Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-10-10
GOV. GORMAN.s LETTER.

PAo0Sou nAuiSeAA Ia tue Minne6Ot0 OemOcrat, tn0t
Gov. German with others were to blame for the
repeal of the Minnesota Land Bill, His Excellency
replies at length in the Pioneer. of yesterday
morning, from which we make the following ex-
tracts. The letter is written in a calm, dignifed
manner, and places the matter distinctly before
the people. We think, however, the Governor
has devoted altogether too much space to the Brig
adler. As for ourselves we deem him unworthy
notice, for the man who occupies the position his
own testimony and that of his friends has placed
him in, is scarcely worthy the powder used in
firing at him, be he Senator of the United States
or be he one Of the humblest citizens. No direct
charges are made, but insinuations, inuendoes and
opinions" are the weapons used by this 's most
honorable Senator. But to the extracts:
1t has been intimated in the Miners Express,
which l suppose reflects the views of Senator
Jones, that l have had some correspondence in
regard to this Railroad grant and its repeal with
MIR. Washburne, of Illinois. To this beg leave
to say, it is unfounded in substance and detail -
l never wrote q word nor spoke word to Mr..
Washburne on the subject Of this or any other
land grant, or Railroad, or Railroad charter, in
Congress Or out of it, in Washington in Illinois
Indeed, never had any acquaintance with Mr.
w., except a merely formal introduction. never
wrote to any member of Congress or any citizen
or visitor in Washington, one word about the al
teraton Of the bill. The papers of this Territory
had published the bill, as it passed the House Of
Representatives, and from that discovered, as
did the press, variance in the Sd section. then
wrote to MIR. Rosser to get copy of the bill and
send it to me. This is the 6 head and front Of
my offending" and this any one in my position
might and would have done, without incurring
censure even from those who were anticipating
the realization of large fortunes out Of acontem-
plated city on Lake Superior, to be built up by
making the terminus of this Road at that point.
In reply to the charge of the most honorable
Senator that the object of MIR. German, Rosser
and Sibley, was ito kill off the company char
tered by the last Legislative Assembly, in order
to raise one for themselves, the Governor replies:
never owned the value Of one cent in any Rail-
road in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, or Illinois.
l never thought of raising a Company for Rail
road purposes in this Territory or out of it.
on earth, about forming Q Company for such or
any other Railroad purposes. Mr.. Rosser, Mr..
Sibley and myself never talked of such thing,
never suggested such thing, to each other, either
separately collectively, land Senator Jones might
with equal truth have charged me with being the
cause of the war in Europe. In fact, have on
the contrary said, publicly and privately, that
chartered last winter should have the lands in
preference to any others, under another charter
granted by a future Legislature. l only desired
to have resulting interest to the Territory out of
the grant to whatever Company might build the
Road, It was the extraordinary powers granted
by the old charter, that l and two thirds Of-the
people of the Territory objected to, and not to
the mrn composing the Company and in proof
OF this, most of the Whig and Democratic papers
nf tho II ~,
objection.
Let reasonable, thinking people mark the
following. Here is the matter in nut she'll. Is
there any thing wrong in the position taken by the
Governor and the people, in opposing the charter
under the circumstances and opposing the fraud
Men who consult their own judgment and sense of
right, will say no; but who listen to specula-
tors and corrupt politicians, will say yes. All we
desire is for the people to look at this matter in
an unprejudiced light and we entertain no fear
for the result.
The press of the Territory were not so selfish
as Senator Jones supposes. They contendcd for
substance, not shadow. They, and nearly all the
rest of our people, felt that Illinois had received
per cent. w on the gross proceeds of the Hi
nos Central Railroad, in consideration of the
lands given them, that Minnesota should at least
have per cent. per annum of the nett earnings
of said Road, in consideration of the lands thus
to be conveyed to them. This, then, was the main
ground Of objection to the old charter; but even
with this formidable objection staring me in the
face, (as was charged upon me) l signed the bill
granting these extraordinary powers and privi-
1eges to Company who by themselves and their
friends are perverting the facts in the most wan
ton and incxcusable manner, to avenge themselves
it would seem, for my standing in the way, as they
suppose, of thei- cherished speculations in con-
templated cities and wild lands on the line of the
proposed Road. l therefore repeat that was
willing that any responsible Company should build
our Road; but l am not willing as the Governor
of this p =ople, that they shall give away to any
corporation these lands, worth at least FIVE million
dollars, and not receive any resulting interest in
the way of per centage, which could be applied
to lessening their taxes and rearing schools, and
seminaries, to educate their children. These are
the sentiments Of large majority of the people
of Minnesota this day, and they are mine.
We have only to regret one thing in the above,
and that is, the signing of the charter by the Gov
ernor, knowing the facts as he has stated them
Still be submitted to outside pressure, and did
that which his own conviction of right told him
was wrong. He has undoubtedly learned les,
son.
The assigned cause by Congress in repeating
the act, is thus briefly alluded to-:
1st. The alteration of the bill was the cause
assigned by all for its repeal-to wit, by striking
out the word ssor'' in the Sd sec. and insert;n9
the word s,and."
I'd. With the word "or' in the Sd Sec, as the
bill passed the House, the lands came again into
the hands, power, and control of the people Of
Minnesota.
Sd. With the word sor'' in the Sd sec., struck
out, and the substitution of the word "and'' il
gave the lands into the hands, power and control
forever of the old Company and took them ire
vocably from the control of the people Of Min
nesota.
The reason of the alteration of the bill, as sta
ed by its friends, was sto avoid delay" On
this point the Governor remarks:
When this is analyzed, what does il mean ?
Why simply this: By the 18th sec. of the char
ter to this Company from the last Legislature OF
Minnesota, it is provided that unless the Com.
pany be tsorganixed on or before tho LIST day Of
July, 1854, the grants therein contained shall be
void." Hence delay was dangerous to this ia
vorite Company of the Hon. Senator, or will the
Hon. Senator say that he did not know this fact
to exist in the charter. If so it will be interest
ing to the country to have the Hon. Senator in
form rs, why he and the other friends wanted to
avoid dslay?
Delays was dangerous to the interests Of the
old chartered Company, and hence the deep SOL
citude to have the clerks alter the bill without the
Hon. Senator being put to the trouble and singu-
lar necessity of amending bill that would mean
the same IN his opinion after as before the a.