The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-02-27
THE MINNESOTA PIONEER
st. PAUL, Nlinnssota,

cupation /

The relation Of parties in Minnesota.
We shall! endeayor to state, fairly and
truthfulIy, the political relation toward each
other, of the several factions in this Terri
tory, and to draw such differences, and con-
illusions, from existing.facts, as we think
the premises will warrant.
The earliest white settlers here, were the
Canadian French. For their political in
formation and political opinions, they were,
Of course mainly dependent, upon The few
living amongst them who were acquainted
with our national politics and capable of
translatiug from our own language into tine
. French. Their knowledge Of our public
affairs, was mainly derived from the Indian
traders. These traders, being in wilder
ness, not only beyond the states, bot in the
remotest' confines Of territory, in which
there were no party divisions or party con-
tifcts, until that territory had itself been
brought into the Union, without thought,
themselves, Of political preferment, buried
as up they were, in the wilderness. and in
tent only upon gain, for which they had left
the civilized world by the back way, and
shut the door after them-these traders, had
no political preferences or feelings. Friend.
ships early formed 10y them in the states,
for particular men who were fighting in the
arena Of national politics, whether upon
one side or the other, were sill cherished,
they still retained reverence for Washing
ton, or admired the stern, republican creed
Of the philosophic Jefferson, or the patriotic
enthusiasm of Henry Clay, the leader of
the Republican war party, who leaped into
the breach like an armed Rafael, and with
words ofburning eloquence encouraged our
fees and armies to chastise British inso-
lence; but as for present, matured politi-
cal creed, such cs keeps pace with the pro-
gress of the party protesting it, and the
prime article of which is, 10 .folio,c the ma
jority Of file leaders TO rictOry, they were
innocent of any such creed.
In progress of time, as the keen eye Of
speculation glanced toward the sources Of
the Mississippi and saw the vast natural
wealth Of these wide regions, settlers from
the states, were lurcd hither; they came.
fresh from the political wars, the caucuses,
the conventions and the elections Of
holly contested political campaigns; but
whether Wings or Democrats, Free Sellers
or Hunkers, they looked around them in
vain for the elements here OF party orguni-
cation. They found our whole population
small, less than that of small county in
one ofthe states, large portion Of the reo-
pie unacquainted with the English language
and accustomed, during their whole lives,
to obey the impulses of personal regard
rather than the attachments of party pref
erence. Relying upon the successful oper-
alton of the machinery Of party drill and
party discipline here, which, has generally
kept the people of the states divided into
two parties, differing in name if not always
in political doctrines, some there were, both
Wings and Democrats here, who from the
force Of habit and an attachment to party
names, or with the hope Of personal prefer
ment, or from sincere regard to what they
deemed correct political principles, favored
an immediate party organization.
Falling in with this fresh current Of opin-
ION, we, too, favored organization. But,
aside from the reasons already above sta
ted, why the introduction of national party
politics was difficult, if not impracticable
;iere, it is proper to mention some other
causes which have rendered the attempt sig
naliy abortive. Aud first, the attempt was
made at time when sectional parties had
so overw helmed all other parties, as nearly
to have obliterated all party lines. and
" hig administration had taken possession
of and now occupies political platform in
regard to the grand absorbing topic Of the
adjustment Of the slavery question, which
was constructed by the united labors of
true and patriotic men, both Wings and
Democrats-tbe only tcnable platform for
either party to stand upon. Hence the diff
iculty Of arraying men as Wings and Dem
ocratS here, when the people of the States
were arrayed against each other, more and
more each day as sectional parties, and less
and less as Wings and Democrats. But
still another difficulty existed, and still ex-
lists, which has its foundation mainly in the
pecuiiarities, as we'll as in the very limited
number of our population, aud the imn,edi-
ate connexion of nearly all the people here
with one or the other Of the two great
leading and conflicting business concerns Of
the territory-a cause which time and cap
tital and more population, and a multiplied
ton and diversity Of interests aud pursuits
will cure, and nothing else; the difficulty
to which we refer is the personal rivalry
existing between the hea!s and representa-
tives of these two rival business establish
snents-a rivalry SO jealous on one side
that it spuns all compromises bitter
and malignant that il hes,.ates at no breach