The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-02-28

ci'ou " eucan USapprOvlng OF the Cn8rter OF
the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad
Company.
Mr.. President, the minority of the Council,
in presenting this amendment for adoption, had
no expectation that the majority would con-
sent to it. Sir, it wonld have been inconsist-
ent with the previous course of the friends of
that Company had they done so. But we de-
sired to test the friends of this Company, who
now stand discarded and denounced by Con.
gress and tainted with fraud before the world,
by presenting to them an amendment, entirely
harmless in ITSELF and one taken from that
boasted charter, of which we have heard so
much in this hall, and insert it, on account OF
its great iberality by asking them to adopt
an amendment giving to the Territory the
right to know in what manner and when the
deposite was made, and the satisfaction, also,
of knowing that the deposite thus made will
be available by the Territory in case of for
fixture.
The minority are not disappointed. They
anticipated that the amendment would be re-
jected, and from the remarks of the member
from the 9th district (Mr. Brown they have
the assurance of its rejection. But we sup
posed the friends of the bill would pay some
little regard to the provisions of that charter,
printed copy of which the attorney of this
Company procured to be laid upon the desk
Of each member of the Council. Their bant-
ling then, they reject it nosc. But, Mr.. Presi-
dent, why has the bill, to which this amend
ment is proposed, been introduced into the
legislation? Do the Company wish greater
privileges than those already granted to them?
Or, do they wantonly offer their charter to this
legislature to be restricted in its terms Mel
Their The act to which this is supplementary
| L. <bo spfro off lo
passed both branches of the legislature, and
had been presented to the Governor for his
approval. He had returned it to the House
in which it originated, without his approval,
accompanied with his objections thereto. 1t
was found that the friends of the bill in the
House in which it originated were unable to ov-
er-ride the executive veto by two-third vote
in that body. The object Of the Company in
the bill thus returned by the Governor, was to
get an extension of the time in which they
were to construct the telegraph from st. Paul
to Dubuque and in the construction of the first
so miles Of the road, and more particularly to
re-enact the original charter, constituting the
Company which charter had been disapproved
of by Congress without dissenting voice. 1t
was, therefore, of vital importance to the COM
pany, to carry the bill through the legislature,
Notwithstanding the executive veto. TO &C.
complish that object this supplemental bill was
introduced, not with the expectation or belief
that the amendment contained in the bill would
ever be adopted by the company or assented
to by them. Twice in the fifth section of the
supplemental bill, to which this amendment is
proposed, you render it obligatory upon the
Company to adopt the amendments contained
in it within six months from the date of its
passage. But, sir, under the original charter
you refused to reserve to yourselves and the
future legislatures of this territory the right
to alter, amend or repeal this bill You, there
fore, Invested yourselves of the right or power
to interfere with the rights they obtained under
it, You cannot either enlarge, restrict or mod
ify their powers
The supplemental bill now before the Coun
Gil and the amendments contained therein, un-
less said Company voluntarily accept them, are
not worth the paper upon which they are writ
ten.
The Territory is powerless unless Congress
exercises the right reserved to itself in the or.
ganic act and interposes between this Compa
ny and the Territory, by disappearing of the
original charter. Sir, no man will hazard the
opinion that any power, legislative or judicial
can compel this company to accept the amend
ments to their original charter, proposed in
this bill. And we'll does this Company know
it. Well does their attorney know it. And
in drafting this supplemental bill, he nor they
cared not for the amendments, whether they
passed this body or not, 80 long as other Oh
jects which they were DESTROYS of accomplish.
ing, were attained.
i TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW