The Weekly Minnesotian. [volume], September 22, 1855, Image 1

About The Weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
THE WEEKLY MIN.NESOTIAN
OWENS, MOORE & PRATT,
VOLUME 5.
JlailjT Ipmesotian.
?üblisbed every Morning, (Sundays excepted)
and delivered to subscribers in St. Paul at
FIFTEEN CENTS PER WEEK,
Payable to the carrier weekly.
Weekly Minncsotian, $2 per annum.
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.
la WEST RATES OP CASH ADVERTISING IX DAILY.
{Twelve linee or leu constitutes a square.]
sfchnre, I Insertion, $ .751 1 square, 1 year, (16.00
,<» each additional, .25 M column, S mos., 16.00
.« On* week, 1.60 « • « 22-00
,« Two weeks, 2.26| “ 1 year, 80.00
.« Oae -601 H celumn, 8 oios., 20.00
,« Twd months, 4.00 “ « « 28.00
Three months, 0.00 « 1 roar, 46.00
Six months, S.OO] | 1 year, 76.00
Advertisements Inserted In both Dally and Weekly,one
salt price additional.
Business Cards, not exceeding five lines, Insetted
at $6 per annum.
Transient adrertisementeto be paid tor In advance.
Leaded advertisements,placed Immediately before no
tices ot marriages and deaths, will be charged double the
above rates when not changed; and 60 cents per 1000
ems for eaeh change.
All advertisements, unless the time Is specified, will be
Inserted till forbid, and charged accordingly.
Job Printing of every description, done In the best
style and at the lowest rates.
MONDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 17, 1855.
Maine Election—Anti-Nebraska Trlnmph !
“Great Cry and Little Wool.”
The Democrat comes out with a loud crow
over the Maine Election. What consolation
it can get from the figures before it, we are
at a loss to imagine. It is true that the
Republicans os an organization have not done
guite as well as they did last year, but the
Nebraska traitors are far from being endorsed
by the people oif Maine; The Galena Adver
tiser oif Thursday says:
“From the telegraph returns we have from
Maine, it is quite certain that the Pierce and
Nebraska men have been left in a minority
of thousands. Morrill and Reed, Republi
can and Whig—both strongly opposed to the
Nebraska fraud and to the Administration—
lead Wells in the towns heard from, ioiiife
7,000. The majority of the Legislature will
lie coifipogfed of ‘ Liberals,’ Whigs, and
Democrats opposed to the present Maine
Law, and chosen without regard to old party
questions. It is impossible now to say who
will be the next Governor of Maine, Reed,
'H'hig, or Wells, Democrat and Anti-Liquor
Law. When we consider, that some 10,000
Anti-Nebraska men voted for Wells on the
liquor question, it must be conceded that the
Anti-Nebraska feeling is stronger than ever
there.”
Don’t crow 100 loud just yet, neighbor
Dem<>crat. About a thousand of the good
Republican? who Voted in Maine last year
ViP in Minnesota next month.
Uor. Shannon in Kansas.
Or rather we should Bar, ‘‘G.rvf Shannon
in Mi ssouri.” Gov. Shannon has made a
speech to the Kansas-Missourians at West
fdi-’t, Missouri, and pledges himself to do
what he can to help along the Stringfellow
mob. All right, Gov. Shannon! We all
supposed you would fulfil your mission to the
letter, and none of us are disappointed in
reading your Westport speech.
The following fact from the Chicago PfifeSs,
is a good accompaniment to Shannon’s speech.
But let every voter of Minnesota read the
new Governor’s speech:
“ About the time Shannon was appointed
to succeed Reeder, the telegraph announced
the presence of Judge Douglas and Air. Ma
son of Virginia, at the President’s house in
Washington. We do not know that they
advised the appointment of Shannon but
from the alacrity with which the latter has
entered upon the work of planting Slavery
in Kansas, the presumption is strong that
b<j>th they and the President understood the
inan, and that the ‘ dinner party ’ was en
tirely harmonious on this head. It will be
very safe to watch President Pierce’s new
Satrap.”
Declination.
Neighbor Ames, of f?ie St. Anthony Re
publican, has chosen the better part by re
fusing to be bothered with legislative honors.
That he would have been elected to the
Council over the fragile and inconsistent op
position put up against him by the Rice-
party, there is not a particle of
cloubt. But we hold to the principle that a
political editor has one great arena of labor,
and one pnly—the sanctum. The Hennepin
County Republican Committee make the fol
lowing announcement in the last Republican;
At a meeting of the Hennepin County Re
jSuWican Committee, the following letter was
received from Rev. C. G. Ames, candidate
elect of the Republican party for the Seventh
Council District;
Minneapolis, Sept. 7, 1855'.
