost. II injustice was done by the bill, it
could be remedied next year, when members
would have the U. S. cencus before them.
Mr.. SECOMBE was opposed to concur
renee. The amendments increased the re-
presentation in the Senate and decreased
that OF the House: to this he was opposed.
He believed the Senate was too large unde.
the bill as it passed the House. The speaker
also objected to giving additional Senators
to the northern and the southwestern dis
tricts of the State. Neither did he believe
Ramsey county was entitled to an additional
Senator. He did not believe bill could be
framed which was more just than the House
bill. In reference to the assertion that the
bill would be lost if sent back to the Senate,
he stated that he (Mr. SECONDLY knew to the
contrary.
Mr.. MORRISON also said there was no
danger of the bill being lost if the House
adhered to the original bill.
Mr.. DONOHUE opposed the bill, on the
ground that it was unconstitutional. He
also showed, from tabular statement, that
several counties were disfranchised, under
the bill as it now stands. The apportion-
ment should be based upon population, and
not the votes cast. He concluded by NOV
ing to add to the nineteenth district one
Representative.
also opposed the bill.
Mr.. SANBORN favored the bill as it
came from the Senate. The provision in
reference to Ramsey county did nothing but
simple justice to that county.
Mr.. MITCHELL thought the Senate
amendments improved the bill. He exam
ined them in detail, and argued their justice
and propriety:
MIR. CLEVELAND said the amendments
made in the Senate were made for the pur-
pose of conciliatiDg voters at different To-
calities, and with no idea or desire on the
part of Senators that their amendments
should be concurred in by the House.
Mr.. SWEET spoke of the injustice Of
basing the apportionment on the vote cast.
It was in direct violation of the letter and
spirit of the Constitution. He showed that
by the census of 1857, the nineteenth dis
trict is allowed but one Senator and two
Representatives, while Blue Earth and LIE
Sueur-the seventeenth districts allowed
one Senator and three Representatives, yet
the nineteenth district contained 1000 more
inhabitants than the seventeenth. This dis
tinction was caused by the fact that the dis
trict DISTINGUISHED was Democratic, while
the other was Republican.
Mr.. SECOMBE avowed that the bill
was a REPUBLICAN bill-gotten up by that
party-and that it would be passed by Re-
publican votes, and Republicans would stand
responsible for the measure. He arbitrarily
objected to Democrats attempting to amend
the bill. They would not vote for it when
amended, and therefore should have nothing
to say upon it. The speech was insolent to
the minority of the House, but was entirely
worthy of the source from whenceit emana-
ted.
Mr.. DONOHUE asked that another
member should be added to the nine,
teeth district.
Mr.. LANGWORTHY YOU shall not
have it. move the previous question.
The previous question was ordered on the
bill and amendments.
The first amendment made by the Senate