Weekly Minnesotian and times., 1859-12-24

SIR 1 congratulate the admirers OF the
"sounding STYLE" at the qualification they
must have felt, as they read the communica'
ton over your name, published a few days
since in (that delicious sheet,) the Pioneer
and Democrat, on the subject of State Rail.
road Bonds.
You have informed the public in measured
phrase, that you are emphatically down on
the "Black Republican Party" but LETT the
said public to look around and see what this
has to do with the plain legal proposition Ills
the State, as matter of law, (God knows
she is not as matter of common honesty, }
bound to pay the Bonds known as "Minne-
sofa State Railroad Bonds ?" Hypo-
critics." "Black Republicans, slavery" "love
for negroes" ''frauds," "dissolution Of the
Union," and many other like delectable
phrases dance through your communication
Gin all the beauty of metaphorical confusion"
yet, think the public and our excellent
Governor"-will admit that these, the mete-
orc flashes of your prolific pen, have very
little to do with the question at issue between
us.
l will pass these-the ornaments of your
letter, and as the Republican party can afford
just now to be generous, have no doubt they
will pardon you.
But, sir, there is one point of cruelty in your
for which cannot, as a chris
tan man, forgive you. 1t is where you speak
of personal and political friend of yours as
&c our excellent Governor" can imagine, as
you set this down, the secret chuckle that
shook your frame-and now can see the rosy
laugh that played upon your good natured
face-as thus, with bitter irony and poisoned
pen, you struck falling man. "Our Excel
lent Governor oh, sir this was the Gun
kindest cut of all:" "Our Excellent Cover
nor!" Shade of Pickwick and all that's fun
ny! this beats all But laugh on, SIR
this cruel irony is partly deserved--and as
you laugh, you at least may feel, that all the
people of the State are laughing with you.--
&c Our Excellent Governorp What, of the
waiver of jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
in the Railroad swindlel What, of the fraud
ulent Amendment to the Banking Bill under
which the State has been flooded with bas-
tard currency! What, of the "Univer-
sity IState Bonds!' Oh, sir, you are cruel
Were an Excellent Governor" would
pray Heaven to save me from such friend
as you!
But, pass all this and come to the serious
questions of your letter.
affirm, sir, that the State is not bound,
as a matter of lao, to pay one dollar of these
bonds out of which she has been basely
swindled-yet, would not repudiate the
Eonds-but so amend the Constitution as to
pay them to the extent that money has been
expended on the Roads, although the work is
worthless to the State Iwould do this, not
as matter of right, but that by this act of
generosity, the State should so stand before
the world, that even the breath of slander
should not reach her.
When the Loan Bill was pending, the flash
orators and writer's Of both parties, said that
we were not to pay the Bonds, neither prin-
cipal nor interest and the "E:rcellent" legis.
lators aoho voted for this bill, pledged them
selues .forerer to oppose taxation for this pur'
pose But now, that the State has been de.
frauded out of her Bonds, and the Roads
have been abandoned-thc same class Of
vampires raise the howl of Reputation, and
thus hope to frighten the Representatives o
the People into course, and policy, that i
carried out must ruin our credit and utterly
destroy our Rail Road Enterprises.
Oh, sir pause in this fatal policy-use you1
brilliant talents and high legal attainments, tt
SAGE the State and force these men to build ON
Railroads or let them aohistle for their bonds.
When, short time since, heard you ad
vocate the passage of the Infamous loan bill
and saw, behind you, the men whom you un
consciously @ were leading on to consummatt
the ruin of the State, felt the time would
shortly come when you would again be before
the people. Yet then, thought when mex
we heard from you, that you would stand VI
with the friends of the State-and l will not
and cannot yet believe that now, when ths
schemes of the plunderers with all their fata
consequences are laid bare before the world
that you will plead the cause of these crimi
nals-undcr the specious pretence of defending
the honor of the State! Yet, if it must be so
1 congratulate these men in having your bril-
liant talents to defend their sinking cause
for, as sure as there is God IN Israel, it is ;
sinking cause and shall OF win.
Thank heaven in amending the Constitu
ton they made one blunder, and the Bond
are worthless, utterly worthless-until tn
people, by an amendment to the Constitution
make them good and all this bowling abou
''repudiation' will not change the fact. 7n
debt Of the State must begin and date from
the time when the roads are built, and aco be t
the holders Of these bonds If they fail to bull
these roads
will now consider your legal argument
Your communication proceeds to comba
the legal propositions suggested in my letter t.
Mr.. Sibley.
1st "That the Legislature has no pow
er to levy tax to provide means to pay tn
Bonds, principal or interest"
End. "That the consideration for which th
State Rail Road Bonds were given, ha
failed"
With regard to the first point, your argu
ment does not meet the objection. The ques
ton presented is-does the Constitution lns
the power of taxation to certain defined OF
jects, and if so, are these especial Rail Roa
State Bonds included?
If the Constitution had been silent, as I
the objects of taxation, such power coul
reasonably have been claimed, as an implie
incident to the Governmental powers Blu
in-as-much as the Constitution speci1sed IL
objects of taxation by Sections and 5 of A
ticle Nine, and those specified" objects,
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