The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-03-01
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1856.
The Railroad Veto.

| In the veto message the Governor assumes
that the Legislature, at its last session. SIS
| ed two acts for the benefit of the Railroad
Company, both of which were vetoed, and
both Of which were passed under the two
thirds rule. This is entirely incorrect, as
| may be satisfactorily ascertained by refer
ence to the pamphlet of the last session
laws. s1
The bill to amend an act entitled an act
to incorporate the Minnesota and North
Western Railroad Company" which appears
on page l4S of the Session Laws, was asked
for by the Agent of the Company, was pass
ed by the Legislature, was vetoed by the
Governor, and subsequently was passed by
thirds vote in. both houses. This is
the only bill the Company asked for or ac-
cepted. Two other acts were passed which
were approuea by the Governor, one on page
sc. of the Session Laws, approved g :
1855 the other On page l39, approved Feb.
q, 1855. Neither of these latter acts were
asked for by Tie Company, nor were either
of them accepted by the Company.-Piosas,r r.
The above statements are of course in
strict conformity with tie truth. The false
hood promulgated in the Governors recent
Veto Message, and so zealously dinned into
the ears Of members who have not allowed
themselves to become acquainted with the
real facts, is but one among ten thousand
which his Excellency has employed for tie
last two years to carry out his "rule or
ruin " policy. There has been no fact moro
notorious in the Territory during tie past
year, than that the first anendatory act
which was vetoed last year and passed over
the Governors head, was asked for by the
Company and accepted by them promptly.
The Company has, in fact, been acting under
it the past year, and are now acting under
it, = -'-,-'' i'
We sincerely hope that members will not
allow themselves to be prejudiced by fhese
alsehoods-oficial or unofficial The ep-
position to the passage of the bill now before
the House to extend time to the Company,
simply to allow them to be heard in the
courts, is factious and unjust It's chief orig
inators are all men who have an interest in
a certain town below:.us, which they have
very unreasonably asked the Company to
advance by building branch railroad thereto
and Gov. German is one of them.
In connection with the above we publish
the following communication:
.Io-tle. .Ediae~s e.f- 41s- 94&;;~,.eso4ss,.:
l have been repeatedly asked If the cdi-
torial in the Pioneer and Democrat of this
morning, headed "The Railroad Veto" is
true, SO far as it conflicts with the late Veto
Message Of His Excellency, Governor Cor
man.
Can it be true ? Can His EXcellency make
a statement that it is NOT true These are
the questions hourly propounded.
Humbly submitting that so grave State
Paper, emanating from the highest officer in
the Territory, to the House of Representa-
tiyes, ought to be true, and that His Excel
lency ought to know whether he vetoed both
Of the Amendatory Acts of last session,
which he says he vetoed, the official certit-
cate of the Secretary Of the Territory to the
contrary notwithstanding, crave permis-
sion to say that the NJ. & n W. Railroad
Company only asked for the passage of the
Act to be found in the Session Laws of 1855,
on page 148, which was passed on the 18th
of February last, which confers important
privileges upon them; and which, so far as
can be implied by their Acts, they have ac-
eepted. 1t requires no formal acceptance,
and consequently none has been given.
As to the Act passed four days afterwards
en- the 2lst of February last, (page 139 of
the same laws) and officially certified as ap-
prousd by His Excellency, say that nei-
ther the Company nor their. Agent asked
for its passage, or intimated that it was
binding, or would be accepted if passed, but
quite the contrary. Who can for moment
suppose that any company would request
that they should be required to deposite one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars within a
given time or forfeit their charter and prop
erty, and to have their rights otherwise re-
stri ted, when no benefit or privilege what
ever is conferred?
The statements contained in His Excellen-
cy's Message almost astonished me.
Very respectfully,
Your obcdent servant
EDMUND RICE,