The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-09
the LEGISLATURE.
Strong Arguments in Behalf of z&en-
resty--The Box and Drury Case De.
.ctded..Drury Keeps His SeAt-.EIse
~Grasshopper Fund.

Z
the soc, 900 acres of internal improvement
lands, on motion that it pass to its third
reading.
Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Graves opposed the
molten arguing that the school fund is
large enough for it's purposes and that
the lands should be used in accordance
with the expressed purposes the grant,
for internal improvements.
Mr.. Westfall, Mr.. Meighen and Mr..
Buckham advocated the passage of the
resolution. In the course of remarks by
Mr.. Meiehen and others it was suggested
that one reason why these lands should
go to the permanent school fund was that
thereby they would be placed out Of
danger of ever being given to the holders
of the oldzallroad bonds.
Mr.. Berry, referring to the references
which had been made to the old railroad
bonds and the influence their existence
was having upon the subject, said they
warranted y4he consideration now of the
resolution by Mr.. Graves to instruct the
finance committee to consider how to re.
move the stain Of reputation from the
State. Its consideration could not be
avoided now, and the question was wheth-
er there should not be careful husband
ing of means to;bridge over the difficulty
that is coming. He said no TO the asscr-
ton that the stain of reputation yet at
taches to this State; but if it be true
that she finally,recognizes her liability on
these bonds and has diverted to other
purposes the means whereby she mi ht
meet her liability, then the stain of re.
pudiation will truly attach to her.
It was hard task to choose
here between this really meritorious
proposition and the one with which it
was antagonized--oAe which every one
would be glad to put out of sight but
which came up naturally and inevitably.
He then proceeded to review the his
tory Of the bonds~-the original munifi-
cent grant of lands for railroad purposes;
the parceling of the lands among the sew
eral companies; the panic Of 1857 and
the distress which followed it; the COM
mon appeal to the land grant companies
to revive Frustrated industries; the
amendment of the constitution and the
loan Of credit to enable them to go on
with building their roads; the subsequent
act making the bonds a basis of banking;
the after denial that real consideration
was rendered for the bonds; the asser-
tons that they were Illegally issued and
fraudulentiy claimed; and the claim that
the amendment was not ratified by Con-
gress and vas therefore not valid.
Two questions only remain in the mat
ter-that of fraud in the issuance of the
bonds, and whether the action in issuing
the bonds was ratified and made legal by
the State in 1860. All that has been
done yet is practically plea
for time, for delay. with an implied prom
Use that when the right time comes the
State will fairly meet it's responsibility
in the matter, and forever set at rest all
doubt as to its purpose.
Mr.. Doran rose to enquire what was
the subject under discussion. He had no
objections to General Berry's going on,
but he saw other Senators taking notes,
and was afraid this would run into dis.
cussion of the old railroad bonds instead
of the question pcnding-the disposition
of the internal Improvement lands.
Mr.. Murray had no doubt the argu-
ment was german to the pending ques
ton.
Mr.. Berry, continuing, called attention
to the language of the repeating amend
ment, saving to the State oil rights, for:
FIXTURES, ETC.. accruing under said amend.
ment. When the companies failed to pay
either interest or principal, when due, OF
those bonds, tthe State, under its mortga.
ges, could seize and forever hold for it.
self all the franchises and property
of theicompanies. Those mortgages were
so foreclosed; and the two hundred and
seventy-fve miles of road bed built and
all else those companies possessed were
bought in by the State for the nominal
sum of:four thousand dollars. The State
owned5it all. "**,!@s, .. = saasz
There was nothing whatever in the res
pealing amendment which precluded the
Statefrom responsibility for the bonds
that were out. The foreclosure was On
act showing that the State considered the
bonds e be valid; the language. Of that
actionSwas directly the reverse Of repudi.
alton. The acts Of the Legislature for
settlement of these bonds being rejected
by thespepple We're not acts Of repudia.
ton, nor was the action of the people.
The sale by the State or under it's au-
thority of some OF these bonds, the Sc.
curities of the banks Of 1860, was the
reverse Of repudiation-it was recogni.
ton Of, the, validity of the bonds. The
Statehas done what she reasonably could
in the matter-she is not subject to the
charge Of reputation.
IF the State received o consideration
for those bonds; if they were void origi
nally. vet ratified by the State safterward
then should the State pay them according
to the. consideration she received. L
they have passed into the hands Of limo
cent holders on the faith of the credit O
the State, then the State should redeem