sence of Rolette there were only fourteen present.
Luckily for St. Paul, it takes as many to make two-thirds of fourteen as
it does to make two-thirds of fifteen, and the friends of the bill could
only muster nine on the motion to dispense with the call. Mr. John B.
Brisbin was president of the council, and a strong friend of St. Paul,
so no relaxation of the rules could be hoped for from him. In this
dilemma, the friends of removal were forced to desperate extremes, and
Mr. Balcombe actually made an extended argument to prove to the chair
that nine was two-thirds of fourteen. Both gentlemen were graduates of
Yale, and, on the completion of his argument, Mr. Brisbin said,
"Balcombe, we never figured that way at Yale; the motion is lost," and
the council found itself at a deadlock, with the call pending, and no
hope of transacting any business, unless some member of the five
yielded. They were all steadfast, however, and there was nothing to do
but to receive the daily report of the sergeant-at-arms that Mr. Rolette
could not be found. Sometimes he would report a rumor that Rolette had
been seen at some town up the river, making for Pembina with a dog
train, at the rate of fifteen miles an hour; again, that he had been
assassinated,--in fact, everything but the truth, which was that he was
luxuriously quartered in the upper story of the Fuller House, having the
jolliest time of his life, surrounded by friends, male and female, and
supplied with the best the town afforded, including buckets of
champagne.

The 5th of March was the last day of the session, and the council camped
in its chamber, theoretically handcuffed and hobbled, until midnight of
that day, when President Brisbin took the chair, and pronounced the
council adjourned _sine die_.

The sergeant-at-arms was John Lamb, well known to all old settlers. He
was a resident of St. Paul, and true to her interests, as his conduct
proved. I don't suppose any man ever spent five days and nights trying
harder how not to find his man than he did on this occasion. Whether his
fidelity was ever rewarded I am unable to say.

During the deadlock the friends of removal got a copy of the bill
through, but neither the speaker of the house nor the president of the
council would sign it. The governor, however, did approve it, but the
first time it was tested in court it was pronounced invalid, and set
aside. Other attempts at capital removal were made, but none of them
proved su