The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-02-27
The Railroad Bribery and Corruption
Confessed by Railroad Organ.


Confessed by a Railroad Organ
"Save me from my friends-my enemies 1
will take care of myself"
Doubtless this is the every morning excla-
nation of the State-debt Makers and Rail
road Spectators as they peruse their own Or
gan, the Times, eating their breakfasts the
while
In that paper of the 24th, there is an ar
ticle defending the action of Senator Nor
TON of Winona, and his colleagues of the
Railroad Investigating Committee, in smother
ing examination into the rotten style in
which our Legislature last summer was brib-
ed into bestowing the Lands granted by Con-
gress upon the Railroad Companies who at
present claim to hold them.
Mr.. NORTON in his speech to the Commit
tee in favor of abandoning the investigation,
seemed very much afraid somebody would "Je.
tray his friends !" indicating consciousness
that there was an African under the pile, who
might be exposed.
The bugaboo of Senator NORTON was that
principal witness" wasn't on hand and
that the Committee had no power to COM
pei his attendance; and for fear he might
yet come up voluntarily, the Committee un-
der Mr.. NoRroN's lead, declined examining
the willing witnesses" who were present !;
and hastily adjourned the investigation sine
de- in agreat hurry, seemingly, lest that
principal witness" aforesaid might yet ap-
pear and deprive them of that excuse for do
ing nothing!
All, there must be something extremely
rotten beneath that Transit Railroad Com
pany, to make its friends thus quake and
SILVER so dreadfully at the word investiga-
tiOn!
But we are DEPRESSING from our purpose,
which was to show the delectable style in
which the Times sustained the property of
discharging the Investis ating Committee
1t also took up the cue about the absence
of that principal witness )" but unfortu-
nately while lecturing him for his Delinquent
cy, and endeavoring to show him up as one
no better than he should be, the Times let
go the bag strings, and the cat popped out in
the following indiscreet manner owe quote
from the Times article an allegation of a
fact, which all will observe is extremely i'm
portant, coming as it does from the Railroad
Spectators organ):
X X IL
had IN his pocket certificates of stock to thu
amount of $4,000 Of q certain Railroad
giuen him for his influence and that Of his
friends, in getting q bill through the extra ses.
sion Of the Legislature!!"
We are glad to perceive the Times is SC
we'll booked up. If the investigation hadn't
been so prudently and prematurely smother.
ed, its editor wouldn't have made a bad wit
ness himself as to a portion of the corrup.
ton charged for here he confesses that al
least one of the Railroad Companies gave tc
one man for his influence and that of his friend
IN getting a bill through the eztra session ofM
Legislature, paid up certificates of stock t.
the amount of $4O,OOO!!
These are the very kind of facts the public
wish to get at, and we have higher opinion
of our contemporary than to think that ht
would be other than '''0illing witness" to
the facts or refuse to state under oath from
whom he obtained his information about the
$40 900 bride, because his informant migh
be acquainted with a few more $4,000
transactions for the berefit of one or the 9th
er of the Land Grant Companies
Let the people note the admission, almost
official, that one bride Of $4,000 0as paid OF
the part Of the Railroad interest! No wonder
they would like to finger the peoples money
in order to stop such holes as this in their fl
Session must have been pretty expensive
operation
But the Times is not content with expos.
ing this $40, 900 of "mauence" money, but
in that paper of yesterday morning, (the
25th,) there is another confession, which is
precious as the ointment that fell from Aaron's
beard in the olden time, if only as q hint to
future investigating committee whereabouts
to apply for few facts that may be very
much to the point. The confession is con-
tanned in the following paragraph:
"We learn that his ITO w.t. the editor of the Minneso-
hdns] informant labout Mr.. EDMUND RICE's crushing
declaration,) MIR. McKubin of the banking firm Of
McKubn Edgerton, who suppose, is about the
streets making known the riuate transactions of the
han h
Sen his deposits-that's all.
So, there are some "priuate transactions
connected with these Railroad Companies
which the Times evidently don't want any
light shed upon the benefit of the public in
general" pri3ate transactions" as it would
seem by fair inference, in which the com
pany of which the Crusher-G General is Presi-
dent had something to do! And Mr. Mac
KUBTS, as Banker, in the way of his bust
ness, it would also seem had something to do
with those private transactions" and he is
an extremely naughty man ito kiss and
tell !"
The Times being thus so deep in the con.
fidence of the Railroad spectators, perhaps
it can inform us 0hether any $4,000 or $4,000
drafts, given to Minnesota Directors of the
Minnesota and Pacific Railroad Company, to
induce their resignation in favor of certain
Wisconsinans who were subsequently chosen
Directors in their places, formed any portion
of the "priuate transactions" of MAcKuBIN &
EDcERroN's Bank? If you don't know all
about it now, get the Spectators to book
you up more, on the strength of your discre-
tien and prudence and trustworthiness, and
then make clear breast of it!
But in all seriousness, we are glad to see
the honest admission in our contemporary.