The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-09-06

without the authority Of the House, and if
so, 10y whom, and under what circumstan-
ces such change was made; and also in re-
gard to all other cases of Interpolation of
bills or joint resolutions of the House dur
ing the present session; and that said COM
mittee he empowered to send for persons
and papers, and to examine witnesses On
oath in the premises.
Francis j. GRIND, s,rorn.
Question. Are you the clerk of the Com
mittee Oh Public Lands?
Answer l am.
Question State to the committee any
thing your journal as clerk of the Commit
tee on Public Lands shows in regard to the
action of that committee upon the Minneso-
ia land bill, which recently passed Congress;
also, any recollection you may have in re-
gard to amendments or changes proposed i'll
committee, and assented to before it was re-
ported to the House.
Answer. The journal kept by me exhibits
the following entries:
THURSDAY, April 20, 1854.
Mr.. Sibley and other gentlemen were
heard on the subject Of the Minnesota rail-
road and bill similar to the Minnesota
railroad BILL which has passed and been Ia
bled in the House, was ordered to be drawn,
but the proposition to report it to the
House out of its regular turn was negatiy
ed"
Under date of Tuesday, April IS, 1851,
the following entry is made in the journal
'The committee met pursuant to adjourn
ment, Mr.. Cobb in the chair. The Mime
sofa land bill was further considered, and
ordered to be reported by the committee, so
as to be considered during the territorial
week"
These are all the entries on the Journal in
regard to the Minnesota bill.
From individual recollection, can state
that several un!mportant amendments Gas
they appeared to mc) were proposed and
debated, and acceded to but, as / under
stood that should not be troubled with
drawing the bill, took no memorandum of
them, and made no minutes of them on the
journal. l have no other recollection on the
subject, and have not heard it spoken of,
till a member of the House directed my at
tention to Gen. Stevens, who had obtained
the floor to make a personal explanation
The explanation was in regard to the subject
now being investigated by your honorable
committee.
s. s. lines, sarcrn.
Question. Are YOU secretary of the Chi
cago, st. Charles, and Mississippi Airline
Railroad Company and if So how long
have Won held the DOSitiOn
Answer. l have been secretary of that
company for sixteen months.
Question. State whether, during that time,
or any other time, to your knowledge, Mr..
Washburne, of Illinois, was the attorney of
that company or was he employed by that
company in any way to promote its inter
ests
Answer. Not to my knowledge?
: Question. State whether Won are now,
; and have been While in that Office, CONVEX
: SAINT with the business of that Office, and
: whether you would have known if Mr.. Wash.
burne was so employed.
Answer l think l am perfectly CONVEX
: SAINT with all its business transactions since
: it's organization. am myself the attorney
D of the company in conjunction with Mr.
Judd, of Chicago and if Mr.. Washburne
: had thus been employed, l should have like
|, Iy known it.
. Hon. Benjamin c.. Eastman, saeorn.
Question. Do you know anything in re
latiOn to the alteration III House bill No
: 342, after its cngrossmcnt and passage il
the House; and when did you first see airj
: examine manuscript bill No. 342; reported
: to the House by General Stevens, of Mich
!, igan? XIII. a.
Answer. NV attention was attracted tt
: the Minnesota bill with the motive of ascer
tanning whether the rights of the State o.
4 Wisconsin were in any way infringed upon
n On the day on which the bill passed til,
S House l examined the manuscript bill re
ported by Mr.. Stevens and my impression
u is that there were no alterations except il
h the handwriting of Mr.. Sibleyt who DRAFTED
4 the bill. cannot state positively whethc
% the word future" in the third section. wa
or was not then erased My purpose in tn,
Is examination waste confirm the grant of lant
to the Territory of Minnesota.
# # Hugh Tyler, s,eorn
n Question. Do you know anything in rela
ton to the alleged alterations in the bill
D. which passed the House of Representatives
after it was cngrossed, granting lands to tn
q Territory Of Minnesota from whom and il
J" what manner did You learn that alteration
had been made, (if you had such know
e edge) and what DO you know in regard t
e, the agencies Or influences used to produc
, the change
l. Answer. When Mr.. Sibley was here
&c some time in the spring, had a converse
- ton with him and Mr. Billings in regard t
i the contemplated grant of land to Minneso
, ia Territory for railroad purposes Sible.
.,rl,ioh I nnIor>ton Ii.