The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-09-24
ssORFULo TIMES!

cOkF UL'' TIMES!
The Rice clique organization here,
within the last week, have made the most
grand exhibition of themselves, that it
has ever been our chance to witness in
political movements, not excepting the
antics played by that corrupt concern
in days gone by. The game opened at
Rice, Hollinshead & Deckcr's office, OH
Wednesday afternoon, where certain
portion of the collar wearers were invited
to " fix the matter up" and designate men
to be placed upon the ticket. Only a
very select few were allowed at this
meeting, and SO far as we can learn, the
prcliminaries for the forthcoming accouch-
ment, were amicab!y arranged. II does
not appear that much was said about the
m,n 10 be sacrificed to the Moloch of
Henry M. Rice's pecuniary and political
ambition, on this occasion. Some of the
knowing ones, however, backed square
out, and fatty refused to be candidates.
1t was thought advisable, also, to get GER
tain thoroughly contaminated gentlemen,
such as Brother Edmond" and the
sainted Becker, out of the way entirely {;
so they were sent down the river on the
/ Nominee next day. The next proceeding
was the choice of midwivcs to superin-
tend things, and 10! the lot fell upon
Captain Dodd and D. II. J. Baker,!
The Captain is SO well known by all
our readers in the Territory, that it is
unnecessary to say here who he is. But as
Mr.. Baker is new star on the boards of
the Rice theatre, we will devote few
words to him. He came to the Territory
about year since, travelling peda-
gogue from Yankee land, and cropped in :"
the trustees Of our lower school district
to pay him sirty dollars PER month, we
believe, to teach during the winter
What advantage was ever derived by this
expenditure Of the peoples money, we
have never been able to learn, even after
the most thorough and diligent enquiry.
The next place we find him is in g land
agency Office with his pockets full-not
of the real "rocks but the shinplas-
ters Of an Eastern bank, and lot of land
warrants; buying up real estate at enor-
nous rates, and then putting up the price
OF his town property SO high that poor
man could not obtain building lot, with
out paying two prices for it; shingling
all the vacant lands in the vicinity with
warrants on speculation, and thus driving
and keeping farmers from the country.
In short, he is demagogue by nature,
and a keen, hypocritical sharper by prac-
tice-just such Democrat (shade of old
Tom Jefferson and Andrew Jackson y as
any one who knows Henry M. Rice, as
we do, would suppose he would chose as
the head hound in the pack to lead on the
rest, in whatever direction they NAV
hear his yelping. One of his { Bakers J
principal howlings for the last few weeks
in the streets of st. Paul-no doubt at his
masters bidding-has been against the
ratification of the Sioux treaty. 1t is a
part Of the Rice tactics, whenever man
becomes SO thoroughly contaminated with
taking part in their political and business
movements, that no one has the least con-
fidence in what he says or does, to set
HIM aside, and take up some one new and
fresh. Thus: it would not do for {. Broth
err Edmond" or Mr.. Masterson. or Mr.
Hollinshead, or the editor of the Demo-
crat, to proclaim publicly the Rice organ
ization doctrine in regard to the Treaty
or to manage at SO important crisis as
the one occurring last week. People
might see through their game of deceit
and corruption little too easy.
But we are DEPRESSING. The next day
but one (Friday, the caucus room was
changed to the Democrat office. Some
men not previously in the secret. were
let in on this occasion; but none of the
hard listed boys who do the voting One
was objected to by Captain Dodd because