To the Republican Committee of Hennepin Co.:
Gentlemen :— I beg to decline the posi
tion tendered me by the kindness and confi
dence of our County Convention, as candi
date for the office of Councilman. The
reason for this step Would do me no discredit
were it expfciirfed io' the public; nor am t
prom'ptied to it by any feeling inconsistent
with the highest respect for you, for the
Convention and for the party. I regret to
observe that, through the oversight of the
Convention, the three different elements that.
compose the Republican party—the fusibh of
which, as a matter of course, is not yet quite
complete—are not all represented on our
ticket—an error which I trust will be reme
died in filling the vacancy occasioned by my
withdrawal. This oversight would never
have occurred, had the Convention been
managed by a set of crafty wire-workers;
and is therefore to me a striking proof that,
thus far, the Republicans of Hennepin are
free from that class of pedestrians who “ fix
up ” the party ticket before hand. I shall
continue, as ever, with full confidence in our
principles.
Yours for Freedom, Temperance, and Po
litical Reform,
H. Fletcher, Chairman.
On motion, voted unanimously that the
vacancy in the ticket be filled with the name
of Hon. Joel B. Bassett, subject to the rati
fication of the Republican Mass Meeting to
be held in Minneapolis on the 2d day of
October next.
Editor Minnesotian :—I desire you to
publish the following statement in reply to
your charges in the Daily Minnesotian of
September 11,1855 —misrepresentations in a
political campaign. I can tolerate, and have
toleratated, but charge of official misconduct
I most indignantly repel;
In your paper of September 11, you say
that Mr. Marshall called upon me at the
Land Offiee at Red Wing, afid desired to see
the recent instructions in regard to the Half
Breed Tract, and charge that “ Mf. Phelps,
the Register, told him positively that ne in
structions had recsiied that office.”
This charge is unequivocally false, and 1
will challenge Mr. Marshall or any living
man, to say that I ever made such a state
ment to him or to any one, at the time alleged or
at any other time, or any statement like it.
Again you say: “It was but a few hours
afterwards, however, that Mr. Phelps inform
ed a resident upon the Half Breed Tract—
one whom he supposed to be a firm Rice
man —that the instructions in accordance
with the decision of the Secretary of the In
terior had been received at his (Phelps’)
office, but that lie did not want the fact
ktiowii at this time—meaning, of course, to
withhold them until after the election.”
This is equally false. When desired, I
have always shown the ihstructioris in ques
tion—petihitted all persons to see them on
request—read them—take them out of the
office—have never refused them to ally oiiej
and have sent them for publication to the
printing office. When the instructions were
first received, I did say that I hoped the in
struction niight be so modified as to protect
thfe gfettlei-s in good faith on that tract since
July, 1854, and said to some to whom they
were shown that, if no excitement was raised
about them, this fesult might perhaps even
yet be accomplished.
When Mr. Marshall was at Red Wing, the
same instructions, received *at Winona, had
been published in the Winona paper, and
yet it is asserted, that these instructions were to
be suppressed until after election. The apparent
and complete absurdity of tlie thing needs
only to be nlentidned id slioW hdw tratts-
I arent and faisb' thfe charge is;
I desire the refutation to be as public as
the charge and I defy successful conii-adic
tion to my statements;
tVM. V. PllfcLP®.
[We feel it a duty to give Mr. Phelps the
benefit of his positive contradiction to the
unpleasant charges embodied in our editorial
of the 11th. We have no comments to
make at this moment. In a day or two we
will re-open the subject, when we will be
Able to do JusW r to all parties.— Eds. Min.[
Meetings in Washington and Chisago Connties.
At the suggestion of sundry Republicans
of tlie St. Croix Valley, it was decided on
Thursday evening last, that the Central Com
mittee should call meetings at Stillwater and
elsewhere in the Valley* at as fearly a day as
possible. It wCaild have been more in accord
ance with the wishes of our St. Croix friends
perhaps, had thfese meetings been called some
time during next week; but it was found ut
terly impossible to arrange matters to that
feffd with those speakers who are assigned to
address those meetings. Their time for next
week will all be occupied elsewhere. But on
Monday, T.uesday and Wednesday, tlie 24th,
25th and 26th, Messrs. Wilkinson and Nourse
will be on the St. Croix—if they arc alive.
Let the people turn out ?
« Inhere f)o They Expect to Get Their Totes ? ’
This is the natural question which arises,
when the Nebraska-Rice men boast that they
will elect their candidate by a large majori
ty. They know that they will rttft behind in
St. Paul and in all the heavily populated dis
tricts of the Territory. But they intend to
elect their man by the same means they
used to procure his nomination.
