The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-09-06

>.sN -
f!,,ase, anj bsf,r.. il passed the Senate, ard
was shc printed bill
@ 10 ynu KIN w ~ anv matter or thing 'ur
tier connected with the change or alteration a
III bill spoken OF
A. NJ,
George w Billings s,eo'n.
O. Where do you reside ,
A. Ia the city Of New York.
q. HIVE = uany knowledge of bill No
S4al ;y,raLuc-d int the H"nse at R"prsen
lst,yes fhansing him the 'r.ainal
A Iney.r had nn il after il vas printed.
@. D.d yoa see the original bin after it was
P,iItrd
A. saw it alter il hid passed the House, but
never saw the original bull went 10 the Clerk oil
the House IL pet certified copy oft tor Gov.
Ramsey, hu, did ~, see the original, but the
engrossed bill.
@. Did yoI ever see the engrossed bill
(presn,ing ID
A. think This laoks.. like the bill saw.
q pl-as- to state anything you know of the
nheratan If the bill--strking out the word
"or" and substituting the word ''ard, in the
third section
! reco!lrct having conversations with the
chairman in relation to the word, or other wods
which | was To were Iii the original bill.
were they
A They commenced some time about the mid
II. or last Of March, aud were in relation "a
The defeat OF the frs, il. think in our frs,
interview ! asked you why you were opposed 10
The bill +; your answer wss :" am not opposed
except so far as the old bill would inure To the
hrp,f, OF the allhnois Central Railroad Com
pany, but " Us no opposed 10 granting lands u
con- panss for railroad purposes; that so tar a
tho character was concernt d, he knew nothing
it and tina, had said nothing TO him in re-
gard to sending to obtain it. Mr. Washbnrns
said. thu, so Tar al the Illinois Central Railroad
Co1pasy was concerned, he you'd tight TO the
death, that is should not inure to the heneh'
Of the company or It's friends. | asked him
what he des red in relation TO the bill, ifannthel
wa. introduced the answer was: 81 nus be
~ framed as To 90 10 q future Legislature
or include a road fran. Te.e de Morris. on the
Mississippi river, on the ridge, fifteen miles
back of Dubuque, up the Minnesota line that
the connection ~ the Minnesota road must be
made with that road t" cannot recollect wha,
answer / gave him, and think fora week or so
| had no further conversation with MIR. Wash
brrre on that subject. At our next interview,
the question pnt was more direct in regard Ia
the torn in which an arrangement could made
" make it satisfactory the answer TO that vas,
chosyer obtained the grant rhnutd enter la,n a,
contract with the parties interested IN the s.
Charles Air--hae road to build the road from,
Tete de Morris up 10 where It would inlersect
the branch. from Dubuque to the Minnesota line;
my answer to that vas, there were no parties
ia existence corporation to make that con.
tract. He then proposed individual securit,
| ,old him it was doubtful, If it could be pro
cured: tha, il would be satisfactory. think
ooh nj cah ptn- ntyV
was Il wa. called, was drawn When tn" new bill
IVA. about to be drawn, understood that Gov.
Gormon. MIR. Wash5urne, aud Mr.. Sibley, OF
Minnesota, were the parties that drew tie bill
and was told II was drawn so as to cut OFT all
prior legislation | had some conversation
with Governor German while here, and his
mind seemed 10 be to prevent tho present
company from having anything to do with the
subject. but 10 throw the operation of it in to
nine teeth saction ofthe act of incorpo, alton OF
tie Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad
Company. consulted several parties from
Minnesota in regard to that matter, among
whom were Governor Ramsey, Messrs' VIII
kins. Laduke, and Steele, and come others
whose names do not rec"liect; they solicited
re to try aud make some arrangement that
would satisfy parties who seemed 70 De dissat's'
fed tld them would use my best endeav
the time the bill was drawn, or l understood
it was drawn. | had further interview with
Sir Washburne At this interview, asked
him to name the precise terms upon which he
would enter into an arrangement to have the
bill perfected as il was iginally proposed; his
r.ply y No, that the Te,e de Morris road must be
built. aud that the Illinois Central Railroad
Company must have nothing to do with It.
answered him that, so far as the Illinois compa
nv was concerned they could have nothing u
do with il, though some OF the parties who
were in the lmois company were corPoraters
ia the Minneso,a company. told him that the
Illinois canpany had more 10 attend to thar
they could do. and that it was not my intention
that they should have anything TO do win ~
and that he might set his mind at rest on tina
score. Then came The question about the iese
d . Morris connection. do not recoilect wne
Their il vas at this interview, or tho ono sue
cerdine. that asked him what would DC the
least that could be dune to insure this oil, II
its passage in its original shape, to correspond
9th the charter. The direct answer TO tha
was AZ before: his friends must be satisfied; and
If they were satisfied, he would consent to the
bill being passed as originally drawn. | inquir
I'd whsS The friends were. He said. " Alvat
Hiatt. OF New York., aud il MIR. Hunt was sa
sis6ed :iisrs would be no difficulty about il with
The Air line road went back 10 New York
and procured friend to ses Mr.. Hunt, and
IRON, the interviews had between those parties
lad supposed that Nr. Hunt was perfectly
sa,isfied with the result
TIE MINNESOTA LAND BILL AGAIN.
We resame to>day ths testimony Of Mr.
Billings, who il vii! be borne in mind tells q
very Straight tail. aud etisetuaIly 6xes the seal
of condemnation upon Mr.. Washburne. whose
estimate Of Representative duty and response
bihty. seem to consist in interfering with the
rights and privileges Of neishborins ate,
and in crippEng the prosperity Of neighborine
city. II is palpabie to every impartial reader,
the narrow and contemplate spirit displayed
ON the part cf Mr. Washburne, during tho five
months that the Minnesota Bill was before
Congress. In place oftsking high and lofty
position, upon magnificent public enterprise,
yffrc ing the interests Of the entire North
West, and we may add of one half the continent,
his leg 'slatve sagacisy and nagnanimity could
not reach beyond the narrow limits Of his own
rock bound city. What man imbued with the
smallest degree Of Representative pride OF
manly dignity, would willingly place himself in
position, 80 forrign to the character OF literal
and high toned Representative in Congress p
We look in vain the country over for such
man, until we reach Galena There We fluid
them ready made 10 order. There seems TO be
something in the atmosphere OF that cavern
retreat, which, when inhaled by human being.
changes his whole nature, contracts his views,
peryers his understanding, and renders him
cff.ctually blind, deaf and dumb and dead to
Abe outside world IF grant "f land is to be
made 10 State or Territory for railroad purpo-
see. il must conform to the peculiar notions OF
the people u Galena. II > Poetic Rail Road
i to be built, il mus. commence and end al
Ga.ena. II any gres. public enterprise is TO be
scco upl Ahed, Galena must be consulted, con-
ci.,a,cd o. cajolled, or its successis endangered
by the opposition Of the Galena member. We
are heartily sick and disguised with the selfish
mss, folly aud stupidity OF Galena Congress
s.onal Representatives. They kind o
rxetus;res which this portion of the continent
ill., cvA soh vv.iy h