The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-02-23

United States granting lands to Minnesota
to build the road contemplated in the Char
ter of the NJ. & N. W. r. r. Co., the friends
OF that Charter procured an alteration to be
made in that Act of Congress, which was
held by Committee of the House of Repre-
sentatives to be. unauthorized and deserv-
ing of censure."
Such wrongful alteration produced so great
a Juror of indignation among the members of
Congress that our Land Grant was repealed
by an overwhelming majority. Next, suit
was instituted by the U. S. District Attor-
ney, and that has failed to recover the lands
for this Company.
The next step was an appeal to the Secre-
tary of the Interior to retrace his steps and
recognize the rights of the Company to the
lands, and that has failed them.
limitations are now thrown out by the
reputed Agent of the Company, that suits
may be instituted against the U. S. Land
officers, or that suits might perhaps be com
iiienced against the actual settler on the
lands on the line of the proposed route, tt
the end that this Company may ultimately
get their corporate grip on the Congressiona
grant.
But what hope, founded on reason, is there
that the Company will commence the road
if you extend the time until 1858 or 1860, OF
even 1875? What security have you? II
fact you are deliberately told that unless
they get these lands from the Government
of the U. S., they will not build the road
and they distinctly tell you that "no sane
man would undertake to construct the roaC
without the lands" (See letter of Robert
W. Lowber, acting President of the NJ. & N
W. R. r. Co., to Robert McClelland, Secre
tary of the Interior, dated New York, Dec
IL, 1859 In the same correspondence be-
tween this Railroad Company and the Sec
rotary of the Interior of same date, il
appears that the right of this Company t.
take these lands is utterly ignored by thai
high funetionary of the Government. Under
such decision, this Company is effectually
shut out from any hope of getting hold O
the lands by any means whatever, which fac
is distinctly acknowledged by the Comran,
ITSELF
Therefore, when we see that Congress ha
indignantly rebuked the alteration of tn
law of Congress by it's prompt repeal-tha
the popular branch has once by an over
whelming majority annulled this same Char
y
continue the Executive Officers of IT,
Nation has ignored all pretended rights OF
this Company to these lands-that the Su
preme Court of the U. S. has dismissed tn
writ of error, on the motion of the law Off
GERS of the Government, the more effectuall,
to crush the pretentions of this Conn am
under the Charter that you are now revil
ing and extending-all of which has beer
done by the U: S. Government, 4" for reasons
of public policy and administrative expe
diency," it will hardly be denied that thi
M. & N. w. r. r. Co. is without remedy
1 then appeal to you as the Representa-
tives of the people, to abandon the M. & N
w. r. n. Co., and adopt some new plan t.
expedite Railroad communication with tn,
States.
If you persist in arraying yourese1ye!
against the policy of the National Govern
ment, and against the expressed will of Con
gress-any further aid from Government il
hopeless by your act you will have re
tarded our growth and put check upon oul
permanent prosperity. appeal to you no
to hold on to a Charter that [ think ha!
been demonstrated to be unsafe and unius
to the welfare of our Territory.
The last session of the Minnesota I4egisla
ture passed two several amendments to tn,
NJ. & n. w. R. r. Charter, which now az
pear Oh your Statute Books. The fifth sec
ton of the last amendment reads as follows
| "SEC. 5. In case said Company do no
accept Of this act and the act to which thi
is supplement, within six months after til
passage hereof, then all the lands befor
mentioned, together with the property an
franchises of said Company, shall be fol
feited to the Territory"
Notwithstanding that these amendment
were not worth the paper on which the
were written, unless cepted by the Com
pany, and as the Company came forward an
asked to have them passed, and even strue
gled and succeeded in passing them over m
veto, yet they have not accepted them, no
have we the least reason to believe they eve
intended to do so.
The amendments of last year extende,
the time for commencing and completing tn
road, and then we were told that the Com
pany was going on to construct the road
lands or no lands. Now they say, "no san,
man would attempt such thing withou
the lands"
Had not the people of Minnesota RICH
to expect this Company to show some sor
of good faith, and come forward and accep
these amendments? And ought this Com
pany longer to be permitted to trife will
the generous confidence reposed in them b,
our people; or are we toys in their hands tt
be used at their pleasure
At the last session of the Legislature thu
Committee on the Judiciary had this Rail
road Charter under consideration. They
made majority report against it, and mi
nority report for it. The majority repor
says of the Charter that you are extending
"That act has been pregnant of evil to Min
nesota; and as the result of ill.judged ant
hasty legislation has been denounced by the
people. But for it our Territory would now
be rejoicing in the possession of a magnif-
cent grant of lands from the government tc
te applied as prudence might dictate, in the
construction of Railroad intercommunicatior
north and south. The advocates of the Nj
& N. w Railroad Company do not pretend
that the Railroad will be finished within the
time specified by their charter, and therefore
an extension of time is desired in their me-
mortal.
rc;rodi IT, II. SIBLEY,
tNe0j WIN. WILLlM."
The minority report presented by A. nj
Fridley, warmly advocated the charter ant
amendments, and earnestly wished an extern
sion of time to begin and complete the road
and says:
eff the amendments are not accepted b,
the Company they will be forfeited. The
extension of time being forfeited by non
acceptance of the amendments, the charte,
will be forfeited, and the next Legislative As
sembly may take such action upon the sub
Ject as to it may seem meet, and as it would
take If the charter wore disannrorod hu Con