The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-20
HOUSE,.

by the Senate.
The Senate then adjourned
HOUSE.
FRIDAY, January IA.
The House was opened with prayer, at
the usual hour.
A petition for a State road was present
ed by Mr.. SWEET, and a Temperance
petition by Mr.. GREENE, of Steele
Mr.. ACKER, from the Retrenchment
and Reform Committee, submitted substi-
tute for the bill regulating Sheriff s fees,
reducing the fees materially.
Mr.. MITCHELL, from the Judiciary
Committee, presented substitute for the
bill regulating costs in civil actions. The
substitute proposes to abolish statutory
costs.
SUPREME COURT REPORTS.
Mr.. SANBORN, from the Judiciary
Committee, submitted bill and report
upon the subject Of printing the Supreme
Court Reports, and the salary of the
reporter. The report recommends that
for services already performed, the reporter
be allowed 81 ,000 and that hereafter the
reporter shall receive $500 per anrum, and
be allowed the copyright of the reports, and
the State to purchase 100 copies of each
volume at 81 per copy.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The House concurred in the Senate
amendments to H. F. No. ia bill regulating
the traffic in logs and lumber, and erecting
fifth district.
The Governors Message was referred to
appropriate committees, upon motion of Mr..
Morrison.
Mr.. BALDWIN introduced bill for
new county (Monroe) to be created out of
Territory in Pine and Benton counties.
Mr.. CLEVELAND presented memorial
for mail route from La Crosse to Winnie
bago City.
The Senate bills On file were read first
time, and others progressed to second read
ing.
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
The House went into Committee of the
Whole, on various bills.
A bill amending the law of last session,
concerning the change of venue. The
amendment modiies the law, so that the
oath of the Attorney or party to a suit,
shall be sufficient to have change of venue,
without stating the particular facts for the
reasons of a change. Considerable discus
sion ensued upon the justice of the bill,
which resulted in the committee recon-.
mending its indefinite postponement.
A bill for an act relating to record of
satisfaction Of mortgages, by entering salts
faction upon the margin, was taken up.
The object of the law was said to instruct
certain Registers of Deeds, who had con-
strued the law OF 1858, so as to repeal the
provision of the Revised Statutes, for dis
charge by marginal entry. The hour of
recess arrived before its final disposal.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
A joint resolution from the Senate au.
thorizing the Governor to destroy the blank
Railroad Bonds now in his Office, was taken
up, and adopted under suspension of the
the rules, and Messrs. Stevens, Chadderdon
Acker, and Walker appointed to be present
on the occasion.
Mr.. SANBORN introduced a bill to
provide for the manner of conducting cleo
tions in this State.
APPoRTIONMENr BILL.
The House went into committee on the
Apportionment Bill introduced by Mr..
Secombe.
Mr.. SWEET moved the indefinite post
ponement of the bill on the ground that it
was unconstitutional, quoting from sections
% and "a, article 4, OF the Constitution.
Mr.. MITCHELL opposed the indefinite
postponement. He thought the circum-
stances Of the State required that, as a
question of economy, the representation in
the Senate and House should be greatly
reduced, unless there is a constitutional
objection; and as to this question, he con-
strued the Constitution differently, and
referred to the schedule, as districting the
State only for the first session of the Legis-
lature, and that it was the duty of the FIRST
Legislature to apportion the State, and
having failed to do so, the same power rested
on the present Legislature.
Mr.. SECOMBE spoke in defence of the
fairness Of the apportionment, and argued
that as it was impossible to ascertain the
exact population of the State, the next best
basis of apportionment was the vote of the
last election.
Before vote was taken on the motion of
Mr.. Sweet, the Committee rose, and the
House adjourned.