Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-15
For the Times.
WHERE DOES THE RESPONSIBILITY
LONG:

WHERE DOES THE RESPONSIBILITY BE-
LONG:
Mr.. EDITOR Tho last mail brought to our
citizens information of the repeal of our Land
Grant, for railroad purposes. The deed being
consummated it is matter of interest to the pco-
pie to know why it was done and who were to
blame for a measure apparently so detrimental to
our interests unless remcdied by subsequent Leg
islaton on the part of Congress. Some interested
parties attempt to throw the blame upon large
class of citizens Of this Territory, while the dis
Interested editor Of the Minnesotian in the pride
of his profession places it upon the shoulders Of
the Titans of the Territorialpress. A bare state
mcnt of facts affords the only safe means of judg-
ing, and meeting the sophistrics so freely used by
a certain class Of men among y bill was In
troduced in Congress by which it was proposed to
grant certain lands to the Territory in aid of the
construction Of a railroad from the Iowa line to
Lake Superior, the legal effect OF which was that
those lands should inurc to the benefit of Com
pany chartered and constituted by an act Of our
Legislative Assembly at its last session. Many
members of Congress believing that the charter
gave too great powers and far greater than would
have been given had the lands already been dona-
ted, were opposed to the bill as introduced, al
though disposed to aid the Territory by grant
under proper restrictions. The bill was :cor-
dinghy defeated. Some time after, several of our
most prominent citizens visited the seat of Gov
eminent and conferred with our Delegate and with
Mr.. Billings, of New York, a Director of the Com
pany and their Agent at Washington. Both of
those gentlemen Gas am crcdibly informed) ex-
| tbo;r al; Of hat no
in its original shape. 1t was then proposed to
Mr.. Billings that new bill should be introduced
by which the lands donated should be left to the
future action of the Legislative Assembly. He
was informed that the Legislature at its next
sion would in all probability renew the charter al
ready granted in view of the aid rendered by the
Company in procuring the grant. TO this propo-
sition Mr.. Billings cheerfully yielded his assent
and bill was accordingly prepared by Mr.. Sibley.
then in Washington, and introduced by our Dele
gate. The bill in this shape passed by decided
majority and became a law. Subsequently the
discovery was made that some one had interpolated
the act in order to defeat the well-understood in
tenton Of Congress. 1t matters not by whom the
| alteration was made, or whether it was confined
to the change of one word or one thousand. That
the alteration was improperly made, sufficiently
appears from the subsequent action of Congress
by more than "two-thrd VOTE" repeating the
grant. Why the grant was totally repealed and
the innocent victims punished for the acts of the
guilty parties, is not apparent. 1t is, however
fair to presume that Congress was actuated by
correct motives. 1t may be that they had doubt:
to the efficacy of any other course, and believ-
Ing that long litigation would result from any
other plan which might be adopted, determined
upon the method pursued. There can be no doub
that contest with the Company would have fol
lowed, that the Company would have been enjoin
ed from proceedings, and that years would elapss
before the final termination of the suit, in the
Supreme Court of the United States. In the NEAR
time the public lands would be withheld from sal,
and entry, and settlers embarrassed by doubt
fearing to sow where they might not reap. 1t il
highly probable that Congress at its next session
will render the gift, disembarrassed of the per
picking questions which under other circumstan
ces would surround it unless that body believe
the Territory to be incapable of disposing of tn
lands in such way as to promote the best inter
ests of the people generally. If, on the contrary
they believe that it will be thrown into the hand
of a few corrupt SPECTATORS, who will secure be
forehand, town sites, depots, and other importan
points, which their superior information will en-
able them to do, and will use their power as vas
political machine enabling them to rule the peopl
at their discretion, the act of bounty NAV be de
layed until in their opinion we become more hon
est. As the fraud perpetrated was the moving
cause of the action of Congress, the responsible
ty must rest upon those who were parties to th
fraud, rather than upon those who brought it t,
light. No honorable man can countenance tn
dishonest act though its preparation should pro
mote his individual interests. The issue is on
between wright and wrong, and upon it the homes
and corrupt will be respectively arrayed agains
each other. VERITAS.
St. Paul, August IA, 1854.