The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-01-24
Minnesota State Legislature.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. Is.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. Is.
SENATE.
The Senate was called to order by the
President.
By Mr.. SWIFT: From the County Com
sioners of Nicollet county, for an act to al
low them to issue bonds to take up the in
debtedness of that county. Referred to
Committee on Towns and Counties.
BY Mr.. HEATON: Petition of Charles
Tolman and nineteen other citizens of Ply
mouth, Hennepin county, asking for re-
duction of tolls on the River Bridge at ST.
Anthony and Minneapolis; also from VIM.
Dudley and three other citizens of Wyzetta.
from j. B. Perkins and twenty-seven other
citizens of Perkinsville, l.. H. DOrman and
six other citizens of Greenwood, from Sam
uel Goodrich and fifty-three other citizens of
Richfeld, from II. S. Plumer and siXty-three
other citizens of Crystal Lake, all of Henne-.
pin county, and all on the same subject.
Referred to Special Committee. .,
BILLS INTRODUCED. t.
BY Mr.. SMITH A bill suspending the
rights of persons employed in aiding Or
abetting the rebellion against the United
States to institute OF prosecute any action in
the courts of this State.
BY Mr.. BENNETT: bill to legalize
the election of County Commissioners in the
county of Wright.
By Mr.. SMITH A bill in relation to the
taxes due the county of Ramsey and city of
st. Paul.
By Mr.. CLEVELAND: A bill to change
the west boundary line of Brown county,
and to establish the county of Redwood.
By Mr.. SWIFT: A bill to authorize the
assessment of poll tax in the town of Vel
low Medicine, Renville county.
BY Mr. SMITH: To amend section 80
chapter-71, relating to executions.
BY Mr.. SMITH: To amend section 80
chapter Il, relating to referees.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL LANDS.
On motion of Mr., DANIELS, the Com
mittee Oh Schools and School Lands was in
creased to tiye and the President appointed
as the additional members Messrs. Sargent
and See.
a memorial to Congress on the defences
OF North. western Minnesota.
4 memorial to the President of the United
States, urging a survey and sale of the Pine
lands Of Minnesota.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
The special order being the resolutions in
troduced by Mr.. CLEVELAND, the resolu-
tions were taken up. They are as follows
Resolred, by the Legislature of the State of
Minnesota, That our Senators be instructed
and our Representatives in Congress be re-
uuested to use their utmost endeavors to
secure the prompt passage of a law contis.
eating all property of all persons IN arms
against the Government of the United
| States. or otherwise dsloyal thereto, and
| enacting that the slaves OF all such persons
| be declared free.
ResoEged, That the people of Minnesota de-
sire a most vigorous prosecution OF tie war,
the unhesitating use of all available means
to crush the Southern rebellion and save
the republic and that they solemnly pro-
test against employing the soldiers OF
Minnesota to catch and return fugitive
slaves.
Mr.. CLEVELAND urged the adoption Of
the above, or a similar expression OF the
sentiments of the people of the State on the
conduct of the war. He claimed that the
! Shareholders had forfeited all their rights of
property under the constitution, and such
| property should be contiscated.
Mr.. BALDWIN moved that the resolu-
lions be referred to the Committee on Fed
eral Relations.
Mr.. REIN Or moved to amend by refer
ring them to the Committee of the Whole.
Adopted.
MIR. CLEVELAND moved to print the
resolutions. Lost.
The resolutions were then considered in
! Committee of the Whole Mr.. Swift in the
| chair.
| Mr.. BALDWIN criticised the phraseology
| of the resolutions He saw no necessity for
protesting against our soldiers being requir-
! ed TO return fugitive slaves, when no evil
dence existed that they had been obliged to
perform such service, but We're expressly
forbidden to do SO by superior authority.
He raised the question of the right of Con
gress to elnancipate the slaves, as that au-
| thority was vested in the President, who
was commander in-chief of the army and
navy, and in Division commanders in their
respective departments, under the war pow
CT. He concluded by moving the reference
of the resolutions to the Committee on Fed
eral Relations, which was carried, and con.
CURED i'll by the Senate.
HOUSE FILES.
House file appropriating $4,000 for
expenses of the Legislature, was read twice
and referred to Committee on Ways and
Means.
| REPORTS.
Mr. COOK, from the Committee on the
Petition of Lieut. w. w. Woodbury., report
| ed in favor thereof, and recommended the
reference of the Petition to the Committee
on Ways and Means.
STATE PRINTER.
| Mr.. SEE of Houston offered resolution
that the Senate meet the House on Thursday ,
January l6, in Joint Convention for the
purpose of electing State Printer.
MIR. BALDWIN moved to strike out the
10th, and insert the 23d, and also to amend
so as to elect Surveyor General of logs and
lumber. Lost. The resolution was then
adopted.
A resolution from the House authrizing
the Clerk and Secretary of the respective
branches to deduct the share of each officer
and member of SlO0 to pay for the expens-
es of the Inauguration, was rejected. Ad.
journed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
After prayer and reading of the journal,
Mr.. BURT presented a petition from the
Commissioners of Washington county, ask
ing the removal of two insane persons, in
the Poor House of that county, to an In
sane Asylum, at the expense OF the State
Referred to Committee on Education.
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