The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-05-09
The Railroad Grants.
To the Editors of the Minnesotian:

The Adcertiser of May Cd, closes its arti-
Gle on Railroad Companies by saying: sit
is probable that instead of the old compa-
MES chartered at previous sessions who are
applicants for the Congressional grant, new
companies will be organized and that as
condition of the new charter, number of
branch roads not designated in the act of
Congress will be attached to the grant roads
as conditions of their acceptance by the cor
porators. This new batch of charters as far
as ne can ascertain will not generally designate
points of .unction-but leave that to the dis
cretion Of the Companies"
IF such are indeed the probabilities in this
case, upon what principle Of justice can the
action of the Legislature be based? What
plea can the members of the Legislature pre-
sent to their constituents in Justification of
their action, if they now trample under foot
and destroy the rights and privileges they
have heretofore conferred upon the already
organized Railroad Companies-destroy the
companies which have been organized under
tie charters they themselves have granted,
and in good faith have labored faithfully and
diligently to secure the object for which they
were created They have expended their
money and their time in presenting their
claims TO Congress for necessary assistance,
and to obtain the very grant of lands which
the Advertiser now says it is probable will
be taken from them and given to newly or
ganized companies. And in this manner
those who have quietly stood aloof and look
ed On while others have labored to procure
this assistance, are now to be brought for
ward and reap the benefit Of other peoples
labors. One at least Of tic '.old conpanies''
in addition to the expenditures incurred in
obtaining this grant of lands. has expended
quite large amount of money in making
surveys Of the route, and has now large
party engaged in surveying it's line of road.
There certainly could not be the least shad-
ow of justice in such a course of action on
the part Of the Legislature, and it is not pos
siblc that the members of this Legislature
are willing to risk the odium which such
course of action would be sure to bring up
on them.
To deprive those who have labored
faithfully and dillgently-and in strict
accordance with the rights and privi-
lcees guaranteed them by former Legisla-
ture-to secure to Minnesota what no other
Territory ever has acquired from the Gene
raj Government while a Territory, would
bring upon those guilty of such action,
weight of contempt which no member of
the present Legislature of Minnesota would
or could quietly endure. TO deprive the pi-
oneers in those enterprises of the benefit of
their own efforts would be an act Of injustice
to which no honorable, high minded Legisla-
tor would for one moment consent.
The Advitiser does not inform it's readers
from what source its information was OBJ
tanned whether from some member Of the
legislature or some one of the multitude of
foreigners-from New York, Wisconsin. Hi
nois and other States-now ready to lend
their assistance to manage the internal i'm
provements of Minnesota, (all out of pure
sympathy of ooarse) but we are strongly in
clined to think it comes from the latter. If
from any member of the legislature, disposed
to entertain such position. we certainly do
not envy him the notoriety he would most
certainly derive fcrs the Introduction of 50
base scheme into the MINNESOTA recisla.
ture.:: we, ao'nct :se.isye such q proposition
would n;eet.w;ta .hs'talar or support. Of a /.
single member, though doubtless there are i.
those now in the city who would like to reap
the benefits which the efforts of the cold |
Companies" have secured, But we have too
much confidence in the integrity of the Min
nesota Legislature to believe them capable
of such an act, or of SO burdening the grants
to companies with branch roads that the
acceptance of the grant with the conditions
imposed would be an injury, rather than a
benefit to the companies to whom granted.
CITIZEN.