Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-02-26


The President asks Congress to lessen their
expenses, cut down salaries, and not print so
much 6uneonbe matter, and spare him $780,
100000. On this hint they are slow to act.
The Editor OF the st. Paul Times vs..
the Editor Of the Evening News.
The editor of the st. Paul Times having
made several gross charges against Mr.. CRoF-
FUT of the St. Anthony Ne,os, for alledged acts
of omission and commission, while that gen.
tleman was in the employ of Mr.. NEwsoN of
the Times, we publish his defence to the most
material charge, as follows:
The Times charges us with being bri6ed.-
Such allegations are often made in the form of
an insinuation, in such an intangible manner
that it is impossible. to prove or disproye any
thing; but this charge is direct and definite,
and it is source of genuine satisfaction to US
that we are able, not only to sleep soundly
under the guardianship of an approving con-
science, but to look straight in the eyes Of our
malignant accusers, and make them blush for
shame, if they are not past blushing, by de-
monstrating our perfect Innocence Of the charge
in the minds of all honest readers Let us
state the facts upon which the Times fiction is
founded. About week before Mr.. Newson's
arrived from the East, wealthy gentleman of
St Paul, a friend of Mr.. Steele's," as the
Times has it, (and whose name we withhold
for the present, for charitable considerations
dropped in at the Office He did not enquire
for Mr.. NJ" for he knew he was East. His
visit was nothing strange, as he had called
frequently before, and after looking over the
exchanges, he began running conversation
upon the weather, politics, &c. incidentally
he dropped word about the Fort Smelling
Sale, and asked our opinion of it. We said we
thought Mr.. Steele simply drove a sharp bar
gain, and got the land as cheaply as he could;
but that the sale soas a stupend0us and shame
.taA swindle on the part Of Government. He
tried to represent the matter as call right"
called our attention to the fact that the report
of Mr.. Floyd, the Secretary of War, was not
yet made public, and that might put differ
ent face on things, and asked us if we would
not postpone any comments ON the transac-
ton until Mr.. Newson's return-remarking
familiarity that they "could fix it all right as
soon as Newson got back" As he was ex-
pected every day, and as we did not know
what new developments the Secretary might
make, we said we would. We had not pre-
pared any article upon the subject; so, of
course, none could be suppressed" He
thanked us for the kindness, and retired
He called again the next day, just as we were
perusing a letter from our present partner,
Mr.. Clark, which conveyed the gratifying in
telligence that he was succeeding in negotiating
loans with Messrs. Chute, Farnham, Morri-
son, and other prominent citizens of st. An
thony and Minneapolis, (of whom, we may
say in passing, we borrowed two thousand
dollars on four gears time, and have
already repaid nearly tile UhOle dm0uslt).
We showed Mr.. Steele's friend the PROPOSE
ton, and remarked that we believed he had
large real estate and other interests at the
Falls" and asked him jocularly "hop much
he was interested in the establishment of
local daily paper there" Said he, "didnt
like the politics." but that Mr. Steele had
also large interests at the Falls, that he was
Mr.. SIS agent, and they would subscribe
loan of $500! 1t was entirely voluntary, and
being but little larger than the loan of others,
we were not at all surprised. Invited us to
call at his Office and receive draft on Mr..
Steele for the amount, which we did-a
draft made payable at sight The loan was
wholly and positively unconditional. We
made not the least secret of our " financial
operation" and Messrs. Vance, Clum & Co.,
sub-proprietors in the Times, jealousy con-
nected it with the previous promise in relation
to Fort Smelling, which they had heard. So,
to put stop to the "bargain and corruption
scheme" they hunted the newspapers, found
an article from the New York Times endorsed
it in three-line introduction, and had it set
up for the paper. We saw it in the proof
sheets and ordered it out. They persisted on
the ground that they were proprietors, and the
article appeared. The " friend called at the
Office next day, indignant and much excited;
in vain we explained that our promise ex-
tended only to our own actions and RESPONSE
bilities; he said he wouldn' accommodate us,
if we were unwilling to accommodate him,
and that aoe "naust run our 0aon risk in act
ting tile draft cGshed." The draft was pre-
sented to Mr.. Steele for acceptance, which
he refused, saying that the maker had no
authority from him for making such loan,
and that he (the " friend w must pay it him
we called on the friend" he attempted, for
the first time, to extort from us some co,adi-
tions, some promises, in relation to our treat
ment of the Fort Smelling sale and other
things, which should be, in measure, an
equivalent for the loan. We informed him
unhesitatingly that zoe aoere not approacha6le
TN any such aoay;; that our paper IN st. Aa-
thong should be unshaekelcd from all such
micked considerations that 1t aoould be Re-
publican to the core; Matwe had neuer learned
hoo to sell our principles, and didn't knop
hoao to begin; and that +" accommodation or
no &" accommodation" zoe should pitch into
the Fort Smelling sale, and de,sounce it as O
gigantic fraud upon the people! The, ''friend"
was slightly astOnished. He had no idea we
would be so particular, and said he shouldn't
pay the draft. Told him we should sue it, and
left. We afterwards concluded that we could
get along without it, and not wishing to en-
barrass the " friend" of Mr.. Steele unneces
sarily, WE PUT THE DRAFT OF $500
IN OUR POCKET, AND HAVE NEVER
COLLECTED 1T, NOR ATTEMPTED TO
COLLECT IT! This draft, "payable at
sight," is noa0 in o,sr possession, and may be
seen at our office by all who are curious in the
matter. 4 ~ sE.r.
So this is the whole of the terrible "bri-
berry" Not only have we not been Drilled,
but We have scornfully refused a bride aohich
We do not doubt aons successfully made to some
Of our cotenaooruries. The st. Paul Times
has not Opened its mouth condemnatory of that
sale since it was made did they fix it with