The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-06-24

its origin in party malice, for party pur.
pose, which il failed 70 accomplish.
Sir. the people Of Minnesota have given
the lie 10 this contemplate iasehood, by
elevating Mr.. SibIey TO the gubernatorial
chair Of that State.
Mr.. Grow. The evidence shows that be
was connected with il.
Mr.. Csvanaugh. say that the evidence
shows no such thing.
Mr.. Grow. The evidence shows that he
was to have thirty acres Of the reservation
at the price paid for il by the purchasers.
I Mr.. Cavsnangh. Iie was 10 have thirty
acres Of the land at the game price, becalse
| he agreed with the parties interested, after
| the purchase from Government had been
| contaminated, TO sustain ferry from Fort
/ Smelling 10 the South side Of the Minnesota
river But, sir, was going on to speak Of
the effect Of this Fort Smelling "swindle -
on the politics Of that State. have seen
papcr--and presume some gentlemen in
this Hall now has it. dated the 18th May,
! think, published at ST. Paul, that claims
TO be the leading organ Of the Republican
party Of the State Of Minnesota lying,
vitupcrative, and vcnal press--which for the
past year has been constantly engaged in
villiiying the character Of every prominent
| Democrat in the State, and every respecta-
bic Republican, too, who has had the manli
nsss and Independence 10 speak and act for
himself. | say have read, in such paper,
a letter addressed 10 the editor from a dis-
tinguished member of Congress, in which
he states that the committee on the Fort
Smelling swindle would report IN "A few days,
and that he would send him n copy Of the
testimony. For what purpose, sir? For
no other purpose than that for which it was
used In the canvass last iall--to make polit-
zeal capital Of, az great political machine
for the purpose Of carrying the State
against the Democratic party.
Now, word about the reservation. [
know Fort Smelling from one end TO the
other have been oil over IL, all around IT,
Gentlemen have complained here, and have
undertaken to censure the Secretary Of War,
because this reservation was sold secretly.
Now, sir what has been the history Of all
the public sales OF military reservations, |
would like to ask the gentleman from Wis
consin how much they got for Fort Winnie
| phRVs WuItu WtS 70 NV iUp u
public auction, and which was nearly "a val.
liable M Fort Snclingy II was sold for
$40 per acre. | ask, again, how much
did Fort Jcsup, which was sold few years
ago, bring the Government II was sold
ut public auction for 1888 per acre. And
go further: after the sale OF Fort Smelling,
the Fort Ripley reservation up the Misss-
sippi river, IN Minnesota. containing several
thousand acres OF valuable land, was sold at
public auction, and brought from half cent
to ten cents per acre.
Mr.. Grow. That sale was set asi le
Mr. Cavanaugh. 1t was set aside because
OF the inadeqnacy Of the price which it
brought at public auction.
Mr.. Dawes. Who sold that reservation !
Mr.. Cavanaugh Ma or Eastman.
Mr.. Dawes. Yes; il was sold by Major
Eastman IA back fire on the sale of For,
Smelling.
Mr.. Cavahaugh. consider the remark
made by the gentleman from Massachusetts
as entirely gratuitous do not believe that
he has the slightest foundation for making
IL. know that there is nothing in the re.
cord upon which to base it, II the Secre-
tary OF War ge,s lair price for piece OF
land, whether at public or private sale, Of
course it will not suit the Republicans and
they must impute fraud in the transaction.
They constantly cry fraud fraud Per.
halS IL may be that We shall forget the cor
ruption exposed On the part OF the other side
at the last session.
Here was the Fort Ripley reservation.
Z That coll al n. 4.
advertisement in the public papers, aud it
sold from half cent up 10 ten cents per acre,
Neither sale, however, aud neither position,
satisfies these gentlemen, who seem not To be
willing to b. satisfied DO they wan, pub.
lie sale As have said, they have had it
at Fort Ripley. DO they want a private
and secret sale They have il at Fort Smell
ling. The Hon. Mr.. Becker. who was elect.
ed II member and was entitled to a sat on the
Ioor Of this House, from the State of Min
/ ueso,a, IN IA remark before the committee
embraced the whole thing in nutshell lie
says that " there is an uuwrittcn history Of
the West IN these lana speculations.' at
tended public sale oi land in Iowa. did
not own an acre there and did not buy
any. saw farming land run up to 81 30 -
per acre. Why : ior the purpose OF plaster,
ng Il over next morning with land warrants
bough, in the city OF New York at eighty
cents per acre scntlemen from the West
know OF these combinations, and say tina,
no officer, even though he he as pure as an
archsngel. can avoid and destroy these
combinations in any other way than 10y with
drawing the whole parcel of land from sale
which he had no authority TO do,
Mr. Hughes. Mr. Speaker
Mr.. Grow. object to any interruption.
/ Mr., Hughes. | only got up Ia draw the
iir ol the Republican candidate tor Speak
or.
Mr, Cayanaugh. The gentleman from
Vermont Mr.. Morrill, made some alusious
this morning 10 the people OF Minnesota.
and especially 10 the people Of 81. Paul
will tell him that | live one hundred and tf-
teen miles from ST. Paul. and have M inter.