The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-01-16
For ~ Daily Pioneer.
To the Public.

TO the Public.
The editor of the St. Croix Union in his
paper of the Goth ult., stated that, che had
been credibly informed that the 500, 600
last appropriated for the continuance of the
road from Point Douglas to the St. Louis
river, had long since been drawn from the
Treasury, and instead Of being expended on
said road, where it is much needed and
properly belongs, was nowi in the hands Of st.
Paul bankers, (sharpers) where it is being
loaned out at the rate of from three to five
per cent. per month" On the 3Oth of the
same month, l addressed him, through the
public prints, card, of which the following
is an extract TN order, therefore, that
the editor of the Union may be more ex-
plicit upon the subject, and the public be
now fully Informed of the facts, charged, l
would request of him that the credible per-
son from whom he says he has received his
information, come out over his own signature,
and state all he knows about the matter;
or, in default of this, that he, the editor,
give his infOrmant's name, and state all that
he has or can obtain from him in regard to
the accusation which he has made" /
also stated, that so soon as he had done his
duty in the premises, l would not be back
ward in following it up with a statement,
which, felt assured, would meet with the
appreciation Of the public. 1t now appears
from his paper of the 9th inst, that he de-
clines going into any farther particulars, and
refuses the name of the author of the libel
His language is:
1--WE asserted upon reliable authority that the twenty
thousand dollars last appropriated by Congress had been
long since drawn the Treasury The gentleman in
his card the Pioneer does not deny that such
is the fact When the gentleman shows to US that we
had been wrongly informed then we are ready to call the
yeracity informant into account and are then
ready make the correction But we are unable TO
discover that have published untruth we are I'M
willing to waive the responsibilities OF making SO grave
| charge"
AccordinSto this doctrione, an editor is
at liberty to make any charge against the
moral character Of any man in the commu-
nifty, and forsooth the public is bound to be-
lieve it, aud the credible authority from
whom he has, as he says, obtained his in
formation, is to be kept concealed, until the
person libelled, chooses to come out and
deny the charge I have always thought
we were living under laws, as well as a pub
lie sentiment, which required every man in
arraigning his fellow man before the public,
to confront IN propraa persona, the accused,
in order that the truth might be elected,
and justice be meeted out to all parties.-
The editor of the St. Croix Union, however,
thinks differently, and he is entitled to all
the benefits which his discoveries in legal
ethics, may bring him. He will not find
me disturbing him in the enjoyment Of
them.
So far as he or his informant are con-
cerned, l would here, let the matter rest
But out of respect to those whose good
opinion value, and who, from a want of
knowledge of the parties, might be disposed
to give credit to the aspersions which have
been cast upon me; 1 will here state, that
not one cent of the tarenty thousand dollars,
last appropriated by Congress for the contim-
uamce of the Point Douglas and st. Louis
Rirer road, has erer been deposited by me
aeith Bankers IN st. Paul, or any achere else,
to be loaned out at a per centage, or for amy
other purpose; and that so far from this
amount Aaring been darrn from IKE Treasury
long SINCE the sum total Of all Ihare draarn
is $1,000, arhic0 has BEEN toracarded to me,
IN accordance arith estimates, to meet the erpen-
ses incidental to the location, surrey and map
ping of the northern ertensicn of the road,
according to lar, and fer other purposes con-
,,ected uith tile carrying en- of the rork.
j. H. SIMPSON,
Capt. Corps Top1 Eng'rs.
St. Paul, Jan. ID, 1855.