Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-07-29

NO. 1872.
DAILY EVENING STAR.
THE ALTKRAIIoN OF THE MINNKsorA
LAND BILL.
That the readers of the Star NAV see
precisely how far the Hon. Mr.. Stevens,
Of Michigan, is involved in this affair, we
extract from the official account of the
proceedings on the case, as follows:
Mr.. STEVENS. A charge has been made
against me, and it is for that reason that I
desire to make the explanation. 1t has
been stated to me that my name has been
connected with the matter upon which .
special committee has been appointed
this morning, in reference to the altera-
tion of the records of the House.
l, as the member Of the Committee on
Public Lands who reported the bill to
the House, feel myself called upon to
make statement of such facts as have
ceme within my knowledge, or so far as
personally know them-and I do SO
upon my honor-in reference to these al
terations. .
After this bill had been sent to the
committee Of which am member, and
after it had been referred particularly TO
me by that committee, gentlemen who
were connected with the bill called upon
me, and requested that before it was pre-
sented to the committee for their report.
certain alterations should be made in the
third section. They explained the alter
ations which they desired made. Of the
design and object Of the alterations l was
then, and am even now, ignorant. One
was to effect legislation in Minnesota in
regard to lands which might be granted
by Congress to that Territory. To do
so, [ myself struck out the word " ia.
ture." The other alteration was in refer.
ence to the construction that might be
given to the word cor" as it then stood
in the bill. After hearing what was
said on the subject, 1 thought it proper
to strike out that word. and in its place
to insert and"
l knew, Mr.. Chairman, that 1 had
stricken out the word future" and I
thought that had substituted eand' for
cor" l presented the bill to the com.
mittee. 1t was adopted, and I was in.
structed to report it to the House. Ibid
so. 1t passed this body, and went to the
Senate. When in the other branch of
Congress, my attention was again called
to it and it was remarked that, as il |
was before the Senate, tue bill did not
contain the alterations which supposed
that l had made. | then conferred with
one or two members of the Senate on the
subject. They rather spoke to me on the
subject, and told them frankly that
when l reported the bill to the House, I
told them, in addition, that I had stated
the substance Of it, and, as l thought,
the alteration was made, and that, If II
were possible, should be glad if the
changes indicated were made. This was
the last [ heard of it while was in the
Senate. Subsequently, one Of the clerks |
of the Senate, General Patton, came to
me in the lobby, just in front of the GEN.
tre door, and holding out the bill to me,
asked whether it was right. On looking
at it, replied that was of opinion it /
had passed this House different from what |
it was then. l think that said: "Gen.
eral, you will find, by looking at the ori.
ginal draft, that the word stand" is SUBJ
stituted for tor.'" Asking me to 90 to
the clerks room, went with him there.
and to the desk of Mr.. Sproule. The
matter was talked over, and there made
the statement that l had supposed had
altered the original draft in the way in.
dicated, and that when voted for 1t on
its passage, l was under the belief it con-
taiRed that very alteration. The cues.
ton then arose, "Could the alteration be
made!" And I might remark lust here
that several Senators, whose names Ishall
not mention, stated that mere verbal al
terations might be made, and that such
alterations were frequently made.
Mr.. HUNT. Name them. 1t is your
duty to do so as part Of the truth.
Mr.. STEVENS. shall do what is hon.
orable; aud l shall do no more. The
clerks referred To, at once said that they
did not know that they had the power to
make the alteration. After further con.
yersation, the matter was adjourned to
H1Ts EOruGy IOOiu. went Wild Ueneral
Patton and Mr.. Sproule to Mr.. Forney's
room, and made statement similar to
the one which / have already given. The
matter was discussed, and Mr.. Forney
asked General Patton how it was about
such things? General Patton replied |
"We frequently make such alterations. /"
Mr.. Forney then said that perhaps it had
better be made, or something like that
I then left the room. I presume the al
teration was made in consequence of what
took place on the occasion.
Ihave stated this matter fairly and can
didly. I wish to withhold nothing. II
wish to state every ching which took
place, however much l may be implicated
in the transaction. However much I may
have erred as member of this House and
q gentleman, I wish gentlemen to know
it. If I have erred, the error is one of
Judgment and not of the heart. Intend
ed to do nothing wrong. am fully con-
vinced that Colonel Forney, in yielding
his assent 10 the alteration, supposed that
be was only doing that which was right.
wish to say here, that that was the
fret and last inferview had NTH Col