The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-08-13
.nnnoInlIrlInillnln;rIA.orII1o,RA11
II. Dsnnslly.s 1ssosa

nr. Dsnnslly,s llsssall.
Tho objection principally prged
against Mr.. Donnslly In this portion 6
the State, and through which biz oppo
nens here expect 70 succeed, is that 20
has not been friendly 70 the Northern
Pacific Railroad. The people Of North
ern Minnesota feel 20 deeply interested
in this measure, and 50 absorbed are
they in it, that tho slightest intimation
Of unfriendliness on the part Of ! pub
lio, man Is sufficient to raise them up
IN n.a.,e against him. Il il upon this
ground, and BY circulating tho falsest
reports, that his opponents base their
strongest hopes.
In tho first place no one can point to
any speech Or act Of Mr.. Donuelly's
which was not favorable to the North
ern Pacific Railroad. His record both
in and out Of Congress is before the
people, and challenges the closest scru-
tiny. %@-' .<.." so
Again, direct evidence is furnished
in the following letter from the Presi-
dent of the road as to the value placed
in other localities upon Mr.. Donnelly's
services:
IT ST. AIBAxs, W., June %, 1868.
MAJOR J.. E. Doughty. ..>>;r..t G*e
DEAR s1R.--1 have yours of the 4th INST,
mailed the 18th. enclosing the following
extract from tho Minneapolis Tribune Of
May 9th, 1868: ~ = .."" 81. @s1' =
Gs.Alr. Donnelly's allusion to the Northern
Pacific Railroad Is IN unfortunate one for
himself It necessitates the raking up Of
some disagreeable facts in regard to his
record on that measure. When tho first
proposition for land grant to that enter
prise was before Congress in May or June,
1854, Il is we'll known. and can be proved
by gentlemen who were In. Washington at
the time-and who were instrumental in
securing the 0hnsl passage Of the grant
that Mr.. Donnelly, by . foolish and intem-
perate speech-not 80 nasty, however, as
the one under consideration-so disguised
the House. that he actually killed the meas
ure. Three weeks afterwards, substantial
| ly the same bill WAS brought forward again
by other parties, and without Mr.. Donnel.
ly's saying = word, Was oarried-76 to co."
You ask mo If the statement is true!
| In reply would say that my connection
with the Northern Pacific Railroad did not
commence till January, 1866, at which time
T became President Of the road. OF tho an
I tecedent history of tho enterprise an
therefore entirely ignorant except "a, I
learn it from tho publishsd proceedings Of
Congress in it, Official paper, the. Globe.
In; the spring Of 1866 tho enterprise was
before Congress asking for aid, and from
that time to tho present ito friends have
Iibeen and still are seeking the assistance Of
the government, in the form Of subsidy,
! the same Is granted to the Union and Cen
tral Paci6c railroads. s-,re:. zq3,sn.7.. j.,
Since my connection with tho road Mr..
Dennelly has labored earnestly with its
other friends to secure the desired legisla-
ton. r.., .t, - -
In 1866, he made IN ablespeech favoring
the bill, and with the exception of tho Hon.
Thaddeus Stevens, i had NO warmer or
Jealous supporter than be.
~ At every succeeding session Of Congress,
he has been and is strongly relied upon BY
the friends Of the measure to urge its
claims, both in Committee on Railroads, Of
which he is . member, and before the
House.
While am therefore unable to speak
from personal knowledge Of what transpir-
Donnelly, yet find nothing in his speech
on that occasion IS published, that justifes
the assertion Of the Tribune, nor have ev-
er'hsard either from the friends Of the on.
terprise in Congress-, or from those who
were its outside friends and managers, any
but expressions 81 confidence and reliance
upon him as one Of its warmest friends and
supports-such at any rate 70 has proved
with the management Of the road.
h a lam very truly, yours,
l. J. GREGORY SMITH.
While the editor Of this paper was
in Washington some weeks since, in
conversation with Members of Congress
ana various public men he heard but
one expression, and that was, that next
70 Hon. Thaddeus Stevens was the
Northern Pacific Railroad indebted to
Mr.. Donnelly for it, land grant aud for
whatever prospects of success it has to-
day. He was looked upon as one Of
its most efficient and Influential friends.
No one there thought Of doubling his
earnestness or sincerity in support Of
the road. I1 4 az; ..,-~,z Gs.5:,'.:s
Another fact was also learned there,
the substance Of which is embodied in
the following j" ...s.s 49,.
LErTER FROM HON. J. n. GILMAN.
! 81. PAUL, Aug. 9Th, 1868.
Mr.. W. B. Mitchell, st. Cloud, Mtnn.
DEAR s1R.-In answer to your inquiries
~ to what transpired When was present
at Washington last spring, before the House
Committee on Pacific Railroad, when the
Northern Pacific Railroad bill was under
consideration; before the Committee,
would state, that when Mr.. Branch and
myself reached Wash ington No found that
Mr.. Donnelly had offered and got the com
mittse TO- agree TO-. IN amendment to the
Northern Pacific bill, to the effect that the
road should start from the head Of the Lake
in Minnesota and run 'sv;a the city Of st.
Cloud" Tho Northern Pacific Railroad