The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-03-05
Communication from Hon. HI. III. Sibley.
MENDOZA, Feb. "a, 1856

from Hon. H. III. Sibley.
MENDOZA, Feb. "a, 1856.
10 the Editor Of tie Nort- Western Democrat:
SIR: notice in your paper Of the 18th
inst, letter from Hon. II. NJ. Rice, in which
it is intimated, if not directly charged, that l
have used my influence, with personal friends
in Congress, to defeat the bill granting pre-
emption rights to settlers on the Fort Smelling
Military Reserve. Mr.. Rice's communication
is dated Sd January, on which day my "par-
ticular friend Ben. G. Eastman" objected to
the Bill which was then under consideration in
the House. To show that Mr.. f. objected to
the Bill under misapprehension, and that hc
was actuated by no hostility to the settlers,
l insert the proceedings of the House on the
1st of February, when final action was taken
on the measure, which is Of so much impor-
lance to large class of our citizens. These
are from the Congressional Globe of I'd inst.
and are of course entirely reliable:-
The Speaker The question next in order is upon the
Of the committee of the whole the state OF
the Union to House bill No 6ss TO amend the act ap
and define the boundaries of the military reserve at ST.
River in the Territory of Minnesota and for other
purposes The amendment is as follows
Insert, after the word 81 circumstances" the WORDS
PROOF and payment, as to make the clause read
And where any of said lands come within the provisions
of Nay 3D. 1914 for the relief OF the citizens OF
upon the lands of the United States under certain
circumstances proof and payment shall also be mace
within three months the passage this act and in
either ii the entries are not made within that tne
the claim shall be forfeited.
The question was then taken, and that amendment
Mr. Eastman Mr.. Speaker yesterday objected to this
bill since then have had opportunity OF inve'ti-
eating it, and of conversng with gentlemen from
Minnesota, who better acquainted with the subject
than am and am fully satisfied that it ought to
pass. hope it will pass.
The bill was ordered to be engrnsed and read third
time and being engrossed, it read third tme and
Mr. Washburne, of Illinois. move to reconsider the
vote by which the bill passed. and that that motion
be laid upon the table.
The latter motion was agreed to.
Another of my personal friends" Mr.. Wash
burne, made the final motion, as it will be
perceived, which was adopted by the House,
and which placed the bill beyond the danger
of a subsequent reconsideration. The princi-
pie adopted in this act of the House, is one
that have most zealOusly and earnestly con-
tended for, as Mr.. Rice we'll knew when he
penned his spiteful letter to you. l endeavor-
ed to have it incorporated into the original act
reducing the Reserve to its present limits, and
was only defeated by the determined opposi-
ton of Willard p. Hall, of Missouri, who was
chairman of the Land committee of the House.
Immediately after the passage Of the act, i'll
sisted to the Commissioner of the General
Land Office, that there was nothing therein
contained, which debarred the settlers from
presumption; but he over-ruled me on the
ground that no rights of that kind could at
tach to any land before included in military
reservation, unless specially provided for by
Congress- In November last, called upon
the Commissioner, in Washington, and urged
that he would recommend the passage of the
very act, (which hope has passed the Senate
ere this) that l have been accused by Mr.
Rice, of wishing to defeat, and he promised to
do so.
Having thus disposed of the malicious insin-
uations of MIR. Rice, SO far as the Reserve is
concerned, have word to say relative to his
wholesale assertion that +" the friends of Sbley'
lin Congress) 4" are the enemies of Minnesota"
l refer to the Congressional record to prove,
not only that the charge is utterly without
foundation, but that so far as the true interests
of this Territory have been concerned, no men,
bers of Congress have labOred more faithfully
to promote them than my personal friends"
both in the Senate and House of Representa-
tives. If Mr.. Rice had stated that they had
been opposed to the intrigues of himself and
his particular friends" including Messrs.
Schuyler and Billings, which had for their OBJ
ject the transfer of Minnesota and its people
to the keeping of set of corrupt and unprin-
cipled land SPECTATORS if he had charged
that my friends had exposed and denounced
the fraud which has connected the name of
Minnesota, however undeserved, with transac-
tions that deserve to be stamped with the rep
rotation of every honest man, and which has
deprived the Territory of muni6cent grant
of nearly million of acres of land, he would
have told simple truth.
l have not sought, nor have l originated this
controversy with Mr.. Rice. Indeed, l have
been careful not to animadvert upon what
may have deemed reprehensible in his official
conduct from my place in the House, nor even
to name him, lest might be charged with an
attempt to embarrass him in the discharge of
his duties as the Delegate from this Territory,
but will allow neither him nor any other man
to assail me through the public prints, over his
own signature without prompt and effective
reply. Very respectfully,
-t III. III. SIBLEY