The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-22
The Policy OF a Party Reviewed.

In the House, the other day, DR.. LIE
BLOND, of Houston county, presented the
following spicy preamble and resolution.
They review, in forcible manner, the &C.
tion of the dominant party in this State on
the Railroad question up to the present
time:
Whereas, The Republican party of this State,
in convention, in the year 1859. did announce
as part of its policy nOn-actiOn on the sub.
ject OF Railroads and State Railroad Bonds
and
Whereas, Default did take place before the
meeting of the last Legislature and
Whereas, Governor Ramsey, in his inaugural
message, assuming that the several Land Grant
Railroad Companies would fail in the payment
of the interest on the State Railroad Bonds,
and that forfeiture of all the lands, properties,
and franchises Of said Companies to the State
would take place, and in view thereof did sug
gest that it was yet possible g. to secure the
construction of about ESQ miles of Railroad
within our State, as we'll as to settle finally this
bond question - and
Whereas, A Republican Legislature did, at
its last session, pass an act authorizing the
Governor to bid in and purchase for the State
the rights and properties of said Companies ;
and
Whereas, The Governor did foreclose and
bid in for the state the rights and properties OF
said Companies, and
Whereas, The Republicans at their last State
Convention, did announce itself in favor OF. and
pledge itself to, the speedy construction OF
Railroads, and did furthermore adopt the sug.
gestiOn of Governor Ramsey's inaugural mes
sage as the policy of the party, to wit making
the "BOnds subservent to the building of the
roads," and
Whereas, The Governor, in his annual mes
sage to this Legislature, did reiterate the SEN
timents expressed in his inaugural and in the
platform of said party with reference to said
bonds, as follows, to wit 1T is still my opin-
ion that the question relating to them may per.
haps be best settled in connection with the
railroad question. At least, we can better af-
ford to pay them after we receive the consider
alton and equivalent originally proposed, than
before. While. therefore, you would thereby
make the bonds in some degree subserve the
building of roads, you would again find the
completed roads and the enhanced valuation
that ever follows therefrom, aiding and sub
serving the payment of the bonds;'' and
Whereas, A majority of the standing com.
mittee of this House, including a majority of
Republicans on said committee, has reported
10 this House resolution recommending that
the settlement of said bonds be disconnected
rom the building of Railroads, thereby effec.
;ually preventing the building of the same /;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Republican party of this
state has stultified itself before the people, by
repudiating through committee of this House,
all its pledges upon the subject of Railroads
and Railroad Bonds contained in its platform
and the message of the highest State function
airy of said party; that it has forfeited all claim
to the confidence of the people by this base
betrayal and desertion of its principles, and
deserves and ought to receive the scOrn and
condemnation of all honest men.