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


tee, submitted a reporton the bill regulating
the traffic in spirituous liquors, accOmpa-
MED by bill, which was read
BILLS INTRODUCED.
By Mr.. BEATTY: A bill to incorpo
rate the town of Arlington.
By Dir. CLEVELAND: An act re,a-
tive to interpretations for Railroad pur-
poses.
RESOLUTIONS.
BY Mr.. DONOHUE, relative to the dis
tribution Of the Governors message in the
German language. Adopted.
RAILROAD INVESTIGATION.
Mr. DONOHUE offered the following
resolution:
ReSolred, That a special committee of five
be appointed by the Speaker to investigate
the alleged frauds that are said to have
been committed in the disposal of the Land
Grant to the several railroad companies
also, in the five million loan and to inves-
tigate the connection of VIM, l.. Banning,
Selah Chamberlain, and M. DeGraff with
the Special Commission of Sixteen, APP
pointed by the House and Senate in Rail
road matters, with power to send for per-
sons and papers.
Mr.. CLEVELAND said Oh the part of
the Railroad Committee, he courted an in
vestigation.
Mr. STOCK moved to indefinitely post
pone the resolution.
Mr. DONOHUE said in introducing the
resolution, he did so for the purpose of Sc
curing an investigation into the truthfulness
OF charges made by the Republican stump
orators last fall in reference to the disposal
of the Land Grant, and the $5,000,OOO loan
bill. Some of the best men IN the State
had been maligned in connection with these
measures. There was also street talk in
reference TO the action of the Railroad
Committee, which he did not credit, but
which should be investigated.
Mr. ROBERTSON said committee to
investigate the charges made last fall should
have been appointed before this time. II
wrongs had been committed, they should be
exposed to light. In reference to the action
of the Railroad committee, he believed every
member had performed his duty honestly.
He believed MIR. Banning to be an honest
man, although he did not coincide in his
views Of public policy.
Mr. ACKER thought the result of the
investigation would be unimportant.
Mr.. CLEVELAN said the resolution
was introduced for partizan purposes, to
throw discredt on the Railroad Committee,
and to impede settlement of our railroad
difficulties. He hoped Mr.. Donohue's party
would have the investigation which that
gentleman and his ''backers" asked for.
Mr.. DONOHUE denounced the imputa-
ton of MIR. Cleveland that his action was
controlled by CRACKERS" as false. Last fall,
the best men of Minnesota had BEEN mali
ciously illuminated on the stump by the
Republicans, and an investigation promised,
but no attempt had yet been made to inves
tigate. He (Mr. Donohue) based the reso-
luton on the words of the Republicans
themselves.
Mr.. SWEET hoped that Mr.. Donohue
would withdraw his resolution. 1t was
true that the Republican stump speakers
had made charges of fraud against the
Democratic officers, but they had been
compelled, on this floor, to swallow their
own words, and covered themselves with
humiliation and shame, by confessing that
the infamous ISLANDERS circulated last fall,
were merely got up for electioneering eff
feet that they were false-and were told
merely to get Democrats out of Office, and
put Republicans in.
After some further debate, the previous
question was ordered and on the motion to
indefinitely postpone there was ayes, 10
nays Al.
The resolution was then adopted, ayes 20,
nays IS.
The Speaker then appointed Messrs.
Donohue, Thayer, Purdie, Baldwin, and
ChadderdOD, as such Committee.
ID
appropriating $3.50 to Mr.. Burnand for
translating Gov. Germans message into the
French language. The resolution was lost.
BILLS PASSED,
A bill to authorize Ramsey county to is
sue new bonds for the purpose of replacing
old ones. This bill appointed Messrs. Luke
Marvin, VIM. f. Wheeler, and HENRY
ACKER, Commissioners to investigate out
standing claims, and to call in old bonds
and issue new bonds. 1t passed.
The bill abolishing the Office of County
Auditor and merging the duties of that Of
fee in that of Register of Deeds came up on
its final passage. Messrs Trow, Mann,
Robertson, Secombe and Hunt, spoke on
the bill. Col Robertson aud Mr.. Mann
opposing it, and the others advocating its
passage. The bill was defeated-ayes %,
nays 81.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the House was called to order, the
Speaker announced the special order of the
day to be the Personal Liberty Law.
Mr.. ACKER moved to defer the cons;d
GRAFTON of the bill until Friday, and hold an
evening session on that day.
Mr. ROBERTSON moved to indefinite.
ly postpone the bill, and the special order.
The House should not spend its time in the
consideration of such bills. 1t set at def
ance the Constitution OF the United States,
and of law of Congress. The passage of
such bill would, in effect, be throwing a
challenge to the Southern States to engage
in extreme measures. No one had ever pur-
sued fugitive slave into this State, and it
was improbable case under the fugitive
slave law would ever occur in Minnesota.
The bill was reasonable and pernicious in
its character, and could not pass the House,