In the back counties—in Mower, and
Freeborn, :ttfd Brown, and Todd, and in Doty
and Superior on the north shore of Lake
Superior, they have their engineers all en
gaged and on the spot to ran in an over
whelming illegal vote. They will play the
Atchison and Stringfellow in all these re
mote districts if they are not watched. In
fact, some of them publicly boast that on the
north shore of Lake Superior, Rice will get
800 votes out of 300 inhabitants ! Let them
be watched.
Jones !—Neighbor of the Winona
Argus, wisely concludes not to run for the
Council. He is sensible. He saves his eight
dollars per day for looking into Half Breed
matters for an indefinite period, and also
saves us the trouble of announcing his defeat
by Balcombe, some four weeks hence, by a
majority of about four to one.
Central Horse.—This house has changed
hands, Mr. Wood retiring and Mr. Johnson,
formerly proprietor of the Mansion House,
succeeeding him. Mr. Johnson has thor
oughly renovated the house, and will keep it
in as good style as any Hotel in the city.
Those wishing good board and comfortable
rooms, can be accommodated at the Central.
CHAS. G. AMES
Body Identified. —The body, supposed
at first to be that of Mr. Humphrey’s ’of
Peoria, killed by the New Jersey Railroad
accident, proves to be that of T. Loveland,
of the firm of Green, Loveland A Co., of
Lacon, 111.
A Letter from atf,
St. Paul, Sept. 14, 1855.
SASIT PAUL, MINNESOTA* SATMAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1855."
u .... From thejfissouri Democrat, Sept. lOlta.
Reception of Gor. sbannofi at Wesipott.
Westport, Mo., August 31.
Gov. Wilson Sannon, Mr. Reeder’s succes
sor, arrived at Kansas City this morning, in
the steamer Martha Jewett. Gen. and Speak
er Stringfellow, Messrs. Watterson, Wed
dle, Forman, Rees, Blair, and othfer Kansas
legislators, entered her as she reached the
wharf, for the purpose of returning home
They met fttld were introduced to the new
Governor on bpard, tvho satisfied them I her
lieve that he was likely to prove as efficient
and cordial a co-operator with the regulators
as could have been elected ftotn the Free
States; even if D. R. Atchison, or his most
devoted disciple had been the elector instead
of the President of the United States.
After dinner, a committee of gentlemen,
residents of Westport, accompanied by act
ing Gov; Woodson, and two or three mem
bet's of the Legislature, rede down to Kan
sas City; visited the Governor at the Ameri
can Hotfel, where he put up, and invited him
to return With them'. He rode with them to
Westport. ■' ...
In the evening, he was serenaded, and call
ed out to address the audience, who had
gathered around the steps of the hotel. He
appeared.
He stood on tie very spot where a family
namesake—a defnagogue-divme—had stood
a few weeks before, and appealed to the low
est passions of the rabble, in order, albeit,
that Atchison might be elected, tlie Union
saved, and “a lost world converted to God.”
That step, too, had supported the portly form
(no vineous pun intended) of D. R. Atchison.
Gen. Whitfield trod italso. Up with it—up
with it, regulators! divide this classical door
step among you; and let the high priest in
your midnight councils, wear parts of it,
set in gold, gold, as the Jewish high priest
the sacred breastplate of twelve precious
stones;
gov; SHAN sex’s PLATFORM.
Gov. Shannon began his remarks by thank
ing the audience for their courteous reception.
It gratified him, he said, not because it ivas
oersonally flattering, but because it showed
lim that they were not disposed to decide
on his official career in advance. It showed
him that he might rely on “your Bid,” in en
deavoring to overcome obstacles, Which he
was aware existed, but hoped were net ifa
surmountable.
A Voice.— Yes, you shall have our aid.
He regretted to see in certain portions of
the Territory a disposition to nullify the “laws
which have been enacted by your Legisla
ture.” This was a revolutionary movement
which was greatly to be deplored. He re
gretted, he said, that he had arrived too late
to form thfe acquaintance of the members of
the Legislature. He knew nothing of the
laws passed by them, but from tlie ability
afid patriotism of thfe gentlemen who com
posed it, life douDted not that they were wise
and judicious. But, even if they were not
Wise and judicious, open resistance and nul
lification of them was not the proper way to
defeat their provisions. If they were uncon
stitutional, there were courts to appeal to,
which hau been created for Tlie purpose of
deciding such questions.
