The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-28


Treasury of this fund, went to work, very
industriously, three or four weeks ago, to
introduce bills, for the benefit of various To-
calities, so as to use up the fund. These
bills were all grouped into an omnibus, and
reported upon by the Committee on Roads
and Bridges. The omnibus was before the
Committee of the Whole Monday, and it
appears it will carry at least one.half of the
Legislature with it. A few of the members
oppose the passage of the bill, at this
time, believing that the State ought to
borrow the money, and use it in the de.
fragment of the expenses of the Govern
ment. The presumption is, that if the State
borrows it, the fund will be the loser to at
least the difference between State orders
and gold.
VOLUNTEER RELIEF B1LL.--A bill was
introduced in the Senate Monday by Mr..
Cleveland. providing for the relief of VOL
unteers' families. The bill provides that
the Governor shall appoint one or more
Commissioners in each County where vol<
unteers' families may reside, whose duties
it shall be to inquire into the condition of
such families, and to report under oath to
the Governor, the amount of money re-
quired for their relief. The Governor is
authorized on such report, to disburse to
such Commissioners the amount required,
out of the State Treasury, in the manner as
the provisions of the bill require. They
are to receive compensation for their SER
vices of not more than one dollar and fifty
cents per day, which must be paid out Of
the treasury of the Counties for which they
are appointed.
The RAILROAD BILL.-After considera>
BILE factious opposition the bill to facilitate
the construction of the Minnesota and Pa-
cifc Railroad, was on Tuesday ordered to-
third reading, by vote Of "a yeas. An
amendment was introduced by Mr.. BENSON,
making the title to the lands depend upon
the completion of the road for cars, in.
stead of grading, as in the original bill, re-
ferring to the main branch.
The bill as it is now likely to pass the
House, has the names ofDw1GHr, WOODEN.
RY, of Anoka, Fl. T. WELLEs, OF Mime
apolis, EDMUND RICE, r. R. NELSON, A.
E.. HATCH, and j. E. THOMPSON, of St.
Paul, and LEANDER GoRToN, of st. Cloud,
as corporators.
It provides for the construction of the
first ten miles of the road, between st. Paul
and Minneapolis, by the first of September,
and in the event of failure to have the
cars running on that portion of the road by
the first day of January, 1868, all the rights,
franchiseses lands, privileges, and construc-
ton revert to the State, without any fur@
Their act. On the completion Of the ten
miles the Company is to receive the title to
the first 120 sections of laud. The Com
pany is to proceed in the construction of
the branch to St. Cloud, completing to
Anoka by January, 1864, and to St. Cloud,
by January, 1865. receiving l2O sections
of land for each twenty miles of road. On
the main trunk, from Minneapolis West,
for each twenty miles completed the Com,
pany is to receive 12O sections of land.
The restrictions imposed upon tho Com
pany are much greater than those Of last
year but some of the members of the Leg
islature apparently regard the Land Grant
as though the title should remain forever in
the State; and consequently are striving to
load the bill down SO as to make it obnox
ious to the Company, and prevent the con.
structiOn of the road.
The SCHOOL BlLL.--We were misino
formed the other day as to the action of the
Senate on the bill to regulate the Common
Schools Of the State. That body had tor
tured the bill so that it was almost without
soul or body, when it returned to the
House. 1t has already been supposed, that
in Legislatures the Senate represented the
conservative element of the State, while the
House was the reflex of the progressive
spirit of the people. The rule is reversed,
in the present Legislature, as the Senate is
as loose and liberal as the most radical of
progressives could wish, while the House
has majority of the veriest old fogies, who,
If they don't know much, make the most of
what they do know. The School bill, as it
passed the House, was apparently good
bill, but as amended by the Senate, it was
worse than no bill. The House refused to
concur with the Senate in its amendments,
and the bill will probably 60 to Commit
tee of Conference.