The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-09-26

lug De"ocTdS, ID January, 1884, was IN
Washington, laboring with other citizens
OF Minnesota to obtain grant of land for
the Territory for railroads. Gov. Ramsey
was there giving bis influence for that OBJ.
ject, and also attending to his case before
the Senate Committee; and to procure a
settlement for bis accounts of disbursements
under the Sioux treaties, success in which
depended upon his acquittal by the Senate.
without which be might have been finapc.
ally ruined.
was told by the Governors friends, and
by the Governor himself, that my charges
against him, and editorial structures on his
conduct had led to the impression that
had alleged as the motive which influenced
his acts, a corrupt and fraudulent intent,
based on corrupt or pecuniary considera,
tion received by him.
felt no personal enmity towards Gov.
Ramsey; had no desire to pursue him, or
to see him ruined pecunariy by a disal-
owance OF his accounts at the Department.
also learned from Governor r. that be
would be very much gratiied and relieved,
by letter from me expressing the belief
that he had not sacrificed bis personal in
tegrlty, nor had been the recipient of a cor.
rupt consideration. had not directly made
such charge, nor was there such testimony
against his character, so far as | knew.
l, therefore, gave him private letter to
that effect, (Which | find from the Report,
was sent by him to the Senate committee
to aid 10 bis acquittal. "The verdict of
the committee soon alter t0llowed) stating
that if 10 the opinion of any, my publica-
lions ascribed to him criminal intent or
base motive that be had been unjustly in
jured; at the same time discaimipg even
having made any charges of criminal intent
or corrupt consideration.
had, as l believed merely charged acts,
without ascribing the motives which indus
ced them; acts W. ch his newspaper organ
OF that day denied; and the truth of which
the testimony of bis Own friends afterwards
proved.
did not suppose that o letter intended
only to relieve his character from the stain
OF corrupt consideration and criminal intent,
would ever be claimed as retraction " of
facts found to be true By the Commits
sioners.
1t is proper, in this connection, to state
that l was absent from Minnesota during
nearly the whole time vi the investigation
| before the Commissioners and had nothing
to do with it.
The testimony was not published at the
time, in the newspapers or otherwise, nor
until it appeared in the Senate Report.
My letter to the Governor was written
while under the influence of impressions ex-
planning and palliatiDg bis conduct, from
statements OF facts and testimony, made by
others, which, it was assumed, acquitted
him of all intention or desire to violate law
or do injustice.
In tact, l did not see copy of the Sen.
ate document, containing the report of the
investigation until several years after writ
Ing the letter referred to, and have never ex.
amined its contents carefully until within
the past year. Had done SO before the
time of writing that letter, can safely say
1t would never have been written.
After saying this much, it is but justice to
Gov. Ramsey to add, that | have not dis
covered either in that document, or other
wise. any proof of bis having received
corrupt consideration from the traders or
others, for his conduct in the Sioux bust.
ness; but the investigation, the official pa
pers, and bis own defence show, in my opin-
ion, such palpable violation of law, and
such courage and resolute purpose in the ex
ecuiion of bis policy, that the only apology
or palation tor his conduct is, in my judg.
ment, the presumption that he was not act-
ing in an official capacity, under the
solemn obligations of an official oath or
that he was totally ignorant Of the provis-
ions OF the appropriation law, under which
his duty it was, as Superintendent of Indian
affairs, to di"burse the Sioux payments.
The report of the Senate Committee,
which you say l endorsed in the Democrat
this report is 10 direct opposition to that
OF the commissioners, and wholly ignores
the facts they estabish), was made long af-
ter l retired from that journal. Before low
have never written line or word about
the report. saw it for the first tine in
the Press OF this morniDg-and certainly
| have never "endorsed its "verdict"
the conduct of GoOernor Ramsey wos not on
| ly free from blame but highly commendable
and meritoraous."
Whether or not have instigated or re-
tracted "calumnies'' in regard to Governor
Ramsey, am willing shall be determined
by any impartial person of intelligence, who
may choose to examine the subject, and re-
corded testimony of the Governors most
intimate friends, contained in the report of
the Commissioners.
In writing this l have no desire to reopen
the old Sioux controversy, but simply to
vindicate my own reputation from the i'm
putations contained in the editorial referred
to and to avoid all future notice of the
subject, ! request space in your columns for
the publication of this letter.
Respectfully,
D. A. ROBERTSON.
st. Paul, Sept. 10, 1862.