This document contains the text of a bill that was passed by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1857 to transfer the capital of Minnesota from St. Paul to St. Peter. This document has been determined to have been written at that time, but it is most likely a working copy of the document that was passed by the legislature. Joseph Rolette, a member of the legislature who was opposed to the transfer of the capitol, disappeared with the original bill and failed to return it in time for it to be properly signed by Territorial Governor Willis Gorman, who had, in the meantime, signed a copy of the document that Rolette had taken. Governor Gorman’s action was declared to be illegal by a Judge R. R. Nelson, thus ending the attempt to move the capitol.
A Bill to provide for the removal of the Capitol of the Territory or future State of Minnesota, and for other purposes. [written sideways in the middle of the reverse side of page five] [1] A Bill To provide for the removal of the Cap-itol of the Territory or future State of Min-nesota, and for other purposes. Sec[tion] 1st [in margin] Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Minnesota, that the Capitol of this Territory be removed from Saint Paul; and that the same be and is hereby located at Saint Peter in the County of Nicollet from and after the date of the closing of the present Legislative Session of the Legislative Assembly and that the Governor is hereby directed to cause such removal to be made at the public expense and shall make the same known by Proclamation. Sec[tion] 2nd [in margin] The sum of Forty Thousand Dollars is hereby appropriated for the erection and comple[-]tion of suitable Buildings for the use of the Ter[-]ritory or future State of Minnesota, out of any moneys that now are, or here after may be in the Treasury of the Territory or future State of Min-nesota, not now otherwise appropriated. [2] Sec[tion] 3rd [in margin] An hereby appointed Building Commissioners with full powers to procure a site, contract on the part of the Territory or future State of Minnesota for the erection and completion of said Building or Buildings; to select plans, employ superintend-ents, direct the expenditure of all moneys appropri-ated under this act; and generally to perform all duties necessary to carry out its provisions, and shall each take an oath and give bonds to the Territory or future State of Minnesota for the faithful dis-charge of their duties to be approved by the Governor, in the final sum of Fifty Thousand Dollars. Sec[tion] 4th [in margin] Said Commissioners shall have power to receive from the Treasurer of the Territory or future State of Minnesota all moneys hereby appropriated and it is hereby made the duty of said Treasurer to pay over to said Board all such moneys under such regulations as now an or hereafter may be adopted by the Legislatures thereof. Sec[tion] 5th [in margin] It is hereby made the duty of said Commission-ers to appoint a Treasurer who shall before whose office shall continue during the pleasure of said Board, who shall before (over) [3] entering on to the discharge of his duties, take an oath and give Bonds to the Territory or future State of Minnesota in the final sum of Sixty Thousand Dollars for the faithful discharge of the same, to be approved by the Governor. Sec[tion] 6th [in margin] It shall be the duty of said Commissioners to pay over all such moneys as may come into their hands by virtue of section four (4), into the hands of the Treasurer of said Board. Sec[tion] 7th [in margin] It shall be the duty of said Treasurer to keep his office at the Capitol; and to pay all moneys due upon any contract made by said Commissioners upon presentation of their order, signed in duplicate by the board, one of which shall be filed in his office previous to such payment, for which duty he shall receive as full compensation two per cent on all monies paid out. Sec[tion] 8th [in margin] The persons constituting the board of Building Commissioners shall be entitled to receive for their services annually the sum of One Thousand Dollars each to be paid quarterly and if from [4] any cause a vacancy [^ or vacancies] occur in said Board the Governor shall appoint some suitable person or persons to fill the same as often as they may exist, and in case of fraud, or neglect or refusal [^ to act] on the part of any member or members of said Board, the Governor shall have power to remove such memb him or them and appoint his or their successors. Sec[tion] 9th [in margin] The Board of Commissioners shall report an-nually to the Legislature of the Territory or future State of Minnesota a full and accurate detail of all their transactions as such Commissioners and shall commence the erection of said Building or Buildings by the first day of May AD [sic], 1857 and have the same completed on or before the first day of November AD [sic], 1858. Sec[tion] 10th [in margin] All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed. [5] Sec[tion] 10th [in margin] All acts and parts of acts and all duties required to be performed by any acts or resolutions of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Minnesota directing their performance in whole or in part at the present Capitol shall be performed at Saint Peter in like manner as if the Capitol had been originally located there. Sec[tion] 11 [in margin] This act to take effect from and after its passage. Sec[tion] 12th [in margin] All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed.
