Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-24
WASHING NEWS AND GOSSIP.

cracy, in the manner in which he closed the
great Senatorial debate of the session, fairly
earning from his peers of all parties, in both
Houses of Congress, the reputation of being
though among the youngest and newest MEM
bers of the bOdy-certainly one of its ablest
and most effective statesmen However, his
task OF closing the debate was legitimately a
very easy one; for he had no solid argument to
rebuff. As the opposition had, however, kept
up COMPOUNDED blazing away in the woods"
where they had no enemy to combat, and thus
induced some ear-sighted folks to think they
were playing the mischief there with some
body,s calculations, Mr.. Green very properly
went thither after them. He cleared away the
underground and exposed their scene of action
and dull, indeed, must have been the percep-
ton of that looker-on who could not imme-
distely appreciate that these valiant heroe.
were fighting " man of straw" of their own
creation. But every essay they have made,
whether Of attack, or sham attack, was duly
pointed out by this able champion of the Con-
stitution yesterday, and that, too clearly and
effectively.
Their arguments were all deliberately ana
OF those of the still more invidious parricidal
boilers from the Democracy, and so completely
refuted, that one would suppose the opposition
generally should now set about hunting up some
new reason for denouncing the Lecompton
measure. Mr.. G.. forced the anti-Lecompton-
ties en- m0Sse to the single remaining horn of
the dilemma-that Of opposition to slavery and
Its extension; and whether they avow that
principle, or profess the principles of the Kan
sas-Nebraska act, he illustrated that from that
source, and that alone must spring their oppo-
sition to the Kansas BILL As far as we were
able to listen to his speech we seldom remcm-
Der hearing anything to surpass it in elucida-
ton of the points urged and in conclusiveness
of augmentation.
WHAT n ALL MRANS.--INc origin Of the
Fort-Snelfing-saie Investigation by n House
select committee is tie f;e,i~rc Of Robert Sm,fh
Of Illinois,, a mrH,Jer Of the body, to get the
iand at one dofiar and q q'tarfcr, as he OBJ
TUNED Mrce-sighfhy of tho site of Mime
apolts, q portion Of the original Fort iSnsI-
ling ycseyre, nor north q million of dol
tars.-Ihe rray IN nhich he ach,cred that
speculation, 2r DC, &c.-Soon after Nj
Robert Smith, of Illinois, moved for the ex-
listing select committee to investigate into the
facts connected with the recent sale of the Fort.
Smelling reserve, imputing fraud on the Gov.
ernment, alike to the Governments agents
in the sale and the purchasers, we saw in
Minnesota paper great surprise expressed that
nc, OF all men, should venture to make such
charge, in view of the fact that he was
we'll known there for one of the conspirators to
obtain that same land at 81 Is per acre, as he
had procured much the most valuable portion
Of the original Fort-Snelling reserve So struck
were we with the newspaper article in question,
and recollecting that he did lobby through the
act of March I'd, 1855, opening considerable
portion of the reserve to presumption, that we
set about investigating his connection with the
subject matter.
The result Of our persistent labor in the mat
ter is, that we have obtained information salts
flying US that every indignant comment of the
Minnesota paper upon the part he has under
taken to play in the affair is well deserved. az
We shall also satisfy every reader ere conclud-
ing.
lie (Robert Smith, of Illinois) served some
years In Congress previous to the session of
IS4J- %, when he eased to be a member. Ere
leaving the body, however, he made contract
with Capt. 5. Woods L. S. A, then command
ing at Fort Smelling, by which he obtained
nominal temporary possession Of the Govern
ment mills (saw and grist and farm buildings
on the reserve. These improvements cost the
Government about 5000, and we're on the
land situated Immediately on the west side of
the falls of st. Anthony, probably the most
valuable water power in all the great North
west. Though not yet in receipt of a copy of
his contract of lease or occupancy from Mime
sofa, where we have sent for it, we are aware
OF Its details. He obligated himself to keep
the mills in running order, and to do, free of
st;~uch grinding and saving as the Govern
ment might require done there. We find on
the files OF the Quartermaster Generals office
the following letter sanctioning the making of
his contract with Woods:
QUARTERMAsTER GENERALS OFFrcE,)
March 3, lSig
SIR: The Secretary of War consents that The
non: Robert smith be allowed to occupy the
buildings and the mill OIL the west side of the
MlSslsslppl river, opposite the falls OF ST An.
thony, on such terms as you NAV think rirtt-
Mr.. Smith 20 hold the property as the tenant of
the public, and under the Obig CATION to return il
" INV commanding Olucer or quarter master
shonid II be required for military purposes, at
ne end OF one o. more years as the commanding
officer may decide. TnoMAsS JFsrP
tluarteTmdster General
Capt. :. WOODS,
Commanding at Fort Smelling, Iowa
lie was member Of Congress whom this let
ter was written, and engineered his plans to get
possession Of the property while holding that
post OF honor and public trust
No sooner did he leave Congress than he ap-
pearod here in the character of a lobby mem
berthe king of the lobby. During every
subsequent session, until he reappeared here
as member of the body, his attendance on the
sessions OF the House was as regular as though
entitled to participate openly Jas well AS Sc
cretly) in its proceedings. Various were the
legislative speculations for which he was the
well known lobby agent, and so persistent and
hagrant was his interference with the legisla.
ton of Congress to Commas sucb ands H., A.,