As to the Legislature that recently ad
journed, at tlie Shawnee Mission, lie regard
ed it as a legal assembly (cheers) and thought
that the objection to its power, grounded 6n
its removal from Pawnee, was puerile, as ev
ery Legislature enjoyed the right of removing
the seat of government at pleasure. The Ex
fectftitfe afid Judiciary of the Territory had'
acknowledged the Legislature as a legal body,
and so would he.
He regarded their laws as binding on every
citizen of the Territory, and tvould use all
his executive power and authority to carry
them into effect.
He said lie did not intend to address them
on the various questions that divided the par
ties in the Territory; perhaps he did not un
derstand them; and he had not expected to
speak on this occasion.
To one subject, however, he would allude
—Slavery. His official life and career were
not unknown to a portion, at least, of the cit
izens of Kansas. lie had no intention of
changing his political faith. He thought, with
reference to slaver}’, that as Missouri and
Kansas were adjoining States, as much of
that immense commerce up the Missouri
which was already rivaling the commerce be
tween the United States and some European
countries, must necessarily lead to a great
trade, and perpetual intercourse between
them, it would be Well if their institutions
should harmonize—as otherwise there would
be continual quarrels and border feuds. HE
WAS FOR SLAVERY IN KANSAS!—
(Loud cheers.)
After thanking the audience, the new Gov.
withdrew.
Gen. Whitfield spoke next.
to use a Dutch phrase, was “worse as bad;”
it was far inferior, even to his anti-eloquent
address to the Delegates at the Shawnee Mi£
sion.
Cries were raised for General Barbee but
tae gallant Brigadier very suddenly bolted.
The audience then shouted for Parks!
Col. Hay then mounted the steps. I am
requested to say that Mr. Parks’ modesty
prevents him speaking.
A free-and-easy voice:—Well, Colonel, I
hope nothing wUI prevent you from speak
ing.
Col. Hay with dignity: Sir, I speak at the
point of the pen or to reasonable gentlemen
—never to an excited crowd.
The crowd happened to be in goed humor,
and took this severe cut as a jest, and cheer
ed the speaker.
You will observe that Governor Shannon
’hinted that he might qeed the aid of Missou
rians; for the Crowd that he addressed was
composed of residents of Westport, and
Westport is in the State of Missouri. Wheth
er the Governor is aware of this fact I know
not; but I do know that he called the Kansas
Legislature, (when speaking to Missourians
in Missouri) your Legislature. J. R.
Cool— Very! —The New York Tribune
says that on Mount Washington, the highest
peak of the White Mountains in New Hamp
shire, a young lady is reported to have frozen
for face on the 17th of August. Ice formed
there that morning to a considerable thick
ness. On the same day, at Quebec,
the atmosphere was clear and dry, and
sheltered from* &e wind it was pretty com
fortable; but thick woolen shawls and over
coats were the rule, not the exception. We
have nothing like that here yet, though wool
en garments are not uncomfortable morning
and evening.
streetj below Cedar.
The Precinct Boundaries.
Weputyjsh below the boundaries of the
country Precincts of the Second Council
District. It will be useful to electors who
are desirous of knowing their proper pitted
of voting i . . >
Election Precinct, No. 1, to be known as
Lower St. Paul Election Precinct v Boun
daries : Commencing at the south-west
corner of south-westqr. of Sec. 32. Town. 29,
range 2? West, thence running north along
section line to south-west corner of Section
20, same town and range; thence east td thfe
east hue of Ramsey County ; thence south
along the east line of-Ramsey County, tp the
south-east comer of said county; thence
west in sonth line of county to the Missis
sippi River; thence along the Mississippi
River to the city limits of the City of St.
Paul; thence along the city limits to the
place of beginning. ~
Election Precinct No. 2, to be knbwn as
Upper St. Paul Election Precinct/ Boun
daries Commencing at south-wesf comer
of south-west quarter of Section 3% Town
ship 29, range 22 West; thence running
north to south-east comer of Section 19
same town and range ; thence west to south
east corner of Section 20, TpWnShip 29,
range 23, West; thence south to be- f
tween Sections 4 and 5, Town 28, range 23
West; thence west to the Mississippi River
to city limits [of City of St. Paul; thence
along city limits to place of beginning.
Election Precinct No. 3, known at Little
Canada Election Precinct.
Commencing at the
Section 21, Town 29, range 23 WeinEpHM
running north to south-west corner oT Sec
tion 21, Township 30, range 23 ; thewee east
to the east line of Ramsey County jlthence
south along east line of county tc' south
west comer Section 24, Township range
22 West; thence wes£. to place of beginning.
Election Precinct No. 4, to be known as
Rice Lake Election Precinct. Boundaries—
Commencing at south-weet corner of Section
21, Township 20, rangq ; 23 West uthence
running north along section lines id north
west comer section, Town 31, range 23
West; thence east to east line of county ;
thence south along east line of county to
south-east comer of Section 24, Town»hip 30,
range 22 West; thence west to thfe place
of beginning.
