The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-09-02
For the Minnesotian
For the Minnesotian.
The Fatal Action of Congress, and the Men
who caused 1t.

ported and unjust accusations against good men
or their action, or want of action, in relation
70 the repeal of the act granting land to the
territory for the construction of railroad
and the incompetent conductors of these jour-
nails have floundered about for weeks past in a
vain attempt to accOmp ish their selfish and ig-
noble ends, by charging the responsibility of
our calamity now upon this and then upon that
person at one time claiming the repeal as a
triumph of the true friends" of Minnesota,
and anon denouncing it as an outrage perpe-
trated by her enemies.
But the papers referred to. Notwithstanding
they assume the especial and exclusive charge
cussion ofthe subject, and berate in character
istic language all who are intelligent and hon
est enough to differ with them, and to scorn
their prompters, have hitherto carefully re-
Trained from condemning the seemingly hasty
and childish proceedings Of Congress in visit
ing upon an innocent community the conse-
quences of acts, whether of Intentional or unin-
territorial wrong in which it had not, and could
not have had any part
If Congress had no more to justify its action
in withdrawing the land from us than is found
in the published report of its proceedings, then
indeed have the members who voted with the
majority made an exhibition of petulance and
want of wisdom most disgraceful to themselves
and the country.
The following impartial and intelligent re-
81 oet too
pointed to inquire into the alleged alteration
in the text of the bill, extracted from the Daily
Globe, OF the 10th inst presents all OF the facts
bearing upon the matter, and suggests the on
ly proper and just course in relation to it.
The select committee appointed under rcso-
luton of the House of the 2ith of July. 1854
to inquire into an alleged alteration in the
text of House bill, No. 3l2, making grant OF
land to the Territory of Minnesota, after its
engrossmcnt and passage through the House,
and also in regard to all other cases OF i'll
Temptations of bills or joint resolutions Of
the House during the present session." beg
leave to report:
That they have considered the subjects sub
mitted to them as thoroughly US possible and
have taken q large mass Of testimony, which is
herewith presented to the House. There is but
one other witness whose testimony is desired
by any of the committee, and they expect to
have it filed by tomorrow morning, and they
ask that it may be printed with the other tes-
timony. A considerable portion of the tcsti-
mOny they regard as irrelevant, but they be-
lieve that whatever has material bearing upon
the subjectmattcrs of the resolution is exhibit
cd on the record. 1t has been impossible, at
this late period of the session, and with the
pressure of business upon the members of the
committee, to prepare an elaborate report, an
alyzing at length the testimony taken. Your
committee, therefore, must content themselves
with submitting evidence, and their conclu-
sons founded upon it.
lst In regard to the alleged alteration in the
text of the bill granting land to aid Minnesota
Territory in the construction of railroad
therein, they report the following summary of
facts preceding to, and connected WITH said al
teration:
On the 18th Of March last, the Legislature of
Minnesota, in anticipation of grant of land by
Congress for the railroad proposed, passed an
act of incorporation, vcsting in a company
when formed and organized in pursuance of the
charter, the said grant, for the purpose of con-
structing the road under certain limitations
and conditions. A copy of the charter is filed
with the testimony. 1t may be added here,
that it appears from the evidence that q COM
pany has been organized under the provisions
OF the charter, the stocks subscribed, and steps
taken to comply with the conditions contained
in the act of incorporation, and there is no evil
dcnce that said company were appriscd of any
unauthorized change in the bill prior to the
resolution OF this House directing an invcstiya-
ton but your committee notedceming them
selves authorized. under the resolution of the
House, to examine the merits of the claim Of
said company to the grant, in virtue of the
Minnesota charter, leave that subject to the de-
termination of the House.
Other parties, however, being unwilling that
any company formed andcr said act should re-
ccivc the grant, and desiring to leave the dis
position of it to some future legislature
OF the Territory, framed II bill, which was
offered to the House committee on Public Lands
| the third section of which was as follows:
"SEC. 3. .qnd be it further enacted. That the
said lands hereby granted to said Territory
shall he subject to the disposal of any future
Legislature thereof for the purpose aforesaid
and no other ; nor shall they inure to the ben
eft of any company heretofore constituted OF
organized. And the said railroad shall he and
remain public highway for the use of the gov
eminent of the United States, free from toll OF
other charge upon the transportation of any
property or troops of the United States moi
shall any of said lands become subject to pri
vate entry until the same shall have been frs
The parties who were dissatisfied with til,
Minnesota charter, and who desired the gram
to be thrown upon future legislature wished
the third section to be reported from the com
mittee, and passed by the House in the abov,
form while those who desired the company tt
receive the grant by virtue of the charter
wished the word future" before the word "leg
islaturc" to be stricken out, and the word land
to be substituted for the word "or' between
the words g constituted and "organized."
Your committee do not deem it necessary to
enlarge upon the objects and aims of those con.
ilictins interests. They find that the bill, with
out being referred to from the House, was sent
by the trainers of it, first to the committee on
public lands; then it was referred in committee
to Hester L.. Stevens, u representative from
Michigan; that Mr.. Stevens recommended to
the committee to report the bill with the :" flu
ture" stricken out, and the word "and" snbsti-
tutcd for "Or," and that it was directed TO be
reported with those changes in the original
draft; that Mr.. Stevens accordingly did strike
out the word future" before the bill was re-
psrted to the House, and supposed he had made
the other change also, but neglected to do So
n Il