The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-03-13

The People Moving steele County
Aw Meeting.
I At large and enthusiastic meeting held ut
the hotel Of II. B. CLARK, in the county of
Steele, in the town If Aurora, for the pur-
puse Of taking into consideration the proprie-
ty of loanin, the credit of the State to GER
tain Rsilr al Companies to the extent Of
So, 100000, WM. SrAPLEroN, ESQ, was call
ed to the Chair, and H. B. CLARK chosen
Secretary.
Hon. G. O. PETITE being present, was cal
led upon to address the meeting, which he did
by giving his views of the Loan Bill in
brief and impartial manner.
Speeches were also made by Messrs. AMOS
CoGswELL, D. S. BENTLy and others.
On motion of Mr.. CocswELL the Chair
appointed Committee of three to draft res
olutions expressive of the sense of the meet
ing
CLARK and E. SrApLEroN said committee.
Which, after due consideration, made the
following report which was unanimously
adopted:
WHEREAS, We learn with regret that bill
is now pending before the Legislature of this
State, containing proposition which is to
be submitted to the people, at special cleo
ton to oe held within fifteen or twenty days
rom the passage thereof, which proposition
ii ratified by majority of those voting upon
it, will operate as Loan OF five millions of
dollars in tho bonds or obligations of the
State, to four preferred land grant Railroaa
Companies Therefore,
! Resolued, That we are opposed to the pass
age of any such hill, or the submission of
any such proposition to the People for the
reasons following
LIST. That it is not among the legitimate
functions of State government to loan its
credit to aid or assist any individual or pri-
yate corporation-m1ch less to select out
from private corporations from among four
hundred equally as worthy, and assist them
to the exclusion of all others.
! I'd. That Railroads never should be built
until the country is sufficiently settled up to-
justify their construction by making then,
, remunerative investment without the aid Of
State loans or mammoth land grants, and the
present plan Of forcing them into a WILDER
ness at the expense of an Onerous public debt,
and the cessation of settlement upon the;
public lands, by reason of their doubled
price, and absorption by Railroad Compa e
NJ (the Rcnssel.ers Of the West), is an im.'
portant chapter in the history Of the age in
which we live. hereafter to be called ''1he
/ Age Of Progress upon Crntches."
Cd. That the manner of submitting said
proposition is not such as is contemplated
b. the Constituion-that instrument re Quir-
! ing the publication of the proposition suf.
tciei length of time before the vote is taken
10 allow the people to know of its tendency,
and to canvass its mcri and dem .rits.
This bull allows no >ucn myth OF time, anft
: in the turning districts not one hall the peo..
pie will know anything abou; at.
4th. That the Practical operation of the
bill will be t" create a railrO ID monopoly.
more tvrannical and rrlen less than the aris.
cracy OF monarchial k.ngdonlS-to cstab
fish Reg ncy that can and will C. .ntr"l the
future political elections of the State, and tn
enrich the officers and agents Of the Compa-
MES and Jew town site propIeturs along
, the lines If the several routes at the expense
of the PEOPLE.
9Th. That no adequate indemnity is given
to the State-the idea of 'nett profits" beill.
a humbug-the tonds of the Companies no
better than the first two lii:es Of the Beg
CARS Petition" and the first one hundred
and twenty sections of land covered with
doubts and uncertainties till twenty miles OF
the road IS actually built and not found
then inside of "a continuous length of twenty
miles of each of such roads,"
9th. That there is no liability on the part
of the officers or agents Of these companies
either to criminal prosecution or civil ac
ton for the embezzlement or misapplicatiar
of the money nor are they even required to
give to the public the items for which tn e
moneys are expended, so that the people ma y
know to whom and for what their money hs Is
been paid out.
The bill presumes that like Caesars wi e
they are above suspicion, and like the kin e
can do no wrong while the facts are, tn ey
are a congregated mass of fostering CORFU p
ton, stealing from the pockets of the peoI 'lt
under the guise of friendship for their int r.
ests, and darkness is necessary to insure tn, ii
success.
TIN. That the sum of S. 100000 would b'
sufficient to build only short pieces of sa it
roads, and as soon as gone, the same comp "a
MES would have the impudencc to ask .o
more, ringing in our cars the fact that IN,
roads in that situation are useless and VI !lLe
less, and as Relief Measure they nus
have further loan to insure their con ,ple
ton at an early day."
Resolved, That we respectfully reques t gu
Senator and Representatives to vote a. gains
said measure and use all honorable me; ms t,
defeat it.
{ { I: f )! S$SSS3 Committee
Resolced, That the proceedings of thi
meeting, together with the Resolutions b
printed in the .NinnesOtian and Pioneer an,
Democrat.
On motion of G. B. PETITE,
Resolred, That we adjourn until we lear
e the passage of the Plumber Bill, at waic
; time we will be on hand again.
VIM. STAPLETON, Chairman.
A. B. CLARK, Secretary.
The Red Wing Repu blicsn on tn,
ssMOnster Piunder'' Bill.
This measure has worked its passag,
through the Senate by vote of "a to -
This indecent haste on the part of the major,
: " of that body was no doubt occasioncd BY
l the fear of future Developments IN the corrnp
live practices of the Railroad Companies, a.
7 Ar e,d' r>ement of which they would never
ia e record their votes in its favor. The fact:
air ally brought t" !i.ht have had The effect
q. to make the measure Il bitter pill for man,
!. TO swallow Several OF the affirmative vote;
f we're given under protest. We believe ths
+, up .si,ion will present bolder front in thu