The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-03-29

public uses, that right cannot be denie
them, provided the required compensation j
made" Mark the language. is made.''-
"Your committee.are informed that the pror
er department at Washington are ready t
make"-what 2 "Ready to make compensa
tion." Does this committee know the differ
!! ence between a thing being done and finishe,
and being ready to do it year after it shoult
have been performed. Here again the com
mittee whip themselves with their own ar
guments, but don't know it; and like Gen
Taylor's soldiers, keep fighting on as if vic
tory was in might instead of right. But t.
60 on; the committee were saying: "tomakt
just compensation to those who were injured
by said Winnebago treaty;"-were injured
Who has been injured? Why, those who
could hold their claims and enjoy their liber
ty under the laws of Congress, are disseized
of. their claims, and the money and labor ex-
pended upon them are ali taken by the law
of this treaty, and the claimants themselves
are become trespassers, and liable to fine and
Imprisonment without being convicted of any
crime, or without due process of law. This
is what has injured them. How does this
committee fail at every step, yet they blum
der ahead with the report. The committee
should have said "great Inconvenience
They now admit an injury done; or trespass
committed by the. law of this treaty, and
have clearly proved it's unconstitutionality.-
For the "proper department" nor the treaty
making power, nor the Government, cannot
lawfully or constitutionally injure ybody.
Once more, the committee say that Gov
ernor German has recommended that the
Government pay the settlers on said reserve
for their improvements" Pay them for their
improvements Oh! bless such Governor
for his disinterested benevolence Oh, bless
the Governor, all ye claimants upon Indian
lands; and bless General Fletcher, too and
bless all who aided in concocting this treaty;
yea, let them be blessed with the same bles-
sings wherewith they have blessed us. Let
them be blessed with disseizure of claims on
Indian lands. Let them live separate and
detached. Yea, let them be blessed with
fear of trespass, theft and plurder; fire and
strychnine; and when all they possess is gone,
aad poverty and adversely force admittance
into their dwellings,. Oh ! let them be bless
ed with insults from Government officials !;
by offering to pay them one cent on every
hundred dollars they have lost, by being ous-
ted from their claims, or paying for the i'm
provements.
Have patience, Mr.. Editor, once more, and
1 will be done with the report. AS there are
some other things that may be taken under
our constitution as well as private property,
l wish to make fair and true quotation from
the constitution, and endeavor to show that
the late Winnebago treaty is not one of the
justifable cases under the Constitution, in
taking either life, liberty, or property. In
the Fifth Article of the constitution, read:-
'Nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property
without due process of law:;' The Supreme
Ruler of the Universe conforms to the laws
He enjoins ON us; and all civilized Govern
ments, as well as our own, are bound by their
constitutions and laws, to conform to the
laws prescribed for their subjects. Now, the
taking of life, liberty, or property without
due process of law, is crimiminal act in all
civilized Governments, whether done by the
Government or their subjects and the quo
tation above, shows what shall not be done
to any individual in our Government. How
does this doctrine compare with the Law Of
the treaty? But as the United States can
not be sued or prosecuted, the constitution
in order to provide for every possible contin-
gency which might happen, and to make it
impossible for the Government to become a
trespasser, provides that private property
shall not be taken for public use without a
just compensation being mads before, or at
the time of taking the property. Not one
moment of credit shall be given; not one mo-
ment of time for credit shall be asked for by
the Government. Now our claims are en-
braced in the treaty and recorded at Wash
ington. Our property has been taken in pur-
suance of the law of this treaty-but with
out due process of law, and no compensation
has been made; and submit it to the peo-
pie now to say whether it has been constitu-
tionally done. ISAAC ANDRUS.
Winnebago Reserve, March Is.