The Wards of St. Paul are tllection Pre
cincts under the law, and the Alderinen in
the several Wards are the Judges of Election.
The following are the appointed judges in
the Country Precincts, and the places of
holding the election:
, Lower St. Paul Precinct—N. McLean, J.
W. Stetvart, Baptiste Courn oyer. Election to
be he held at Stewart’s House, on the Still
water Road.
Upper St. Paul Precinct—E. N. tairpen
eur, Wra. Noot and John Kennedy. Elec
ioii to be held at School HohSe on the St.
Anthony Road, near Mr. Larpcntetlria.
Little Canada Precinct—Alex. Dtiharine,
Peter Paul, J.. K. Omers. Electkrff to
held at School House, School Dist. No. 9.
Rice Lake Precinct—-Charles Peltier, F.
X. Lavalle, Romeo Latoureille. Election to
be held at the house of Chas. Peltier.
Minnesota Historical Society
We are requested to state on behalf of the
Minnesota Historical Society, that having
been at considerable expense lately in fitting
up a room in the Capitol for the reception of
their library and cabinet, it is necessary to
call upon the old members and those among
our citizens who may desire becoming such,
to found and sustain this commendable insti
tution. For the annual contribution of $1
each fdt the present year, on payment of
which due, they become members of the As
sociation and will be entitled to participate
in all its privileges and advantages.
If a liberal Contribution is made, by our
citizens, it is expected the Hall of the So6i
ety in the Capitol will be open and ready this
Fall for the visitation of members and those
whom they may introduce.'
The Treasurer of the Society, J. W. Bond,
will commence calling on our citizens this
day for their contributions.
As all the expenses of the Society for the
past two years have been borne by the offi
cers thereof, it is hoped that each Efypm will
now feel it his duty to contribuWwPaollar
and become a member, and to do it cheerful
ly ! Persons throughout the Territory who
desire to join can do so by forwarding tkeif
names and initiation fee to J. W. Bond, St.
i Paul.
Mr. Marshall arrived home from Fillmore
and Houston counties on Saturday evening.
Owing to unfortunate transactions in certain
business matters through which he is likely
to be a sufferer, he cannot now leave to fulfill
appointments in the Minnesota Vafiev. He
will, however, visit that region before the
election.
U2* The Grand Jury which was to in
dict Mayor Dow of Portland, for murder,
in putting down the mob in that city, have
positively refused to indict him, but turn
mpon the other party and indict half a dozen
of the rioters.
gjC* Page, Bacon & Co., have been en
tirely exculpated from a charge of fraud in
reference to the Ohio and Mississippi Rail
road, by a committee appointed by the St.
Louis Chamber of Commerce.
j£3ST A Turk at Constantinople lately
cut off two yards of Telegraph wire, which
he brought to his house,- in the hope of be
ing the first to tell the news. When taken
up for the offence,, he admitted the fact, and
said all he wanted to learn was the fall of
Sebastopol Another Turk.cut, the wire in
two in order to see was it hollow. To one
unacquainted with electrical laws, the idea
of conveying intelligence by means of that
wire, hundreds of miles, must appear quite
as absurd as those of the Turks above men
tioned.
DEFECTIVE PAGE
TUESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1855.
,■ v ■.*. » mm i: , i t
The Half-Breed Lands and the Red Wing Land
Officers.
We have Mr. Phelps, the Register
of the Red Wing Land Office, with withliold
ing from Mr. Marshall certain instructions
from the Department x>f, the Interior in rela
tion to. to the pre-emption of the lands upon
the Half Breed Tract. We hive also charg
ed Mr, Phelps with afterwards stating to a
settler upon the Tract-—whom he supposed
to be with him in politics—that such instruc
tions were in the office, but that he [Phelps]
did mot care to have the fact generally known
just yet, &c. To the first of tli’Wfe allega
tions Mf. Phelps has given publicly; through
our. columns, an unequivocal denial; to .(he
second, he has given a partial denial only,
admitting that he “said to some to whom
they [the instructions] were shown that, if
no excitement was raised about them, this
result might yet be accomplished.”
The “result” which Mr. Phelps says he
thought “might he accomplished” by keep
ing the matter quiet, was a more favorable
construction of the law by the Secretary of
the Interior—a “result” which any man of
common intelligence knows to be impossible,
Until the law is amended.
fcWe find the earthen, to/>tand thus:
|pi. Mr. Phelps he did not tell Mr. Mar
shall that no such instructions in thfe
office. .
