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

Aaverttsers should rom ember mat
tho Minnesotian has . Daily
ton Greater than any other FaPol III
Saint Paul!!!
rho Fort Smelling SWindle Again.

The speculators who purchased the Fort Smelling
property have failed to pay up the second INSTALL
TInent Of 40 900 to the Governments ana lnstruc-
tons have been given to foreclose at once, on their
obligations. Zimmerman.
The above is declared Premedltated lie' by all
the northern papers, printed in Minnesota, North
srn Iowa and Wisconsin. BY similar falsehoods,
the ST Paul Nnnesotian has gained for itself the
character of incubus to party and State; and
the reputation of common liar abroad. Who SO
creiuous us 10 believe an assertion OF the Ninne-
sotian !-PrGirle du CHEN Courier Of Feb. 8.
HENRY WARD BEEcHER says, if a public
man attempted to notice or correct all the
myriad perversions Of his language and mis-
representations Of his conduct made by others,
life would be perpetual flea-hunt." The
Courier is a very dirty sort of Democratic
organ in Prairie du Chen. Naturally, there
FORE the MINNEsoNIAN does not suit its taste
But, on the principle suggested by Mr. BEECH
Err, We should probably have let its billings
gate pass unheeded did not its reference to the
Fort Smelling swindle afford us text to trot
out q little additional information to our read
ers on that subject; which will show besides
the Courier to have been displaying not only
its malignancy, but its ignorance, in its super
seryiceable zeal on behalf of its masters. In
the Pioneer and Democrat we find letter
"from Minnesotian at the Capital" dated at
Washington, February 5, from which we make
the following extract:
at cannot be improper to allude to whst IS sceA
kaoscn hes in reference to the Fort Smelling sale
The resolution which was recently introduced into
the Senate, calling for Information IN regard to IT,
was lost, and deservediy 90. Too much OF the
Legislation Of the country has been consumed in
useless Investigation and there is no need Of oltn-
ing up what has already stood the test, and what
has been pronounced o Jar bona.rd sale:
Yet il is we'll known the fourier will please
mark that the Government has transmitted to o
member of the legal profession IN ST. Paul leo
{. Becker Esq. papers and authority to institute
legal proceedings against the purchasers OF that
property, upon the ground that they have not CON-
piled with the terms of the sale, in the failure to
pay the second instdllment Of the purchase money!
If l am correctly informed the Government is in
fault in o noncompliance with their part of the
contract. The sale was made simply upon con-
to the purchasers, and consequently the title re-
served The purchasers contend that the agree
ment was, that they should receive the fee upon
the payment of the first installment, which may
be true enough, although certainly contrary to the
usual course of the Government in such cases.
always thought that the Government ought to
have donated that reservation to the State of Min
nesota 1t would certainly have been more wor-
thy bestowed, or disposed of in that way, than to
have been sold, it was and the proceeds thereof
uselessly and foolshly expended in the attempt to
cast obloquy upon Government officials and nc 1t
worthy citizens"
After reading the above, the editor of the
Prairie du Chen Courier, if his face contained
ess brass and more human feeling, might be
expected to have the cheek-ache at so boldly
denouncing the statement ola contemporary to
be falsehood, when he evidently knew moth
ing about the matter pro or con!
The pretense of the spectators, who have
been caught amidst their swindle in the
trap of hard times, and who cannot now pay
even the poor price that they agreed to, is
little laughable. Government wont give them
deed until they have forked over the money:
and therefore the Government has violated its
contract with them! Isn't this ridiculous!
We trust Mr. BECKER will put the screws to
the rascals tight. and compel them to disgorge
or throw up the property!