The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-11-13
Against Il Half Million Debt, and i'm
Favor of Il Restoration of The Com
ssresSiOnaI Land Grant of 1854, be-
tween st. Paul aud Superior.

If inducements outside of the intrinsic
merits of the enterprise are needed to get
capitalists interested in the builAing of
direct road from St. Paul to Sap Nor,
these can, with proper exertion, doubtless
be furnished, without overwhelming our
infant city with a Half Million debt, or
with any debt whatever. We have no
doubt that our enators and representa-
tives, aided by our State and Municipal
authorities, can procure the restoration of
the Congressional Land Grant once given
to the State for this object, and afterwards
retracted; nor have we any doubt that
this can be done at the coming session of
Congress.
There has never been any question
about tie fact that Congress designed and
desired that Minnesota should have the
benefit of a land grant to aid in the COLI
struction of railroad from S.. Paul to
Superior. The enactment OF tie law in
1854, carrying such a grant, is tie highest
evidence OF this. The subsequent repeal
Of the law does not show change of i'll
tention Or desire, so far as the State was
concerned, but only a determination on
the part of Congress that the grant which
was designed for the State, should not he
allowed to pass, without its consent, into
the hands Of a certain company then Or
ganized.
The unfortunate controversy which fol-
lowed the repeal OF the granting act, be-
tween the Northwestern Company and the
Government in respect to the title of the
lands, has only been recently closed; and,
owing the tendency of this litigation, it
was, Of course, impossible to induce Con-
gress to renew the grant, Or to take any
action upon the subject. This obstacle,
however, is now out of the way. The last
of the series of suits instituted to deter
mine the title to the lands covered by the
original grant has been decided by the
CuDTSEiC OOult vi TIC OulbSu OtltC-s duu
in favor of the Government. The field is
therefore clear for the State to come in
and assert its rights. Minnesota has an
equitable claim against Congress for these
lands They were once given for the pu:-
pose Of aiding her i'll building this road
They were afterwards taken from her I'M
justly, and without any fault on her part.
The excuse for not restoring her to her
rights in these lands, which was furnished
by the long pending litigation between the
No, thwestern Company and the Govern
ment, is unavailable now, because such
litigation has been irreversibly determined,
and in the Governments favor. So, the
whole case now stands open and clear, as
it did before the grant was made in 1854.
If Minnesota had claims to the generosity
! of the Government then, she has claims
ten fold stronger now. Sac has more than
fulfilled every State and individual obi ga
ton resting upon her and her citizens.
Her appeal for justice IN the restoration OF
this land grant could not aud would not
be denied.
The present is a most propitious time
for the agitation of the scheme. The
whole country is predisposed in favor of
our State. The sutferings we have endur-
ed from our frontier warfare, have awak-
ed lively sympathy in our behalf, while
the alacrity with which our citizens and
authorities have stepped forward to the
aid of the country, and the magnificent
qualities displayed by our gallant soldiery,
have combined to elicit universal respect
and admiration. 1t only needs that we
prefer reasonable and just claim before
Congress, to secure its recognition. The
character Of our Oongre sional delegation
is also fortunate. Its members are all
in perfect accord with the administration,