2. Mf. Phelps says further, that he show
ed them to every one who applied to &m,but
suggested that it. was best to keep quiet, and
not to raise any “excitement”,about the mat
ter.
Yesterday morning, Mr. Phelps admitted
the following additional facts to us in public
conversation:
1; Mr. Graham, his associate Land Offi
cer at Red Wing, did inform Mr. Marshall
at the time specified by us, that no such in
structions were in the office.
2. He [Mr. Phelps] did tell the Half Breed
Tract Settler, referred to by us, and at the
time specified by us, that the instructions had
been received, but it might be well not to
get up any excitement about the matter
Without charging upon Mr. Phelps at this
timfe, that he in a measure divested himself
of manly candor in not stating these addi
tional facts in his fire and fury communica
tion addressed lo us on Friday last, we will
sum up the whole gist of the controversy in
few words:
1. We are satisfied, by an interview which
we have had with Mr. Phelps and Mr. Mar
shall—all three of us present—that ft wa*
Mr. Graham, the Receiver, and not Mr.
Phelps, the Register, who stated that the
instructions had not been received. Herein
We did Mr. Phelps injustice, but uot the Red
Wing Land Office, Which he in part repre
sents.
2. Mr. Phelps having admitted, in sub
stance, the second allegation, that of course
must stand against him. Wliat his motive
was for wishing the instructions partially
suppressed—no “excitement” gotten up about
them—was and is a matter of opinion with
us, and noi of fact'. He says by that course
he hoped to get other instructions from Wash
ington under the law, more favorable to the
settlers. We chose to put a more natural
construction upon his conduct. He being a
violent and reckless partisan of ttr. Rice’s
—one who from the time the present contest
commenced has not been backward in using
his whole might and power to forward the
ends of his scheeming favorite, it was but
natural that we should construe his mo
tive as we did; and if we still continue of
our first impression in regard to the matter,
neither Mr. Phelps nor we can help it.
3. To folfow up the whole matter in regu
lar order, we here give the instructions as
we fipd them in the Red Wing Sentinel of
the 15th instant:
General Land Office, )
August 13, 1855. $
To the Register of the Lind Office and Receiver
of Public Moneys at Red Wing, Minnesota
Territory :—
Gentlemen: —You are hereby informed
that the survey is now in progress of the re
servation of land in Minnesota, tying on the
West side of Lake Pepin and the Mississip
pi river, which was set apart to the Ilalf-
Breeds or mixed blood, of the Dacotah or
Sioux nation of Indians, by the 9th article
of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien, concluded
on 15th Juty, 1830, and which is the subject
of the act of Congress of 17th Juty, 1854,
(statutes at large, 1853-4, chap. 83) author
izing exchanges for such lands to be effected
by the President with such Half-Breeds,
and also, authorizing the survey of said body
of land, and its subsequent exposure to pub
lic sale at the proper land-office, in the same
manner as other public lands.
You are further informed of the order of
the Department, that said body of lands, af
ter completion of its survey, Will be withheld
from sale or entry, except to pre-emptors , un
til after the Half-Breed claims alluded to in
the act of 17th Juty, 1354, aforesaid, shall
have been finally cufnsteel —with the under
standing, however, that such exception in fa
vor of pre-emptors applies to those persons
only who were actually located on said bod}'
of land and cultivating the same, prior to the
passage of said act of l7thof July, 1854.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
TtfoMAS A. Hendricks,
. Commissioner.
4. Now let us compare dates: The instruc
tions are dated the thirteenth of August. Mr.
Wilkinson read those instructions, from the
Washington Union of the eighteenth of Au
gust, in a public speech at Red Wing, deliv
ered within hearing of Mr. Phelps’ ears, on
the first day of September, and presumed in
his comments that the Land Officers would
probably suppress them until after the elec-
tion. That same day K Mr. Graham, the Re
ceiver, informs Mr. Marshall that no such
.. 1 * - * 7
instructions had been received, while Mr.
Phelps, the Register, according to his* own
admission, informs another gentleman inter
ested, that they had been received ! It- is
due to Mr. Graham to say here, that; Mr.
