The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-04-28


would be the same. The purchasers would un
der, the act of September 4th, 1s4l, possess NJ
| such pre-emption rights; most of them beins
land agents and spectators residing in tn,
| town of st. Paul. In the case above referred
to Charles K. Rice has never personally resided
upon the land claimed by him, but has employ
| Ell MT. A. B. Sloan to occupy and protect the
premises, which fact is admitted by implica
ton in the last clause of the agreement between
him and Lyman C. Dayton
| submit in this connection a 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
aud Weekly Minnesotian, containing the buSi-
ness notices of most of the SPECTATORS therein
| named.
The principal purchaser, William r. Ma, shall.
is merchant and speculator. Alpheus G. Full
Ter is an Indian Trader and speculator. George
L. Becker is a member the firm of Rice. Hol-
| linshead Il Becker, dealers in exchange aud re-
al estate. Henry NJ. Rice is the Delegate to
Congress from Minnesota. Charles L. Emerson
who obtains five acres of the land purchased
by C. l.. Rice, is Editor of the Democrat, known
as The Rice Organ" and member Of the firm
of Emerson & Case. land agents and specula-
tors. George ". Biddle is Dentist and specu-
lator, w. S. Combs is a Bookseller and land
specnlator. All these gentlemen are residents
of st. Panl and none Of them now occupy or
ever actually occupied or lived upon these
lands. .c
In letter to the Editor of the Democrat. en-
closing a copy of the letter of the Commission
er of the General Land Office, of February 2nd,
on the subject of this sale, Mr. II. NJ. Rice the
Delegate from Minnesota states that 1.-THE sale
is virtually confirmed" and "congratulates the
hardy pioneers of Minnesota" upon the re-
suit. f~.
1 take it for granted that the speculators
whose names appear in the above list. are the
pioneers to whom he refers. Permit me to
state that there exist to my personal knOwl-
edge Associations of persons throughout Min
ncsota interested in the purchase of govern
ment lands at the minimum price, and bound
by solemn compact to carry into effect the
will of the members. That most of the specu-
lators are connected either by political or Pc
cuniary interest with these claim associations;
that saw the advertisements of such assOcia-
tions on the trees and public places, calling
meetings at stated times and places and became
cognizant of their principal objects.by conver.
sation with the members; and that one of these
is, to secure to snch claimants by mutual pledg-
es and 10y force of arms if necessary. all the
rights recognized by the association whether in
violation of law or otherwise. a}r
There arc other and more explicit reasons
which govern Inc in the conclusion, that COM
binatiOn did exist at the sale, and that an at
tempt has been made to defraud the government
Of the enhanced value oi the lands, arising not
from cultivation or actual settlement on the
same. but from the proximity of certain towns
which have sprung up in the natural course of
trade. 1c41 tE4af
Mr. Charles L. Emerson. one of the parties
personally and peeuniarily interested. as ap-
pears by the contract between Messrs. Rice and
Dayton. admitted to me that there was COM
binaton to prevent bidding: that the bidders
had clubs OIL the ground to use force if neces-
sary, and were prepared with a boat to carry
off any person who might bid more than the
minimum; that he presumed nobody would
,denv this fact, but that he considered them per-
fectly justified in protecting their claims, and
in Justice or equity, to more than the minimum
price for any of her public lands. This is the
popular doctrine in Minnesota, and is the doc
trine advocated in the Democrat and other news
papers in st. Paul. a.5
Mr.. i. W. Packard, agent and partner of
Lyman G. Dayton, stated to me that the reason
why they (the firm) 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 conse-
quences; that they would willingly have given
forty dollars an acre for several specified lots,
not the most valuable; and that the existence
ofa combination was so notorious it would have
been folly to attempt to contend against it.
During my stay in Minnesota. I conversed
freely with many persons on this subject, who
attended and were interested in the sale, and
did not hear single individual deny that there
was such a combination, but on the contrary
was informed by several that they saw two wag-
on loads of clubs on the ground, and that thew
knew very we'll that force was intended, should
it become necessary to prevent competition in
bidding. 1.a5 &. ~ --4tlt ..t -.
1t is quite probable, as stated in the letter
of the Register and Receiver, "that the utmost
harmony prevailed during the sale.'' The
means adopted by the purchasers were such as
to insure "the utmost harmony There was
but little encouragement for 3 breach of the
peace where the claimants aud their aiders aud
abettors were so we'll furnished with weapons
for the prompt punishment of any offender
Had there been no combination, and no means
of intimidation used, there would doubtless
have been less harmony Where the conflict
ing interests involved were SO important and
speculation was at its height, it would not have
been singular had there been several breaches
of the peace, under system of free cOmpeti-
tion. bsi9 Hse 3 3.a s.n. s,,ia.-
The pretension that the settlement of the
country is advanced by unfair management Of
of this kind is entirely unwarranted by facts.
x
to, actual settlers who reside upon and cultivate
the lands; but if the laws governing pre-emp-
tiOns and public sales, are to be set aside. aud
government Reserves held open TO spectators,
then the fact should become generally known
under official instructions, SO that all specula-
tors can enjoy. an equal, chance of securing
claims upon the Indian and other Reserves yet
Eunoccupied by white settlers. The constant
reference made in Congress and elsewhere to
the hardy pioneers of the West, is, in the sense
in which it becomes practically applicable, cal
culated to mislf ad the public mind The adj
| vantages derived by the class referred to from
the enhanced value Of the public lands in the
new Territories, resulting from the influx OF
population, are comparatively small. 1t is the
Iunscrupulous spectators, who never reside
npon or Gu tvate the landslide non-productive
members of the community--who derive the
advantage. because they have the capital aud
means of combination and WELD the political
power which enables them to represent their
interests in Congress and to legalize by special
enactments all violations of law in which they
have a peeuniary Interest. For practical ex
amples, / respectfully refer you to an Act pass
] ed on the 2nd Of March last, and to the Act Of
1852, upon which it is based, recognizing Ger
tain prescription claims in the Fort Smelling
Reservation originally made in violation Of ex
isting laws, by which, the town of Mendoza il
4 secured to the pr0prietors. MIR. Sibley. late
| delegate in Congress, is the principal owner o
this town, and there are others, prominent a
i spectators ann politicians, whose names arr
/ not material also refer you to all the cir
lcumstances stated in this. communication aut
to the LIST of names of the parties interested il
4 that part of the Reservation lying on the cas-
side of the Mississippi, among which will b