Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-07-30

Our Washington Correspondence.
WHAT MINkEsorA HAD.
WASHINGTON, d. c., June 20.
To men, who, from the political order OF
society, and compelled to stand for the time
being, and helplessly behold their properly
swept from them; their hopes and prospects
blasted, while UNPUBLISHED rapine and plum
der exalts the arrogance, and power Tor MIS-
chief of the petty tyrants who have worked
their destination, it is no easy matter 10 re-
str.;n feelings of sentiment and bitter COM
plant.
From the instant when the corrupt Rice
Sibley coalition was cemented, and sealed by
reciprocal acts of public per6dy, the doom Of
the State was fixed This was the day when
the vilest and dazzled ends Of the two social
ed Democratic factions achieved a complete
triumph over the will of the people, law, de-
cency, and every friendship Of good order.
The conquest was not more complete over
the will of the people, than over their proper
ty. The substance of the citizen in the shape
Of ruinous taxes was openly bart"red for for
egn votes and when even this failed, forged
returns secured the triumph. Thus they sold
humanity for power; and made criminal
traffic out of the miseries and poverty which
their wickedness produced.
Private property which could not be con-
tiscated by open violence, was reached oy
stratagem of law. 1t was hedged in by vault
ing ambition, and Unsuitable avarice on one
side, while beset on the other, by reckless
horde of vagabond politicians, armed for the
dirty wn-i., with rapine and legal protection.
They had done the per6dious work for their
leaders and must have their reward Already
they had secured power to shape laws to in
crease and perpetuate the public calamities
by transferring the public wealth Of the State
into fund for private and political USES
They even become so srtful in chicanery, and
successful in guilt, that Of all the various
roads, which lie open to their mischief they
preferred to follow that which was productive
of the largest amount of public misery.
Congress bestowed upon Minnesota an i'm
mense gratuity in Agricultural lands. This
was the property Of the whole people, and Of
itself was. if honestly and judiciously mana
sed, good and sufficient basis for sound
public credit.
1t would be very tedious and very dirty
task to sketch Geographically and historically
the persons, schemes and agencies which have
been and are at work to swindle the State out
of this grant. About the time the donation
was made, bloodless, though vindictivc war
fare was renewed between H. NJ. Rice, his
coadjutors; and Sibley and his toadies. Each
faction had press, through which he freely
addressed his opinion of the honesty of the
other. They were so equally balanced, that
for either to secure to himself the entire pub
lie plumber was impossible; and the moment
was pregnant with great issues. Fort Smell
ing to be disposed of; Indian treaties and ap-
preparations to ne managed Halfbreed tract
to be disposed Of, and Halfbreed Script to be
issued, purchased and located; and finally the
great Land Grant.
No time this for domestic squabbles. Now
commenced the billing and cooling; the honey.
ing and making love over the nasty sty.-
Pyramids of wealth glittered in the future
n perfect millennium of luxury, ease and
power Avarice and vanity, the worshipped
duties of this redoubtable pair, bartered the
alliance.
By this fusion, this charitable melting down
of all former animosities; this christlanlike
forgiveness on the part Of Rice for the losses
he suffered through the agency Of Sibley from
loo,ing his clerkship the American Ful
Company; this exemplary honorary, PLACED
Sibley where he could control and manage TIN
Land Grant, aided by some special partners
while Rice kept his eyes on the crumbs which
beautifully fall from Buchanan's table. Be-
side. the firm of Rice and Sibley controlled
the appointments, each of which in time Of
need, would bear an assessment, and could be
made otherwise useful.
This hasty sketch is important to unrave
the causes of the disastrous effects from which
the State now suffers. Thesemen controlled
the Legislature and the Legislature the will O.
the people. BY legislative farce the lands
We're irrecoverably disposed of; and the par
ties who had chung to them with loving affec
ton, secured the tempting prize. 1t matter:
not how many intermediate agents may appear
upon the surface, the design was accomplish
ed. The introduction of few respectable
names, and persons of honesty into the pro
gramme, was .tinesse played Oft alike upor
the men and upon the people.
Now comes the important step; to CONVEX
this land into money; something that the PEG
pie will take in exchange for their lands, mer
chandise, labor; and for which, as they dit
in France, give up their gold and sound cur
rcncy to take the worthless assignats Tn,
Alchymests discovered the art Bonds
bonds that had no sale, or market value, to b.
pledged as security on the peoples lands
$4,000, 900, first mortgage bonds-95 cent
ON the dollar,--no gold but "assgnats :" Sc
cured by bonds; bonds secured by somethin,
else; this something else held conditional ant
subject to forfeiture. Hundreds of thousand
of this picture paper went into circulation
and now comes the day Of redemption, bu
the banks like the boy in the cateeiism wer'
past redemption--no gold. Banks had clean
ed out the people-got their loose change now
as before they had got their lands but tn,
people had ''assignats" pretty paper
Yesterday the people owned some FIVE mil
lions acres of good farm-lands; they are
gone; now they have pictures-pretty pic
lures. Good joke, as the frogs said to the
boys in the fable.
But the hundredth part of this black histo.
ry is not exhausted. To whatever dentb VIC