Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-09-12
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1854.

space to an calculation Of the facts which force
US into the conviction that the interests of Mime
sofa have been jeopardized by his identification
with those who committed the Fraud in our Land
Bill, and thereby Invested the Territory of that
which rishtfully belongs to it. His silence alone
is sufficient to convict him of gross neglect of
duty, but his testimony condemns him. Hear him ::
lIoS. HENRY NJ. RICE. SwoRN.
Question. Are You a delegate in Congress from
the Territory of Minnesota?
Answer. am.
Question. VIII you examine House bill No..
3D. and state when You first saw it?
Answer. | cannot state the first time. 1t was
4. the time il was before the Committee on Public
Lands, previous, at the meeting, before it was
reported.
L. He. the guardian of Minnesota's interests,
cannot tell when an important bill is submitted to
him for consideration Truly he must possess a
very unrctentyc memory Now it can be proved
that Mr.. Rice knew all about the bill while Coy.
German and Mr. Sibley were in Washington, and
further, he knows that it was at his (Rice's) sug-
gestion that the bill WAS referred to Mr.. Stevens,
long before it submitted to the committee on
Public Lands, and yet he cannot remember when
he first saw il
Question. Do YOU know anything in relation to
the alteration of the third section of the bill?
Answer. l understood that the bill, after 1T
had gone into the hands of the Committee on
Public Lands, had been altered or amended.
asked by whom it was done, or for what purpose?
| was told that the word or words altered were
slight, and that Mr.. Washburne. of Illinois had
consented. remarked that he was a friend of the
bill, and it all right. My impression is that
was told by Mr.. Billings.
,. lie knows nothing about the alteration -
He heard it was slight alteration, and that Mr..
Washburne, of Illinois, had consented to it, and
yet he gave himself no uneasiness about it !!
Question. Had you any idea of the amendments
referred to?
Answer. l had not.
3. He had no idea of the amendments Was
totally ignorant Of what was passing! Scarcely
knew that there such bill!
The following extract of letter, is from gen.
tleman we'll known in Washington, and in this
city -: This bill was submitted to the Committee
on Public Lands, in April, 1854, in presence of
Henry NJ. Rice, your Delegate, and in his presence
and hearing distinctly read, section by section,
to the Committee, by their clerk Mr.. Grund. Mr..
Sibley and Gov. German then commented ON the
lature' are used, and also in which the words
constituted or organized are used. All this took
place in the presence and hearing Of Henry NJ.
Rice, and in which he participated"
Question. Do you know George W. Billings?
Answer. | have seen him.
Question. Did you ever consult with him in re-
lation TO this bill
Answer. have not.
IIa bod not
know much of him. Now it is we'll known that
Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Billings had been in daily COM
munication when the Land Bill was pending before
the House, and yet he Rice) testifes that he had
no consultation with Mr.. Billings in relation to
the bill
Question. Do YOU know for whom Mr.. Billings
operating?
Answer. do not
6. He is perfectly ignorant for whom Mr.. Bill
lings is operating, man with whom he had con-
versed with on the subject, time and time again !!
Question. Do you know ANYTHING in relation
to charter granted for railroad by the Legis-
lature Of Minnesota to company OF which MIR.
Billings is one Of the corporators?
Answer. | have seen the charter before, Or one
of the same head.
7. He had seen the charter Did not know
anything about 1t How is it possible for man
to thus demean his manhood MIR. Rice knew all
about the charter, and yet he says he had merely
seen it.
Question. Did you have any conversation with
General Stevens, after the bill was cngrossed, in
relation to the alteration?
Answer. Never had until Saturday night.
Question. Can you state whether the charter
was granted by your legislature with the expecta-
ton of grant of land by Congress?
Answer. was told by Mr.. Washburne, of Hi
nois, that the Territory had granted charter
which would take all the lands Congress might
grant.
Question. Did YOU learn this from any other
source?
Answer. saw it in the papers.
g. lie was told by Mr.. Washburne! No body
posted him up! he learned it from the papers!
Question. Have you ever seen a copy of the
charter, or the bill to incorporate the Minnesota
and Northwestern Railroad Company?
Question. Do YOU know whether the Company
has been Org anized?
Answer. have understood so.
Question. Who are the directors?
Answer have heard that a committee was APP
pointed.
Question. DO YOU know of your own know
ledge that the company is organized !?
Answer \ committee was appointed, as have
been told, who reported to the governor the fact
of the acceptance of the charter, and have heard
of no further action have heard Of two or three
companies being Incorporated.
Question. Did you have copy Of the bill made
by the clerk?
Answer. did, after its introduction and sent
il to one Of the papers in Minnesota for pubiica-
ton.
Q. The Mnnesotian, probably, Mr.R ice's organ.
Question. Did you, as delegate representing
the Territory of Minnesota, at any time suggest
to General Stevens, of Michigan, or any other per-
son, whilst this bill was before the Committee on
Public Lands, or since, the word 'future,' in the
third section, should he erased, or that the word
''and' should be substituted for the word cor -
Answer. did not, nor do know that the words
were in the bill.
10. For full and fat denial of this, we have
the word of Gov. German, Mr.. Sibley and the
letter which we publish above. When the bill was
first drawn up Mr.. Rice knew that these words
were in it Still he persists in saying " did not
know that the words were in the bill" Again
Mr.. Wentworth testifes SO after his return, he
went to Mr.. Rice, the Delegate from Minnesota,
and asked for copy of the bill as it passed. He
gave me a printed bill, and made one alteration,
Substituting the word 'and for sor.''' Who
has committed perjury, Mr.. Rice or Mr.. Vent
worth? Against whom does the burden of evil
dence weigh?
But as we stated in the commencement, we do
not DEAN IT naceSSary tn follow our Danoata onr