The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-06
Correspondence of the Minncsotian.)
Matters and Things at the National Capitol.

, home; others, to the different cities to spen,
their Christmas. 1 don't know, but this, ad
Journing over three days, is we'll! like tn
custom for, even with those who nav it'll
heed to the day. as the day of the Nativity. i
is day ofsocial meeting among friends ant
relatives-a day for the gathering together o
families-a domestic day, promotive of do
mestic feeling; that feeling which chastcns the
soul and throws softened shadow over the
asperites of the outer world. Even in this re-
spect it is holy day; lovely in the holy calm
and sanctified sentiments to which it's observ-
ance, in any form, gives birth.
During the present week, there has been Il
question before the Senate, in which your peo-
pie, at one time, felt deep interest. This
question has arisen upon the proposition to es-
tablish Commission or Court for the adjust
ment of claims against the United States in
the hands of citizens. Mr.. Clayton, of Del, a
sound and able lawyer, upon the subject of the
tenure of the officers composing this Commits
sion or Court, took the position, that the tribu-
nal-call it by what name you pleasc-was
judicial tribunal, and that the tenure could not
be Hmited--that its officers would hold their
offices during life or good behavior, and that
Congress had no power to create a Judiciary of
limited tenure. Mr.. Clayton said, referring to
the article of the Constitution respecting the
establishment of q judiciary, that such an idea
as a Judiciary with limited tenure, never en-
tered into the contemplation of the trainers of
that article nor. at that day, had such an
idea entered into the contemplation ofany rea-
sonable man. He said that the fathers of the
constitution had always before their minds one
great and fundamental principle--that the
Government was composed of three distinct
branches and their greatest anxiety was, to
make these three great arms ofpower. entire
ly Independent of each other.
In this he is Individually right; and during
some of your quarrels in the Territory, often
wondered that any lawyer, familiar with the
constitution and the great principle referred to
by the Senator from Del, would claim for the
President the right of removing your Judges
For, not only had he no right to remove, not
withstanding the opinion of his learned Attor-
ney General. and subsequently the resolution
of the Senate, sayingithat he had, but Congress
had ne right or power to limit their term of
Office and had they seen proper to test the
question, there is no doubt but they might yet
hold their places upon the Bench.
e But, gentlemen, this is an age Of mutation
and change! By the bye, speaking of change,
reminds me of most remarkable one that has |
taken place in your Territory. am credibly |
that II. H. Sibley. your old Delegate
here, and Gov. Gormon, are not only intimate,
but bosom, friends. Can this be possible p
Can such changes take place in the hu-
man mind-the human feelings? Are they the
mere things ofthe UW? Why gentlemen, in
Nov. or Dec. 1853 Mr.. Sibley was in this city
ITO use vulgar expression) knowing heaven
and earth" to procure Gov. Germans remov-
al and succeed him in Office Is it possible,
that this was not known in your Territory p
Why, he preferred formal charges and laid
them before the President. His denunciatons
of Gov. German were unmeasurel; and to ev-
cry one whom he met. high and low, Senators
and Representatives, President and Ministers,
he used that, Of all other weapons, the last to |
be overlooked. forgotten or forgiven by man |
of any feeling or pride, ridicule! In street or
in parlor, in bar-room and in barber shop, in |
Senate Chamber and Hall of the House, he
abused him, as man has rarely been abused A.; |
and publicly proclaimed it, as a notorious fact
in Minnesota, that Gov. German was wholly |
and totally unworthy of belief Yet, am as
sured, that after all this, they are now conf
dants--bosom companions! The fact, that Mr. |
Sibley used his whole influence to effect Gov.
Germans removal, and his reputation as man
Of truth and confidence, is susceptible of proof,
and at that time, he, (Sibley) was not without
some influence here. But here again is anoth-
err evidence of ''change" When he was here
few weeks ago, his principal friend was his
barber $50 says the barber,) and he now alludes
to him with an ofectionate melancholy that
is truly pitiful to behold. He says that his
friend is very great man and ought to be
influential than he was, and has fewer friends,
u.s. because few men appreciate him. The bar
Der does!
Since the news of the decision of your Su-
preme Court, in the NJ. and N. W. r. r. case
reached here, there has been a good deal of
luttering among the friends of the opponents
of the Company in your Territory. They have
become desperate, and declare that, even if
the Supreme Court of the U. S. affirm the judy
ment of your Court, which they think very
probable, the Company never can obtain the
title to the lands; that the Government will
withhold it, and that its officers cannot be COM
PEELED to issue patents for the lands granted
They 60 further, and say, (,cise men, and hon
est, are theyD that Congress will step in and
prevent the execution of the grant, in defiance
of the Supreme Court and its DEGREES; that it
has been done in other cases and will be done in
this But to what "other cases" they have ref
erence, unless to the Wheeling Bridge Case,
cannot imagine and they will find mater
ial difference between this Grant and that
Bridge. But these men, from this declaration,
evince their true characters--that they are
INSCRIPTIONS revolutionists, and would, not
only imperil, but sacrifice the veal of the Fed
eral Government itself. to effect their selfish
ends. They thus show the extent to which
they would not hesitate to go-ther willing
ness and readiness to defeat the objects of the
constitution. by arraying themselves and Con-
gress in hostile opposition to its greatest safe
guard--the Supreme Court of the United States,