The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-08-09
ALTERATION OF the MINNEsoTA BILL.

appointed to inquire into and report upon an alleged
alteration in the text of the Minnesota land bill
That they have considered the subjects submitted to
them as thoroughly possible and have taken large
of testimony which is herewith presented TO the
House There is but Que other witness whose testimony
is desired by any OF the committee aud they Expect to
have il filed tomorrow morning and they ask that may
be printed with the other testimony considerable por
ton Of the testimony they regard irrelevant but they
believe that whatever has material bearing upon the
subecmaters of the resolution is exhibited the record
1t has been impossible NJ this late period of the session.
and with the pressure Of business upon the members of
the committee to prepare elaborate report Analysing
length the testimony taken. Your committee therefore,
must content themselves with submitting the evidence and
their conclusions founded upon il.
In regard 10 the alleged alteration in the text of the
bill granting land to aid Minnesota Territory in the
sruction of railroad therein they report the following
summary Of facts preceding leading TO- and
said alteration:
On the 4th of March last the legislature Of Minnesota
in anticipation Of grant Of land by Congress for railroad
purposes passed an act Of Incorporation yesting in COM
pany when formed and organized in pursuance OF the
charter the said grant for the purpose of constructing
road under certain limitations and conditions. copy of
the charter is filed with the testimony 1t may be added
here that appears from the evidence that company has
been organized under the provisions OF the charter the
stock subscribed and steps taken to comply with the
ditons contained in the of incorporation and there is
evidence that said company apprized Of any
authorized change in the bin prior the resolution of this
House directing an investigations but your committee not
deemng themselves authorized under the resolution of the
House. examine the merits of the claim Of said company
the grant in virtue of the Minnesota charter leave that
| subject TO the determination or the House
Other parties however, being unwilling that any COM
pany formed under said act should receive the grant and
desiring leave the disposition of it to some future egs
ature Of the Territory framed bill which offered to
the House Committee Public Lands the Sd section of
which was as follows
SEC g. Aadbe Il flrtaer enacted That the said lands
hereby granted the said Territory shall be subject to the
disposal of any future Legislature thereof for the purpose
aforesaid, and other shall they nure to the bcne-
fit of any company heretofore constituted or organized
And the said railroad shall be and remain public high
way for the of the government Of the United States,
free from toll other charge upon the transportation of
any property or troops of the United States; shall
any of said lands become subject TO private entry until the
same shall have been first offered at public sale at the M
creased price"
The parties who were dissatisfied with the Minnesota
charter and who desired the grant to be thrown before
future legislature wished the 3D. section to be reported
from the committee and passed by the House in the above
FORM while those who desired the company TO receive the
grant by virtue Of the charter wished the word future
before the word legislature to be stricken out and the
word andn to be substituted for the word orr between
the words constituted and organized"
Your committee do not deem it necessary to enlarge
upon the objects and aims Of these conflicting interests.
They find that the bill without being referred from the
House. sent by the trainers Of it first TO the Com
mittee Public Lands that referred in committee
to estor t. Stevens representative from Michigan that
Mr. Stevens recommended to the committee to report the
bill with the word future stricken out and the word
andn substituted for orr and that ii WAS directed to be
reported with those changes in the original draght that
Mr. Stevens accordingly did strike out A word "fuure
before the bill reported TO the House. and supposed he
had made the other change aso but neglected to do
and the bill reported and passed this BODY with the
word orr instead of the word and between the words
constituted and organized, in the third sections that
shortly after the bill passed the House and before passed
the Senate the attention of Mr. Stevens was called to the
fact that the second change intended had not been made
that Mr. Stevens then to the Senate where the bill
pending and after explaining the above facts TO Cen
eral Jones from Iowa asked him If the corfec-
ton could then be made that General Jones replied, he
believed verbal changes sometimes made, but he
would inquire Of Mr. Patton who had been for long time
of the engrosng clerks of the Senate that they then
spoke to Mr.. Patton on the subject who stated that
changes deemed verbal and unimporant were often made
but that as this was bill from the House he supposed it
could not be done without the of the Clerk Of the
House or of the committee which reported the bill; that
Mr. Stevens and Mr.. Patton then proceeded to see Mr.
proue of the engrossng and enrolling clerks OF the
House; that Mr.. Stevens asked him If the word and
could be substituted for the word Or in the third sec
ton saying that il the purpose OF the committee SO to
report the BILL and that the omission had been accidental
that Mr. Sproule doubted his power to act in the prem
Uses the three went to the room OF Mr. orney The Clerk
of the House where Mr. Stevens recapulaed the facts
above stated and desired the correction to be made that
Mr. Forney asked if such corrections were usual under
similar circumstances, and was informed by Mr. Patton
that verbal and unmportant changes often made and
that such correction would be made in the Senate that
Mr. Forney supposed The proposed change to be unippor-
ant and at length yielded to the request and directed MI
Sproue make it; that at this time the cngrossed BILL
the original BILL and the enrolled bill, were all in the
Clerks Office the bill having been enrolled as is customary
in advance of the passage through both honses that Mr.
Sproule accordingly Immediately substituted the word
and for the word or in the third section of the en-
crossed bill and at the time made corresponding
passed the Senate signed by the presiding officers
of the two houses, and approved by the President
Your committee therefore, report that the text OF the
bill in question changed, after il passed the House III
one particular, TO wit by substituting the word and
for the word or, between the words constituted and
aorQaniZed in the third section and they believe that the
foregoing statement explains the mode and circumstances
of the change They have in addition taken testimony
with view TO determine whether any OF the parties
neced with the alteration were mpelled by corrupt mo-
yes, intended to practise fraud the House; and
after careful review of all the evidence they have to
port that they do not find such motives intentions but
on the contrary from the evidence they distinctly acqut
them of any criminal or improper purpose
Your committee report that Mr. Stevens supposed under
his Information in regard TO the prevailing custom in both
houses that ii proper to make The change TO carry
out the unexecuted intention when the bill was reported
to the House and that the clerk OF the House directed the
change under the influence of the same sentiments.
But while your committee mike this report 10 regard TO
the motives OF the parties they would express iii strong
language their conviction that any unauthorized change
in the of bill resolution of the House matter
what the intentions OF the parties may e Is OF The most
dangerous tendency and in this view of the case they
press the opinion that the change in question deserves
we're censule. To Mr. Sproulc your committee attach no
= blame he acted under the direction of his superior
They deem il proper TO add that the evidence shows
that changes and corrections which considered merely
verbal and unmporlant sometimes now made in both
houses and they venture to call the attention OF the House
to this custom highly pernicous in It's tendencies and
opinion of your committee it is highly ensurabe in any
member officer of the House to make any change even
the unnporant in any bill resolution which has
received the sanction OF this body.
Your committee have thus reported the facts bearing
upon the change in the text of the bill after its ougross
and passage through the House and this may be
thought exhaust the duty imposed upon them By the
off, do sgautn