The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-08-12
MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST :, 1854.


exchanges from the East, received by Friday
nights mail, and can find no additional facts or
authentic statements connected with the in
vestigation touching the Minnesota Land Bill,
save the following paragraph in late number
Of the Gslena Advertiser:
"In the House ion the 2Sth July1 Mr.. WASH
burne stated, that the special committee ap-
pointed to investigate the alleged fraud in the
Minnesota Land Bill had nearly completed
their labors and he asked to be discharged from
further duty on that Committee, which was
agreed to-
Mr.. Washburne, it will be rccollected, was
the gentleman who originally brought up the
charge Of fraud in the House. and We had
hoped that as he headed the Committee, and is
man we'll qualified for searching into intri-
cate cases of rascality, such as is charged, that
he would have stood by the Committee, and not
abandoned it until its labors were concluded
But doubtless he had good reasons for pursu-
ing the course he did, and the public must look
to the other members of the Committee to COM
plete the work thoroughly. We have conf
dence they will prove true to their trusts and
that when their labors are finished, Mr..
Niger" who has been concealed under the
woOd-pilc during several weeks, will stand
forth to the astoEished view of Congress and
the nation. with Committeeman holding him
by each ear, and third one applying the lash
from behind, in order to induce him to Town
up as to who first Z" ran him off, from his L.
gitimate master, and slowed him away under
that same wood-ple.
But seriously, we presume there will be no
Further facts to present to the public, other
than those already given, until we have the
report of the committee. which must now be
Forthcoming. The opinions Of irresponsible,
interested or uniformed newspapers. in differ
ent parts of the coantry touching this matter
we do not choose to lumber our columns with
These Opinions" will he showcrcd upon us
from day to day as plentiful as house flies this
warm weather f; but VIC choose to wait for the
facts elected at the denOuement.
Meantime. as Gen. Stevens. of Michigan, has
been so freely attacked by portion Of the St.
Paul press, we give him below the benefit of
the remarks in full. which he made in the House
on the Path. We have already given an alb
stract of the remarks, but it is deemed nothing
more than just that the official report of his
statement, which we copy from the Globe.
should also 60 before the public. 1t appears
by the tenor Of the Globes report of the affair,
that Gen. Stevens was not in his place at the
moment Mr.. WaShburne called the attention of
the House to the matter, but hearing of it after
wards. he claimed the privilege to make the
following statement. 1t is worthy of careful
attention:
Mr.. STEVENS, of Michigan. A circumstance
has occurred in the House this morning which
induces me to appeal to the Committee to per
nit me to make a personal explanation.
Mr.. WALSH. / Object.
Mr.. STEVENS. ! appeal to the gentlemen to
withdraw his objection.
Mr.. WALSH. If a charge has been made
against the gentleman. will withdraw my OBJ
lection but not otherwise.
Mr. STEVENS. A charge has been made against
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
matter upon which q special committee has
been appointed this morning, in reference TO
the alteration of the records of the House.
l. AS the member of the Committee on Public
Lands who reported the bill to the House, feel
myself called upon to make a statement of such
facts as have come within my knowledge, or 70
far as / personally know them - and do so
upon my honor - in reference to these altera-
tiOns.
After this bill had been sent to the committc
OF which am member and after it had been
referred particularly to ME by that Committee,
gentlemen who were connected with the bill
called upon me. and requested that before it
was presented to the committee for their report
certain alterations should be made in the third
section. They explained the alterations which
they desired madc-of the design and object of
the alterations was then, and am even now
ignorant. One was to affect legislation in Min
ncsota in regard TO lands which might he grant
ed ny Congress to that Territory. To do so. l
myself strnch out the word Future The
other alteration was in reference to the con-
structlon 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 that word. and in its place to insert
land
l knew. Mr.. Chairman. that had stricken out
the word future" and thought had sub
stituted and" for "or." Ipresented the bill
to the committee. 1t was adopted. and was
instructed to report it to the House. did So
1t passed this body and went to the Senate. j
When in the other branch of Congress, my at
tentiOn was again called to it /; and it was re-
marked that, as it was before the Senate, the
bill did not contain the alteration which sup
posed that had made. then conferred with
one or two members of the Senate on the sub
Ject They, rather. spoke to me ON the subject
and told them frankly that when reported
the bill from my committee, had made the al
terat;on. When asked for leave to report the
bill to the House, told them. in addition that
had statc, the substance OF it. and as thou ht,
the alteration was made, and that if il were
possible, should be glad if the change indica-
ted were made This was the last heard of il
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 was OF opinion it had passed
this house different from what it was then. l
think that I said. General, you will find. by
looking at the original draft. that the word and
is substituted for orr" Asking me to 20 to
the clerks room. went with him there and to
the desk Of Mr.. Sproule. The matter was
talked over, and there l made the statement