The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-07-17
The Railroad Grant.

| We stated in Saturdays issue after some
unimportant structures upon the system of
anonymous correspondence, that we had not at
that time sufficient information to form a be-
lief as to whether the cry of 'fraud,' was just
or proper-or, at least, we wished so to be
understood. Since which time, after q care
full review of the whole matter, and keen in
ycstigation of all the facts, we have been as
founded at the assurance with which, in de-
spite Of the plain meaning and intent of Con-
grcss in making the grant Of land to our Ter
ritory for the construction of a railroad, the
particular friends Of the Company chartered
at the last session of the Legislature, now claim
that the grant must necessarily go to that
Company, without even the formality of fur
Their legislation on the subject.
That the people will have word to say in
that matter, before the munilicent donation is
handed over to any foreign corporation, we
have hardly doubt. The language used in
the Sd section of the bill is, chat the said
lands hereby granted to the said Territory
shall be subject to the disposal of any future
Legislature thereof for the purpose aforesaid
and no other, nor shall they enure to the bcnc-
fit of any company heretofore constituted or
organized" 1t is very plain to our mind that
the word future, which we have placed in quo
tation above, was omitted accidentally or pur-
posely in the engrossment of the bill, for 9th
erwise the phraseology "any legislature there
of" would hardly have been made use of in
lieu of "the legislature thereof" which is the
ordinary and proper mode of expression.
Be this as it may, the subsequent part of
the sentence constituted or organized" settles
the question, in spite of the opinions of Wall
street pettifoggers to the contrary. There
might be bubble raised if CONSTITUTED and
organized' had been used but as it is, if a
company has heretofore been "chartercd, it has
been "constituted' to all intcnts and purposes.
We have no feeling for or against the Com
pany in question, or any other railroad assoc-
alton, but we deem it duty to take firm stand
against any body Or any corporation who shall
attempt to appropriate the grant just made us
by Congress without the full assent of the pco-
pie expressed through representatives yet to be
elected. We all know that the question of
the charter Of the last session was sprung upon
the Legislature suddenly, and without Civ
ing many of the members an opportunity of
consulting their constituents but if the dis
posal of the lands donated for railroad purpo-
ses, shall be made prominent point in the
election of representatives, as it evidently will
be, there should be allowed free expression
of sentiment On the subject, by the community
at large, which must have q controlling infu-
ence in deciding what is to be done with the
grant.
The attempt of the Company aforesaid to
swallow the whole at a mouthful by organic
ing, clecting directors, &C., Immediately after
the passage of the bill, is nugatory, and can
result in no particular benefit to themselves or
their future prospects. The intention of Con-
gross to nullify all former charters of the Ter
ritorial Legislature, disposing of these lands in
advance, is too obvious to escape the notice of
any but those whose interest it is to affect to
believe otherwise. Fiat justHiq ruot cal,,l4