The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-04-25


deferred from bidding by that knowledge, il
would have been 10 bis interest 10 bill from
$l.25 per acre up to the amount which he ac-
tuallv paid, because he could thus have OBJ.
tanned without risk and directly from the gov
ernment tract of hand for which he paid
81 ,927 with oil the risk which attaches to IA
transaction not valid in law. See sec. 5, Act
March 81, 1880.
3D.. That Mr.. Rice bound himself in consid-
Grafton OF a pro rata share Of the expense from
Dayton, to "usc his influence and do every
thing in his power to secure the ciaim," when
the only process required by law was for the
said Dayton to bid more than any other bid
der.
These lands were not subject to pre-emption
But even if they were as there appears to he
strong prejudice 10 the new Territory in fa-
vor of original settlers and claimants, whether
their claims be legally made or otherwise. the
result would be the same. The purchasers
would. under the act of September 4th, Is4l,
possess pp such presumption rights; most of
them being land agents and spectators resd-
ing in the town of st. Paul. In the case above
referred to, Charles R. Rice has never person
ally resided upon the land claimed by him, but
has employed Nj. A. b. Sloan to occupy and
protect the premises, which fact is admitted
by implication in the last clause of the agree
ment between him and Lyman c. Dayton.
[ submit in this connection list OF the
lands sold and the names Of the purchasers,
taken from the Records of the General Land
Office, together with copies OF the ST. Paul
Democrat and Weekly Minnesot;an contain
! ing the business notices of most Of the specu-
lators therein named.
| The principal purchaser, VIM. r. Marshall
&c o,,A Alv,h ~ Ls,,l
! Ter, is on Indian Trader and SPECTATOR; Geo.
l.. Becker is member Of the firm of Rice,
! Hollinsbcad d Becker dealers in exchange and
real estate. Henry N. Rice is the Delegate
to Congress from Minnesota, Charles L. Eui-
ersou, who obtains five acres of land purchas-
ed by G. l.. Rice. is Editor Of the Democrat.
known as the "Rce Organ" and member of
the firm of Emerson h Case, Land Agents and
spectators, George w. Biddlc is dentist and
speculator, w. S. Combs is 4 bookseller and
speculatov. All these gentlemen are residents
OF st Paul. and none of them occupy, or
ever actually occupied or lived upon those
| lands
! In O letter to the Editor Of the Democrat,
enclosing copy of the letter to the Commits
sioner OF the General Land Office, of Feb. I'd.
Oh the subject of this sale, Mr.. II. NJ. Rice,
the Delegate from Minnesota, states that the
''Sale is virtually confirmed, and congratuates
t c hardy pioneers of Minnesota" upon the
result.
| take it for granted that the speculators
whose names appear in the above list, arc the
pioneers to whom he refers. Permit me to
state that there exists TO my personal knowl
eege associations of persons throughout Min
nesota interested in the purchase of Govern
nleDt lands at the minimum price, and bound
by solemn compact to carry into effect
the will Of the members. The most of the
spectators are cor nected either by political
or pecuniary interest with these claim assOcia-
tons; that saw the advertisements of such
associations on the trees aud public places
calling meetings at stated times and places
and became cOgnizant of their principal OBJ
jects by conversation with the members; and
that one of these is, to secure to such claim
ants by mutual pledges and by force of arms
if necessary, all the rights recognized by the
association whether in violation of law or
otherwise.
There are other and more explicit reasons
which govern me in the conclusion, that q CON-
bination did exist at the sale, and that an at
tempt has been made to delraud the govern
ment of the enhanced value of the lands, ari-
sing not from cultivation or actual settlement
on the same, but from the proximity of GER
tain towns which have sprung up in the natu-
raj course Of trade.
Mr.. Charles l.. Emerson, one Of the parties
! personally and pecuniarily interested. as ap-
pears by the contract between Messrs. Rice
and Dayton, admitted to me that there was a
combination to prevent bidding; that the bid
iers had clubs on the ground to use force if
necessary, and were prepared with boat to
| .,H bo ,o;<rh< k;l ho
the minimum; that he presumed nobody would
deny this fact, but that he considered them
perfectly justified in protecting their Claims
and contended that the government had no
right, in justice or equity, to more than the
minimum price Of any of her public lands
This is the popular doctrine in Minnesota, and
is the doctrine advocated in the Democrat and
other newspapers in st. Paul
| MIR. f. w. Packard, agent and partner of
Lyman G. Dayton, stated to me, that the rea-
son why they 1.-THE frm) did not compete for
lands offered at the sale was, that they were
we'll aware such competition would subject
them to personal assault, if not more serious
consequences; that they would willingly have
given forty dollars an acre for several specified
lots, not the most valuable; and that the exis-
tencc OF combination was so notorious, it
would have been folly to attempt TO contend
against it.
During my stay i'll Minnesota, conversed
freely with many persons on the tubject, who
attended and were interested III the sale. and
did not hear single individual deny that there
was such combination, but on the contrary
was informed by several that they saw two
wagon loads Of clubs on the ground, and that
they knew very we'll that force was intended,
should it become necessary to prevent com.
petition in bidding. ati4. 80
1t is quite probable, as stated in the letter
of the Register and Receiver "that the ut