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


sttuted for "or" will not say positively
that the bill had been prepared, but the fea-
lures Of bill were discussed. The bill
which Mr. Washburne and others had
agreed to support was the subject-matter Of
conversation. .....
Mr.. Billings said, that to be useful to
their company, the alterations were ncces-
sary. MIR. Sibley refused to agree to the
proposed alterations MIR. Billings said it /.
could be done without Mr.. Washburne's
knowing anything about it. Mr. Sibley re-
fused to have anything altered, and said
that it must be put on its passage in the
shape agreed on. Mr.. Billings said that,
in some stage of the proceedings of legis-
lation, the change could be made without
the friends Of the bill spoken of knowing
anything about it, and mentioned that stage;
but l don't recollect at what point it was
that he said it could be DONE When Mr.
Billings spoke of the manner in which the
alteration could be made, Mr. Sibley said
such plan would be highly improper and
| agreed with him on that point. Another
remark which Mr.. Billings made in this
conneXion was, that it need not be known
except by the person who did it. Mr.. BIZ
lngs said, at the same time, that Mr. Wash
burne's interest or sympathies were in favor
of some road which was a rival, and whose
interests he (Billings) represented ; that
Mr.. Washburne was hostile to the Illinois
Central road influence | think he said
that Mr.. WaShburne had an interest in the
road called the "Air-line road" l under
stand this interest III the "Air-Iine road"
spoken of by Mr. Billings, to he deeper
interest than that Of representative mere
ly.
Question. Was there any proposition, on
the part of Mr.. Billings, that the bill could
be put in a suitable form by any alteration
between the House and the Senate?
Answer. | don't know as anything was
said about the Senate l think he did not
make such a proposition.
Question. Did he give any intimation as
to the time when, or the mode in which, the
alteration could be effected?
Answer. Yes; he said word could be
written in pencil understood the idea to
! be, that when the bill came to be cnyrosscd
it would come out as he wished it-that
was the substance of it. In the converse
ton, do not know that Mr.. Sibley made
any objection to having such bill reported
as Mr. Billings desired, except that he
thought that it would defeat the grant of
land to the Territory, which he (Siblcy) was
anxious should be made.
Is. b. French, s1rOru
Question. How long, and in what capac-
ity, were you connected with the House Of
Representatives Of the United States?
Answer. In December, 1888, | was ap-
pointed by Walter s. Franklin, then Clerk
of the House of Representatives of the
United States, all enrolling and engrosSiny
clerk in his Office; and from that time till
1910 | had the principal supervision, under
the Clerk and chief clerk of that branch of
duty in the Clerks Office. In 1888 Colonel
Franklin died ; and in December of that
year Hugh \. Garland was elected Clerk.
In 1910 Mr.. Garland removed COL Bllrche
from the chief cleri>hip Of the Office, and
appointed me; which Office held until Mr.
Gariand's term of Office expired, when NJ
st. Clair Clark was elected Clerk, and he
restored Col Burche to the chief clcrkship
and | was again specially charged, among
other things with the duties of enrolling
and engrOSsing. In December, 1913, c. j
McNu!ty was elected Clerk, and immediate
ly appointed me chief clerk which Office |
held until | was elected Clerk of the House
Of Representatives, on the 18th of Janua
~, 1915; whick Office l held until Deem
/ hGr win h,
: House of Representatives ceased.
Question. What Was customary in regarj
to making or not making changes in eli
, crossing and enrolling bills ?
: Anewer. In answer, | state that, so fal
as my knowledge extends, it was ctstomar,
: to engross every bill, before it was read til,
third time precisely in the words in whicl
: it was ordered to its engrossmcnt and thirC
e reading and it was customary to enro
y every bill that originated in the. House, at
). ter its final passage, precisely in the word
G in which it finally passed and, in my foas
: teen years experience, do not remember
single instance in which any change wa
made in the phrascoloGy of bill after i
/ came into the hands of the enrolling S4sta
for enrolment The same clerk had TIN
\ charge and supervision of the engrossin:
! and enrolling of bills
1 Isaac Van EItcn, s,estn.
+ Question. Were you member of tn
legislature of Minnesota when 0se chartc
0 of the Minnesota and Northwestern Raj
:. road Company was passed?
Il Answer | was. .....
l.. Question State whether Governor Gol
c man, Mr. Sibley, and Mr.. Steele, who hav
: opposed the grant of lands to the MinncsC
II ia and Northwestern Railroad Company
II were at that time, OR, have since been, in
q tcrested in any other company for the col
r struction of railroad in Minnesota?