The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-29
COMMUNICATED.
For the Pioneer.

Out iittie vi HdtterS or thiligS as tnty cX-
listed or occurred here previous to that
time. An election approaching, and
seeing questions raised which are entire
ly new to me, have been anxious to in
form myself in regard to them, to the
end that may be able to form correct
opinion concerning the merits Of the con-
test going on, and of the candidates
who are seeking the popular suffrage.
perceive there is no question at issue
involving national politics. Down with
the american Fur Company, is the
rallying cry, and vote for no man con-
nected with it, the motto Of one party
the other stands on the defensive. 1t
seems that there are a number of COM
panies in Minnesota, dealing in furs. and
that Mr.. Sibley, the present delegate to
Congress is member of one of them;
and that the company of which he is a
member, has, by good management, or
from some other cause, been more sue
cessful, and is now doing a larger busi-
ness than any other in the Territory
this, it's opponents call The ''American
Fur Company" From the fact, that
oppositionto this particular company had
been made the test in all the elections,
or in the steps preparatory to the cleo
tons, from Congressman down, | had
good cause to suppose it had been guilty
of some very heinous misdeeds, and that
MIR. Sibley was implicated in transactions
disqualifying him to represent the people
of Minnesota in Congress To satisfy
myself on these points, | have made in
quiry Of the inhabitants of the Territory.
/ Their answers have been uniform, and
one is fair sample of the whole. |
asked one of the earliest settlers here,
a gentlemen ofthe highest responsibility.
to tell me something about the American
Fur Company and of Mr.. Sibley. Re
gave me a statement in writing, and al
though drawn up in hurry, merely to
give me the .facts, yet will not alter a
word or syllable of there it is.
"The Hon. Henry Hastings Sibley, our
present delegate in Congress, was born
in Detroit, Mich, in the year 1912; his
father, Judge Solomon Sibley, was one of
the first settlers of what is now known
as Michigan, came there from Ohio; he
held "a seat in the first Legislature of
that newly organized Territory
MIR. SibIey, from choice, entered young
into mercantile pursuits, and at the age
of eighteen, held a prominent and re-
sponsible situation at Mackinac, in the
employ of the American Fur Company
whose principal depot for the receipt OF
peltries, was at that time, under Mr.
James Stuart, on that island. At the
early age Of twenty-five, he was placed
in charge of that company's business at
the mouth of the river St. Peters or Min
nesota, then doing business in what is
now the Territory of Minnesota, to the
amount of fifty or sixty thousand dollars
annually, and remained IN charge of said
Cos. affairs until their failure in 1912.
when the present head of the firm of p
Chouteau Jr. & Co., came up to this
country, and after an interview with Mr.
Sibley, purchased the entire inventory o.
the American Fur Company, in consid.
GRAFTON Of Mr.. Sibley's continuing ii
charge of the business; as those gentle.
. men would not purchase under any other
7 circumstances.
The business of the American Fun
Company was continued by consent o
the trustees, until the expiration of then
charter, which was in lS47; doing bust
ness on Lake Superior, and the nortl
and northeast portion of our Territory
J among the Chippewa Indians. Since
that period, there has been no such firm
known as the American Fur Company
The cognomen has been applied to the
, present house Of P. Chouteau Jr.,
! Co., for the sake Of creating poitica
capital, and furthering schemes of malice
by persons who know well that there
,, does not exist any such company, or any
such exclusive privilege, as they have
, wished strangers to Mr.. Sibley to believe
Such persons as are acquainted witt
Mr.. SibIy, and who know him well viii
bear me out, that not more honorable
, high minded man lives, and he is ONT
who would forego all feelings of selfish
ness, when the claims of his neighbol
were at stake. To the old settlers h
, has endeared himself, some, who have
= years; ask them who is Mr.. Sibly, an,
they will tell you"
Thus it seems, that this bugaboo van
ishes into thin air when truth opens it
{ light upon it. No such company erist
j as the american Fur Company, and ha
D not since lS47.
l find upon enquiry, that those wh'
know Mr.. S. well, are uniformly in hi
, favor, and speak in the highest terms O
t him--a few. whose interest clashes wit
: his, may be exceptions to this rule. w
who have come here but recently, ough
to pay much respect to the opinions o
f the old inhabitants, in forming our judg
t ment of men that those old inhabitant
have long known, and who are but littl'
known to u.s. The man who is liked b.
d. his neighbors and old acquaintance,
, apt to be worthy man. To Mr. Sibley
/, as public man, there is no objection
= AS delegate to Congress, alknow him
t new corners as well as old settlers-i
n that capacitv he has been most indefati