Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-10-08

| ENJOY the ngn OmceS OF State! snail Such
rascafity be embossed by the People Of Min
nesota by his reelection to Office? Neeer p
must be the indignant response of every hon
est man, without regard to party ties or
names. ~"
FRANCIS BAAsEN's THOROUGH CORRUPTION
AND DISHONESTY.
In 1861, he was a member of the Ter
ritorial Legislature-the last which met prior
to the State organization. Its first session
was held in the winter of 1861; and its
seconl session in June of 1857, the latter be-
ing gener lily known as the extra Session."
viii h disposed Of the lands given by Con-
gress in aid of Railroads in Minnesota.
1t was during the first Session, that Mr..
Baasen commenced exhibiting the venality
and corruption which evidently underlies his
whole character. lie made it business to
sell has cote as Legislator for or against bills
under consideration before the body of which
he was member
We are prepared to proue, that he offered
to sell himself in three several instances to
vote for County Seats; or to make different
places, points in Railroad Charters-on COLI
dition Of being decided certain number Of
town lots-the deeds to be made out and left
in the hands Of third party, to be given to
him if he voted for the places in question
(Anoka, Judson, &c., or withheld if he did
not so vote-thus basely selling for price
the vote and influence he had been entrusted
with by his constituents for the public bene-
fit, to improve his own private fortune.
Before Court and Jury, or before Com
mittee of Investigation appointed by the hext
Legislature, We are prepared to substantiate
these charges by indsputable evidence!
The game Of corruption thus began by Mr.
FRANCIS BAAsEN at the first session of the last
last Territorial Legislature, was improved up
on by hisl-if sinking deeper and deeper III
ones own corruption, can be called improve.
ment-at the second or Extra Session which
disposed of the Railroad Land Grants. And
touching his sale of himself at this session,
we desire to make distinct statement as
follows:
NIX. BAASENs SALE OF HIMSELF THREE TINES TO
VOTE FOR THE TRANSIT RAILROAD CO.
To the Public: Some three or four months
since, while on one OF the Steamboat Packets
of the Galena line, going down the MISSISSIPPI
pi, met one of the Elk Directors of the Tran
sit Railroad Company Of Winona-the Ex-
Director being citizen of the State of New
York, to which he was then returning. We
got into conversation about Railroad mat.
ters; and among other things, the management
pursued at the Extra Session, to secure the
Land Grants for the different Railroad Com.
panes who obtained them, was alluded to.
Speaking of the Transit Railroad Company,
he referred to the prices paid for the votes OF
members of the Legislature on that occasion,
and SAID:
"But, the biggest little rascal of ALL was
THAT MAN BAASEN, your present Score
tary OF State. He did not wait until we got
to ST. Paul, but scented the plumber afar off.
lie came down and visited us before we
reached st. Paul -beforc the Legislature met,
and SOLD US HIS VOTE FOR FIVE
HUNDRED DOLLARS, which WE PAID
HIM. When we got to st. Paul, however,
the scoundrel played fast and loose, between
other parties and ourselves, and we had to
buy him over three distinct times before he
stuck costing US for his vote about S., DOOR,
The above is true statement, to the bes,
Of my recollection, of the conversation with
The Elk Directvr vf the Tra,r,i.- faalruaa Coz,
pany relative to the sale by FRANCIS BAAsEN
of his vote as a member of the Territorial
Legislature Thomas FOSTER,
Ed. Winnesotian.
We scarcely need to indulge in further
comment, to exhibit the utter unworthiness
of FRANCIS BAAsEN, candidate for Secretary
of State, to be longer entrusted with h, h
Sta;e office.
1t is time, that men like him, convicted of
destroying the sacred and pure character Of
the ballot-box, should be consigned to tt Q
darkness of despair and defeat
1t is time men convicted, as he is, of the
still more henious and base crime of selling
his vote as representative, for bride, should
be driven with shame and disgrace from all
positions of public trust
Such, We have faith in the people, will be
the fate of FRANCIS RAaSEN at tho enS,,;no
election-and that an ignominious and terri
BILE defeat awaits this man who aims to gain
political greatness 10y forgery, and to advance
his private fortunes by betra, ing his constit
uents, and outIaging public morals and pub
lie virtue