Phelps informs us, verbally, that he [Grar
ham] did not know the instructions were in
the office. This, however, is no business erf
ours.- Mr. was denied access to the
instructions by the Red Wing Land Office, while
his friend- a prcStttnfed Rice man —had im
parted to him a few hours afterwards a knowl
edge of their existence in the office. But
keep your eye on the dates for another pur
pose: The Red Wing Sentinel, the organ- of
the Red Wing Land Office, only condescends
to let the instructions see the light, on the
fifteenth of September — two weeks after the
charge of suppression was publicly made -in
Red Wing! And to clinch the charge of
“eculduggery,” we have the additional feet
to state, that Mr. Phelps further admits to
us in conversation, that the instructions were
received during the week ending on Saturday,
September Ist—the day that Mr. Wilkinson
made the chgfge^—and consequently previous
to the time the charge was made, and pre
vious, of course, to Mr. Graham’s denial of'
their existenefe in the f office.
Well, from all the fads adduced, it appears
that we liaveonly written “ Phelps ” in place
of “ Graham ” in one instance. Strike put
Phelps and insert Graham, and our charges
stand good against the Re<J Wing Land
Office. We do this With pleasure, and also
give Mr. Graham the benefit of Mr. Phelps
verbal statfement that he [Graham] did not
know the instructions had been received.
We arc then forced to come to the following
final judgment:
We have convicted the Red Wing Land
officers of having the instructions in their
safe at the tltne the chargfe was made, and
that on that same day Mr. Phelps suggested
to a settler that it was best not to say much
about the fact.
After all his grand flourish about our
making false accusations against his official
integrity. Mr. Phelps, it is true, has cleared
himself of the allegation that fte imported
the information to Mr. Marshall about the
instructions riot having been received, but
then in doing this he fixes the charge upon
his brother officer, Mr.* Graham. But our
other allegation, that he did not wish the
feet generally known that tlie instructions
were in his jjossessioh, be has doubly proved
by his flwu tec-Umony ami acts: Ist, he cau
tioned his supposed political friend, the
settler upon the Half Breed Tract, against
making any “ excitement ” about the matter;
2d, he withheld the instructions from publi
cation for two weeks after Mr. Wilkinson had
offered thfe presumption that they would be
suppressed till after the election, and then
publishes them only after they are thorough
ly “ smoked out.”
We declare in conclusion, that we have no
disposition whatever to do injustice to Mr.
Phelps, Mr. Graham, or any other political
opponent. It would have be£n better for all
concerned, had Mr. Phelps acted openly at
the start, and given his instructions to the
public at once through the channel of the
Press—a course which he has been compelled
to pttrsne after keeping them in inan'uScript
for more than two weeks. This course
would have cleared him and his office from
all suspicion in the premises. It would have
been another act of candor and fairness had
he informed Mr. Wilkinson, in a conversa
tion which they two had after the speaking
was ov6f, that he had the instructions, and
that they were open to every body. But he
did nothing of the kind ; and by this very
; negligence, whether designed or not, he laid
himself liable to the strongest possible sus
picions of political trickery. His declaration
that those interested could be eventually
benefitted by a full or even partial suppres
sion of the instructions, is foo absurd and
ridiculous to receive serious attention at the
hands of any sensible man. It smacks too
strongly of the old Rice-Indian trading poli
tical tactics to make a favorable impression
upon the voters of the Half Breed Tract, ,or
any other portion of the intelligent voters
of Minnesota at this time.
And finally, we submit in all candor, if we
were not fully justifiable by the facts and
circumstances before us at the time, in ela
borating in the style and manner we did
upon Mr. Wilkinson’s remarks and the acts
of the Red Wing Land officers, which trans
'pifed the same day? We except, of course,
the fact that Mr. Graham, the Receiver, in
stead of Mr. Phelps, the Register, should
have been named as Mr. Marshall’s infor
mant. Beyond this point', Mr. Phelps’ case
is most lamely made out; and this one mis
take of ours, it strikes us, is a matter of
very small consequence to those who are
the real parties interested—the settlers.
We have only to add, in justice to Mr.
Marshall, that he was absent at the time our
article was written. Upon his return, and
before he knew that Mr. Phelps had laid his
grievances before the public, be signified his
wish that we should correct the error into
which we had fallen in naming Mr. Phelps
instead of Mr. Graham.
The McDonough Estate. —The Common
Councils of Baltimore and New Orleans
are taking steps to effect a partition and sale
of this estate. It is also proposed to place
all the slaves of the estate in the hands of
the Colonization Society to be sent to Li
beria.
editors and publishers.
