The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-03-14

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are to be performed by the present State
Auditor, and we have more hope they will
be performed to public satisfaction, than
we have of the State SUPPLEMENTARY,
under the care of Mr.. Baker. The
minimum price Of school lands has been
fixed at SIS per acre, and a provision has
been inserted to give those who went upon
the school lands previous to the survey and
have been bona .JSde settlers thereon ever
since, to purchase at $3.50 per acre. The
object to be gained in putting the lands
into market the present year, was urged to
be for the purpose of getting reduction of
the school tax of the State, especially as
the war tax was likely to add materially to
the taxation of the people. 1t is ques.
ton not fully settled in very many minds
whether it was the best policy to bring
those lands into market just now, and some
of the members of the Legislature were
very earnest in their opposition to the bill
for this reason.
The settlers upon School Lands, who
were called upon to pay rent according to
a law of last session were relieved from
three.ffths of the rent, by law passed this
Session. The complaint was very general
all over the State that the rent was exhor-
bitant, and the Legislature was flooded with
petitions for an abatement.
The Tax question, being the most inn
portant, as affecting every man in the
State, was mainly considered and settled by
a select committee of both branches of the
Legislature. The bills were not introduced
until the last week of the session, and for
tunately both Houses were satisfied to let
them go through on the recommendation of
the committee. without alteration, except
in the bill relating to Delinquent Taxes
The delinquent tax Bill, as proposed by
the Committee, abated sll interest, penalty
and costs, on all unpaid taxes prior to and
including the year 1859, if the taxes were
paid before the first of November ensuing.
The bill as it passed, does not abate the
cost of Tax sales, but abates all penalty
and interest except seven per cent. interest
per annum, and provides that to secure this
abatement the taxes of the succeeding
years that may be due and unpaid, shall be
settled at tho same time.
The bill levying tax for United States
purposes, which was passed, provides for q
three mill tax, with a special provision of
a poll tax of one dollar upon every citizen
of the State. The tax for State purposes
was fixed at four mills on the dollar OF val-
uation.
The Assessment Law was amended so as
to do away with the sworn statement of
the person listing property.
The County Auditor and County Treas.
urer laws were also amended. The latter,
so as to place the collection rolls for about
two months in the hands of town treasu-
rers for collection in their several towns.
There was, as usual, goodly number Of
lawyers in both branches, and they had
their own way about pleadings, practice,
motions, answers, demurrers, witnesses, &C.,
and to the unceasipg lacors of the Chair
man of the Judiciary Committee, not only
as that Chairman, but as member of the
House, we ore indebted for dozen amend
ments to the Compiled Statutes, mainly in.
teresting to lawyers, and we presume, tend
ing to increase the delightful uncerta mites
of the law to all litigapts. We are aware
that the numerous changes proposed did
not meet with universal favor among law-
yers and On this account we have hope,
that some of the amendments were in-
tended to remove portion of the log which
constantly envelopes the judicial bench.
The numerous applications to the Legisla.
ture for change of names, was indicative of
a healthy moral feeling throughout the
State. And as the Legis lature granted all
the changes that were requested there is
reason to hope that there are no children
now in the State unprovided with legitimate
parents.
There were quite number of amend.
ments to special laws of previous years, re-
lating to roads, towns, etc, and three or
four laws authorizing counties to issue bonds
to take up present indebtedness.
The foregoing comprises about all the az
tual business Of the Legislature, except the
Appropriation Bills, and when examined
critically, we are satisfied that the work
could have been as we'll done as it has been
in session Of thirty days. and consequently
with more credit to the members, and to
the greater satisfaction of their constituents.
And it is worthy of note, that many Of the
members themselves think as we do, and
Offer no excuse for the unwonted length of
of the session.
W. 900 rpto6 IN rotnrn thom m thar con