The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-01-13

!
which had been Inadvertently certified to this State
| for railroad purposes required to be recon-
veyed to the United States, the same never having
been disposed of or claimed by the State railroad
company. deed of REIMBURSEMENT was accord
ingly executed Of the lands designated but upon the
advice of the attorney general, who questions the
right of the executive to make such conveyance
without Legislative AUTHORITY therefor the delivery
shall be granted. Your action enabling the con-
summation of the conveyance is therefore respect
fully requested at an early day.
Under the provisions of an act for the relief Of
homestead and timber-cuture claimants on lands
claimed by the State as swamp lands, approved
Law from the general nd Office aggregating over
1000 acres and for the relief Of over 800 claim
ants. proper deed of REIMBURSEMENT is being
prepared, and will be transmitted to the depart
The magnitude a Of the interests of the State de-
rived from the various land grants received from
congress, and the complications growing out of con-
hctine decisions and legal constructions pertain.
ing thereto, convinced me of the necessity OF
appointing competent and experierced agent to
all the various grants under the several acts of con-
gress.
settlers who were permitted to file upon State land.
| required that the causes of this evil should
be ascertained and arrested For these several
purposes Mr.. w. P. Jewatt, gentleman of ample
experience and capacity, was vested with authority
to investigate all matters relating to our landed in.
terests and his labors have led to the correction OF
we'll as to a more prompt receipt Of patents OF
grants running to the State. and they give promiSs
of further good results.
The present position of our common country
a.:rt If Nafri hell in
equal human rights. Our nation has with
stood every strain by which national sta
b' 'y pro7 BE its s'' Strength and ri f
the benefit of labor the opportunity of capital
whether for the security of person or the ameora-
eminent that political system is shown to be best
which most honors the merit of the individual and
makes the equality of its people the first condition
The result Of tho recent election for national
chief magistrate exhibits that ready acquiescence
of all contestants in the solemn will of the people
which is the boast of self-government Il, more
over, reiterates the popular demand that the ideas
and forces which saved the nation shall continue to
govern it. 1t means that the costly fabric of popu.
upon this continent shall stand as the refuge and
hope of liberty for all nations, and be transmitted
o, RSse9fy ,sh ,d5 the od peags of xbe s
mankind. TO this proud end am glad to discover
indications that our southern fellow citizens will at
malcontent, a young South is beginning to assert
itself. The vigor of new civilization is quicken
ing the torpid past: Let us hope that it may step
into the of the present, and will be willing to
exchange the grim spectre Of lost cause for the
veritable substance OF regained country.
D1sHoNORED BONDS.
In tho discharge of final duty should deem my
self recreant to the high trusts nded to my
should fail to EN- brace the occasion to make last
appeal for the performance Of simple act Of JUS
~ hn limo fr11ifI
held the solemn obligations Of the State can but
express my regret that in the performance of so
clear duty incur the diseasure of many citizens
entertaining different views, TOR whose candOr and
Judgment l cherish high regard. In my
former messages, well as in those OF my
predecessors in Office, the circumstances attending
the issue of the so-called Minnesota State railroad
bonds and the urgent Importance Of providing for
their settlement have been setforth.
The fact that the prin .ipal of these bonds will
become due SO soon after the next regular session
that too little time thereafter will be left to provide
for meeting them, invests the subject at this time
| with new Importance, and renders the prompt and
| q matter of solemn and imperative duty.
| However good citizens may honestly differ as to
the nature and force Of the obligation represented
by these bonds. the absolute necessity that some
kind Of disposition should be made of outstanding
paper, bearing the sovereign pledge and attesta-
9 a, Of ss will the be sncs2y Cd
those who oppose full payment Of the debit, it
is difficult to see why there should be serious differ
ences among honorable parties where the essential
! conditions Of the contract are unden!able.
That the original proposition was amply discussed,
deliberately adopted and overwhelmingly endorsed
by the people, matter or record That the railroad
companies faithfully performed their part Of the
contract so far as entte them to the bonds con-
ditioned upon such performance is attested by the
statements IF official inspectors as we'll as by
the high character Of the faithful whom
fullcompliance eXaced. That the taking posses
sion of the property and franchises of the conpa-
MES obliges the State to pay the bonds is beyond
franchises upon that sole condition.: while the sole
justification and purpose Of such acquisition was
reimbursement to the State, for payment by the
State. These, it seems clear to me- in
clude all the considerations that need be en-
braced for an honorable settlement upon the legal
aspects of the question. When to these il added
the unquestionable fact that our magnificent rail-
road system OF to-day is largely due to the early
labor performed upon the trunk lines for which
these bonds were issued, there can be little need of
more words to establish the justice Of this claim
1 1ot the anu fault e' of thehoIders Of the
bonds are they
closure was not applied to the liquidation of the
debt. The bondholders. or those they represent
performed the labor contracted for so far as con-
struction went. That it did not go further not
their choice OF desire. They were in no wise re-
sponsible for the abandonment of the enterprise:
For these services SO performed they received
Commonwealth, and they have been waiting
twenty-five years for the fulfllnent of that
promise from State which boasts Of it's progress
and prosperity.
The State having chosen foreclosure as
her remedy, and disposed of the property
thus acquired Internationally as her own. the con-
clusion seems to me irresistible that she assumed
the payment of the debt resting upon such property
by every principle Of law and equity. The liability
having been voluntarily incurred, whether it was
wisely created or no, is foreign to the present
question. It is certain that the obligations were
fairly given for which consideration was fairly re-.
ceived: and the State having seized tho railroad