The “ Democracy ” of Dakota County
met on Saturday in delegate convention, and
made the following ;
-For G. BaiUy.
t for the House—-Messrs. Murphy and Ke
*tvh h -
Mr. Rice isinfke Southern counties, prom
ising thatte prill build numerous roads and es
tablish a post officeon every mafTs %m, if they
will only vote for him. The voters down that
way are having a good deal of fun pver the
tricjfjj v <jagdtdats’s small ideas of their in
telligence. y He also declares in certain local
ities, we are informed, that he is not a Ne
braska man. But at Winona, when the
Land Officers and Ashley Jones had him in
tdW, he faced the following orthodox music
in the Demecratic Convention then and there
assembled. The following resolutions were
put right into Mr. Rice’s face and eyes, and
passed but last week at Winona. He dare
not publicly deny that he does not endorse
and sustain them all, and that too without
complaining of the nauseating character of
the dose. Ripe would have made a good
man for Governor of Kansas, if Shannon
had only backed out. But read the Rice-
Wiuona platform, and “ keep it before the
people r ;
Resolved That this Convention fully endor
ses the known doctrines of the Democratic
party, expressed in the present administra
tion of our Government.
Resolved , That we bold the principles of the
Kansas-Nebraska Bill as perfectly consistent
with the above doctrines, and pledge them
our hearty support.
Resolved. That WC will heartily wnwort the
MajHtim of Hon. H. M. Bice fo> Delegate
to Congress, conceiving him to be an able
and consistent exponent of these principles.
The Argus—Rice’s organ at Winona—sup
presses these resolutions, although the editor
knows that they were passed by the Conven
tion!
We learn from the Red Wing Sentinel that
a meenting was held in that .town on Satur
day last to nominate a ticket for the Legisla
ture, -composed of men “ who favor the elec
tion of Mr. Rice to Congres 1” So, it appears
the Red Wing Land Office and its whippers
in have “caved”—finally I I'he itepublican
element has become so strong in the Fourth
Council District that the very name of “ De
mocracy” is thrown overboard by its oil
upholders and patrons. Thus much is accom
plished at any rate. Now, Republicans
the Fourth District, push on your column I
.Show these miserable dissemblers—these
cowardly dodgers of their principles—their
very name «fact—a& apt ashaged
of the political faith which is in you, if they
are of that which they hold. You now have
the game all in your hands.
We hope Bill Freeborn is nominated as
Bristol’s opponent.
Falling. —The prices of the staple arti
cles of provisions are on the decline all over
the country, but no rates can be said to he
established. The price of m Illinois
ranges from sixty cents to one dollar. The
best Genesee flour is retailed at Rochester,
New York, at eight dollars a barrel. The
New York papers note a rapid fall of prices
in that city of almost all the common articles
of living.
The Weather.—The weather has taken
a singular . fit within the last few days, and
the “even temperature” of our climate is
something to be remembered—not felt. A
week or so since, the mercury was almost
oof the top of thermometers, and
every one who could aflord a xnin garment
indulged in the luxury. Another day came,
bringing with it a cargo pf chilling blasts and
watery pos6s. 'the “clerk of the weather”
has finally concluded to give us a little water
—just for a change, and the Mississippi is be
ginning to prove the truthfulness of the state
ment, that water is very useful for naviga
tion. The river rose about six inches yester
day, and the falling rain gave every assurance
of a still greater rise.
Trouble Among the Masons Going
Back to First Principles.— A circular,
purporting from the Holland Lodge No. 8,
and bearing the signatures of Isaac V. Fow
ler, A. H. Bartlett, Henry H. Ward, Ogden
Hoffman, Cornelius Grinnefi, Wm. Joansofi,
Samuel B. White, Jotham Post, James M.
Hicks, Henry Walters, committee, has been
issued, under date of the 13th August, set
ting forth a long series of grievances against
the Grand Lodge of the State of New York;
that the Grand Lodge has assumed to itself
powers and authority incompatible with the
spirit of Masonry. It violated its original
constitution in 1849, by the passage of an
act ex post fado in its effects. It has estab
lished by majorities what are, and what are
not, ancient landmarks. It has, since 1849,
deprived the lodges located in the city of
New York of many privileges which had
been orginalty guaranteed, and committed
other wrongful acts, for vf'hich the Holland
Lodge, “determined to adhere strictly to
the ancient landmarks of the Order, and en
courage the true principles of Masonry, is
compelled to declare herself free and inde
pendent,” and invites .other Lodges to join
her. Further, as to the course proposed it
is said: “We know of no means which can
be adopted to remove the 6tigma which for
many years has been attached to us, save the
course we now propose : to fall back upon,
the platform upon which the Masons of Eng
land stood prior to the, formation of a Grand
Lodge.”— Allas '.
In the town of Beverley, Mass.,
which contains a large and prosperous com
munity, there is not a single hotel or place
of public entertainment. A stranger in this
place, who was left by the cars a few days
’ago, could find no lodgings fur the night, and
was obliged to walk into Salem.
NUMBER 1.
Political Movements*