Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-25
I" Gen, Shields and the Currency.''


The Pioneer of yesterday copies our article '
# Tuesday, the 21st, stating that Gen. SHIELDS
he new President of the Cedar Valley Rail
Dad was in town; and that we presumed he
vas here to carry out the programme of poll
y proclaimed for him by that paper-to bring
he Chisago, Owatonna, Fillmore County and
other Banks founded on Cedar Valley Bonds
up to par.
Our contemporary seems greatly exercised
that we should have believed what it stated,
first as to Mr.. NORTH having resigned and
next as to Gen. SHIELDS being about to bring
the currency up to par! Mr.. NORTH it noao
says did not resign, but was rejected " by
the stockholders on account Of the evidences
of his palpable incompetency to manage inter-
ests of so great magnitude leaving the In
ference that Gen. SHIELDS was selected in his |
place for the reason of his great competency
in that line!
We accept the explanation. Weare neith-
er the organ of Mr.. NORTH, nor Of any OF the
Railroad Companies. The MINNEsorIAN has
no disposition to fight the battles Of Ex-Pres-
idents or Presidents. The interests OF the
people at large are our concern, more than
the regulations of Railroad officers!
The Pioneer thinks we design loading the
responsibility of our currency arrangements
uuon Gen. SHIELDS, who never had any hand
in the business whatever, and relieving Mr..
NORTH who was the author of the scheme"
Not at all-not at ALL Let Mr.. NORTH bear
his full burden of responsibility, for the past.
| It is not our business nor intention to relieve
either the President, or Vice President, or any
Of the Directors who took an active part in
the PEAsE arrangement, ,trom any burden
that properly rest on their shoulders. Let
each and every one OF them bear their own
proportion of the blame. They must bear it.
The People distressed and wronged, will let
none of them escape.
And amongst them, we beg to inform our
contemporary, that they do not intend the
heavy responsibilities he has incurred shall
be shirked by one Mr.. SIBLEY, the Vice Pres
ident and Director of the Cedar Valley
Road, uho dreu up the contraet hiM Mr.
Rase in his own handwriting, and who ad'
vised and consented to every step and condi
ton of the arrangement, as VIC can prove, i
necessary "Old documents are dangerous
things" as we have before established to thu
confusion of our Democratic neighbor
Yes-we desire to deal fairly with Genera
, SHIELDS. For the past, Mr. SIBLEY, Mr.. NORTH
Mr.. STEELE, &c., are certainly responsible-i
is the future that General SHIELDS must in
great measure shoulder, along with these gen
tlemen. He was elected, as the Pioneer give
us to understand, though inferentially, fron
his supposed. competency to manage inter
ests of so great magnitude" We dispute nc
that competency IN the least. He can n
q doubt repair, substantially, if he wants to an
Q goes the right way TO work, the disasters ur
y = der which the entire community are now Ii
g boring through deprecated currency. h
9 has deliberately undertaken the task Of doin
o so. The place was not forced upon him-h
y volunteered. He took Mr. NoRTH's place e
o pecially to retrieve the currency disasters
= The Pioneer Immediately proclaimed that h
purpose was to bring the Railroad currenc
up to par! This is what we hope he will
~ able to do-hope that he is competent to
nc and as an organ Of the public at larg
DC we have merely urged him to make no del'
~ in the matter. This is all that was intend'
L. by our article. Is there anything wrong
e. . sinister in this position? We think not
III Gen. SHIELDS cannot do this, why did he ta
70 Mr.. NoRrH's place. Why take an off
Ill whose duties he is not able, for any reaso
to discharge? The great and sole duty OF
y President of the Cedar Valley Railroai at Il
Va time, is the redemption Of its currency =!
This duty he must fulfil promptly. 9th
~ wise, he had better give way to some one
" more competent for the task. Nacil
~ ton, hesitation, temporary expedients, watt
for something to turn up" will not do
ny this crisis. The house being on fire, wa
:, ''' not wind, is needed. The community
,"' pect action,-immediat action. Let
~, Gen. SHIELDS succeed in taking up this
W rency which infests all our houses like
" VI lice did the domicils of Egypt, and no one
'An hasten to sound his praises louder than o
'"' self. But we want it done-not merely ts
ed about. 1t is a trite old saying, true
'on trite, "the proof of the pudding is in the {
rn-
-, ing"