New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-25

The Fort Smelling case is set down for consider
alton in CONGRESS- this week. The Committees
Report, with the evidence on which it is based,
has now been several weeks before the public,
and, up to this hour, none of the statements on
which the Committees conclusions are based have
even been cOntroverted. Not single Admnistra-
ton journal has ventured to publish even 81 mop
els of the Report or of the testimony. That re
msrkab]y independent and plumber hating sheet,
The Neu. York Hrald, has printed the minOrity's
tedious ard sophstica attempt to befog and petit.
fog the case, so to screen the depredators from
public apprehension; but it has never ventured to
let its readers zee what the case is against which it
bushes to the defense of Secretary Floyd and bis
confederates. Let us, them refresh the public re-
collection of the leading points in the Gaze which
are not even disputed:
/. The Fort Smelling Reservation hes between
the rivers Mississippi and Minnesota, at their juno
tor, and forms, unquestiOnaby, the finest site for
grea at commercial city in all Minnesota. St. Paul,
Elk miles below, with the thriving towns surround
ing the Falls of st. Anthony, six miles above, have
now so great start that no city erected on the
Fort Smelling location may ever Overtake them, but
its original superiority is manifest. The land is
pai ie, some of it low and swampy, but at least
three-fOurth of the whole is high, healthy and
beautiful. Some of the soil is excellent, but a
part is thin, OVERLAPPING white sand, which is
admirable for city Site but not 80 well ada pied to
cultivation. How much land the Reservation con-
tars, has never been publicly ascertaued; though
Msj Eastman of the Army (who had long been
stationed there, and knew the ground Intimately
was tent out to survey it, and did survey it ia
part, in April ard May of lac. year. Before he had
finished the job, however, he was notified that he
| bad BEEN appointed along with Mr.. VIM King
Heiskell of Virginia, commissioner to sell the
| Reservation, and, without completing the survey
they proceeded 70 sell il, as we sh,l hereinafter
| set forth. The Reserve contains from Seven to
| Ten thousand a.tes, worth $50 to 500 per acre,
in view of its proximity to several growing cities
il regarded as not itself al eligible sits for city
II We esteem it the proper site for the emporium
OF the trade of the Minnesota River country (Which
II certainly ros if it is not s!iI, its value cannot
be less than 100000.
:. Over two years ago, Mr.. Frankie Steele long
resident on tbs Reserve as sutler to the troops
posted there, sought to buy it as a speculation
MI Henry NJ. Rice, then Delegate, n,w United
States Senator from Minnesota, wrote on Steeles
othah TO Jeiersoa Davis, then Secretary OF State
the'ng SO per acre for the whole, but est mating
the area OF the Reserve at only FIVE thousand acres
Col DAVIS answered, May G, 1856, quickly and
crustily, "The Reservation is sill needed for mill,
"taIy purposes, and Mr. Ste.le's offer cannot
" therefore, be entertained His letter to Won is
herewith returned"
| 3. Ten months thereafter, Mr.. Rice procured