The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-09-08
Of the Ninnesotian.
Republlcan Mass Mestins as Winsna.
W1NoNA, August "a, 1856.

Correspondence Of the Minnesotian.
Republlcan Mass Msstins ~ winsna.
W1NoNA, August "a, 1856.
To-day had che qualification of attending
a Mass Convention of the staunch and deter
mined Republicans of Winona County-the
first political gathering that has been homored
with my presence in Minnesota. A goodly
concourse of intelligent and earnest men
convened at the School House in this place
at two o'clock. The meeting was organized
by the selection of Mr.. Buck as Chairman,
and Thomas Wilson as Secretary.
M. s. Wilkinson, Esq, was introduced to
the assembly, and he proceeded to give
speech full of argument, pith and facts-con-
vincing in its conclusions and entertaining
even to an opponent. lie dealt some effec-
tive blows on the Ruffian sovereignty doc
trines of Douglas, Rice & Co.,-showing
incontrovertably to an unbiased mind that
the state of anarchy and ruffianism now ex-
listing in Kansas were the legitimate fruits of
the abrogation of the Missouri Compromise.
He then contrasted the Democracy of that
great apostle, Jefferson, with the sham De-
mocracy Of Pierce, Stringfellow & Co.,
adducing facts to prove that Jefferson and
his compeers labored increasingly to restrict
the area Of Slavery, while the mission of the
Democracy of the present day seemed to be
to perpetuate and extend the blghting insti-
tuition over the fairer portion of Uncle Sans
domain. No old fashioned Democrat, whose
mind has not been stultifed with petty,
official favor, could fail to be impressed with
the shameless length to which modern De-
mocracy, under the lead of such men as
Pierce, Douglas, and, to come down to lesser
lights, Henry NJ. Rice, are going for the
perpetuity and extension of Human Bondage.
Mr. Wilkinson then alluded to the extrava-
CANT assertions of the Rice men in reference
to the extent Of appropriations secured by
showed from indisputable data that, while
the Delegate from New Mexico, who can
neither read nor write word of English,
secured an appropriation of 1907 900 for roads
and public buildings-the Delegate from
Kansas the sum of 100000 for roads simp-
ly-Mr. Rice only obtained an appropriation
at Washington of $4,000 for roads, and
those were all located in the Indian country.
Not cent of this appropriation had been
expended in Southern Minnesota. And this
is not all. The Delegate from New Mexico
secured the passage of law donating to
every actual settler one hundred and sixty
acres of land, while Rice was expending his
energies in bringing into market, at an I'M
precedented early day, the lands of Mime
sota-thus evincing the sincerity of his
views on squatter sovereignty by depriving
the squatters of this Territory of their claims,
in order that land spectators might thereby
be benefited.
During Mr.. Wilkinson's remarks, he made
a very good chit on Rice. Some one was
making noise outside of the building, when
they were called to order by the Chairman,
Never mind,s' said Mr.. w., "although my
lungs are weak, they are not so much so as
those of Henry NJ. Rice, who, when asked
why he did not oppose the repeal of the
Railroad Bill excused himself on the ground
that his lungs were too weak to speak
against it. The people of Minnesota don't
want to be represented by man of so JIM
mensely weak lungs"
Mr.. Marshall, the Republican candidate for
Delegate to Congress, followed in logical
and effective speech. He contended that the
Constitution of the United States is an Anti
Slavery instrument, and not Pro-Slavery-
that Slavery is sectional and Freedom Ma
tional. He showed that it was the universal
intention of the founders of this Republic to
restrict slavery to the limited territory it
then occupied. But restless Southern spirits
obtained power, and applied their utmost en-
ergies to the Naturalization of Human Bond
age From the purchase of the Louisiana
Territory down to the abrogation of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, the aggressive spirit of
slavery had manifested itself in the acquisi-
ton of territory to be consecrated to the
diffusion" as Gen. Cass has it, of the insti-
tuition. Throughout, Mr.. Marshalrs remarks
were listened to with intense interest, and
believe that his candid manner and fine in
tellectual countenance created the same i'm
preston on the minds of the people that they
did on my own mind, that VIM. X. Marshall
is just the man to represent in Congress the
pioneers of Minnesota.
The audience was then entertained with a
thrilling and effective appeal in favor of Re-
publicanism from 7. M. Newson of the Daily
Times, and few we'll timed remarks from
Thos. Wilson, Esq, Of this place, when COM
mittee was appointed to draft resolutions
who reported the following, which were unan-
imously adopted:
Resolced, That the Republicans of Winona
are still firmly united in their opposition to
the aggressions of the Slave Power-they
still demand the restoration of Kansas, Ne
hraska and all other territories to freedom
and they again solemnly declare that they
never will consent to the acquisition of anoth.
er foot of slave territory nor the admission
of another Slave State into the Union.
Resolued, That we hereby ratify the nomi.
nation made by the Republican Convention
at st. Paul, on the 25th of July last, and