Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-09-12
MINNESOTA LAND BILL FRAUD.
Proceedings Select Committee of the House of
Representatives.,
TCONTINUED.1

| "urne, bfecKehrluSe, CampDell, barry anu DaVls
TESTIMONY OF HON. HESTER L. sTEvENs-coNTINUED
| Answer. | have not. My remarks, herewith
attached. make part of my testimony.
observe, in this printed report of my remarks il
the house. am made to say that ''Several SEN
tors stated that these were mere verbal altera
tion>, and might be made.'' did not intend tC
say that any senators said that the alteration;
under consideration were mere verbal altera-
| tons which might be made; but that mere cler-
ical alterations might be, and frequently were
made
s'Alr. Stevens. A charge has been made agains
me, and it is for that reason that desire to
make the explanation. 1t has been stated to me
that my name has been connected with the mat
ter upon which special committee has been ap-
pointed this morning, in reference to the altera-
tion of the records of the House.
81, 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 come within my knowledge, or so
far as personally know them, and do so upon
my honor, in reference to these alterations.
''After this bill had been sent to the committee
of which | am a member, and after it had been
referred particularly to me by that committee,
gentlemen who are connecte 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.
sired made; Of the design and object of the al
terations | was then, and even now, Ignorant.
One was to effect legislation in Minnesota in re-
gard to lands which might be granted by Con-
gress to that Territory. To do SO, | myself
struck out the word s'future." The other alter
alton was in reference to the construction that
might be given to the word 'or' as it then stood
in the bill. After hearing what was said on the
subject, thought it proper to strike out the word
or and i'm its p!aco to insert sanu.'
s. knew, Mr.. Chairman, that had stricken out
she word future and thought that had sub
ttituted 'and for 'or.' presented the bill to the
committee. 1t was adopted, and was instructed
to report it to the House. did 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 it was be-
fore the Senate the bill did not contain the altera-
ton which supposed that had made. lthen con-
ferred with one or two members of the Senate on
the subject They rather spoke to me ON the SUBJ
ect, and told them frankly that when reported
the bill from my committee had made the alter
alton. When asked for leave to report the bill
to the House, | told them, in addition, that had
stated the substance of it, and, as thought, the
alteration was made and that, if Were possible,
should be glad if thechange Indicated were made.
This was the last heard of it while it 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 centre door, and holding out
the bill to me, asked whether it was right. On
looking at it, replied that Twas Of opinion it had
passed the House different from what it was then.
think that | said, General, you will find, by
looking at the original draft, that the word 'and'
is substituted for 'or.'' Asking me to 90 to the
clerks room, went with him there, and to the
desk of MIR. Sproule. The matter was talked
ovcr, and there ! made the statement that had
Sua, osei that had altered the orr ginal draft in
tn way ind cste'i, and that, when voted for it
on I1S pass &c was under the belief it contained
that very alteration. The question then arose,
could the al Grafton be made? And | might re-
marx inSt here tn 1T scyerl senator's, whose names
n ii not inent on, STAT that these were mere
oal AIT t on, and III ght be nude, as such
aitera ion were frequently made.
s'Alr. hunt. Name them. 1t is your duty to do
part OF the truth.
MIR. Stevens. | shall do what is honorable,
and shall do no more. The clerks referred to
ut once said that they did not know that they had
the power to make the alteration And afterfurther
conversation, the matter was adjourned TO Mr..
Fornev's room. | went with General Patton and
Mr.. SprouIe to Mr.. Forney's room, and made a
statement similar to the one which have already
given. The matter was discussed, and Mr.. For
ney asked General Patton how it was about such
things. General Patton replied: 'Wc frequently
make such alterations.' Mr.. Forney then said
that perhaps it had better be made, or something
like that. then left the room. presume the
alteration was made in consequence of what took
place on that occasion.
81 have stated this matter fairly and candidly.
wish to withhold nothing. wish to state every
thing which took place, however much may be
implicated in the transaction. However much
may have erred as member of this House and a
gentleman, l wish gentlemen to know it. If
have erred, the error is one of judgment, and not
of the heart. intended to do nothing wrong.
am fully convinced that Col Forney, in yielding
his assent to the alteration, supposed he was only
doing that which was right.
81 wish to say here that that was the first and
last interview had with Colonel Forney upon
that subject. | never had talked to him before
about the bill, so help me God. l do not know
what was the design Of the gentlemen who spoke
to me about having the bill changed from its orig:
inaf form. | allude to those who spoke to me be-
fore the bill was reported from the committee.
say that the word future was strikcn out by me.
| intended to have striker out the word 'or,' and
inserted 'and' in its place. l was not aware it
was left out until was informed by some gen.
tleman of the Senate, or by some person who had
learned the fact from the Senate.
Gone word more. | was asked if | had anv
interest in the matter. have endeavored to ex-
plain that have not, except so far as it benefits
my State; and in beneftting my State it benefits
a great many other States. The alteration which
has been made in this case, as l understand it,
simply gives to the companies now organized,
at the time this bill passed, an opportunity to
compete in the legislature for this lind. That is
all the difference which the change makes.''
did not observe that any of the persons who
spoke to on the subject of having the altera-
ton nude, exhibited any particular anxiety, nor
was there anything in their language manner
that in the least excited my suspicious to the
honesty of their motives designs. never di-
rected ordered any person to alter the engross-
ed bill or any record of the House the most that
/ did say was, that if it could be done properly,
| should be highly gratifed to have it done.
July 81, 1854.
GEoEGE W. BILLINGS, RECALLED.
In regard to the arrangement with Mr.. Hunt
after my return to New York the second time, the
point with myself was to avoid giving the indiv-
idual security. Mr.. Hunt proposed to waive that
foc consider ation in money, as learned from
VI. q. Roberts and r. ". Lowber; and also learn
hld many friends here. he would assist the bill
through as the parties desired, for the sum OF
Fl ON hr .e to five thousand dollars; said that the
would waive anv security which was first required
to be given. The arrangement, on these terms
was efected. | came back to Washington a,
once, ami went to the room of the Committee OF
PuDlic Lands, and nqu red who had the bill il
charge, and was told that General Stevens, oi
Michigan, had it. | went to General Stevens
and said to him that the objections to the new bill
being as the old bill stood-were removed, anC
that the bill should be restored to its origina
form. saw him the next day he told me tina
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