Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-03-27


public acts, are commendable and necessary.
Their effect is to produce caution and faithfulness
on the part of the officer, and confidence and safe
ty on the part Of the people. But the reckless
ness with which charges of grave and startling
character are often put forth at the present day,
serves to weaken the force of all testimony upon
the subject Of our public officers, and the truly
honest arc not unfrequcntly in doubt whether the
truth is to be found ut all.
Permit me to say one word of Franklin Pierce
not as q President, but as man. For many
years he has been known as an active politician,
| though refusing Office and among New England
democrats he has stood in influence and power
with the ablest and best.-At the bar, in COM
| petition with the best lawyers of New Hampshire
and Massachusetts, he has for years maintaineda
reputation for ability and legal learning of which
the ablest might woll be proud. His sterling un-
bending integrity and uniform frank manliness of
character, have been the constant theme Of eulo-
", ever since he has been publicly known.
Whether at homo in New Hampshire, in the Halls
of Congress, or in the army of the Country, he
won the confidence and admiration of all who
knew him. So strong an impression had he made
in his varied acquaintance with tho people and
leading men in different sections of the country,
that the announcement of his name the candidate
for the Presidency, was received throughout the
length and breadth of the States with an enthu-
siasm which warranted and ensured success.
Now, sir, that man has not changed in this brief
space of time. His highest ambition, as it has
hot ~ of hot
who has filed that august place, is so to discharge
his duties to meet the appreciation of his coun-
try. A President of the United States has reach
ed the highest place which man can bestow upon
him. So far rs the honor of position goes, his
ambition must be at an end. All that can be left
for him to hope, is that he may so perform his
duties that the people will say at the close of his
term, "Well done good and faithful SERVANT"
He will commit errors, but rarely, if ever, an er-
TOR of the heart. The people have much more
to fear from President on account of a feverish
anxiety on his part to meet their wishes, than
from any wiiful design to do wrong. The present
incumbent having much capacity and experience
As business man, lawyer, and statesman,
have no shadow Of doubt that whether States
vote way or the other, we shall under his rule
90 on prospecting as usual, and that both he and
the country will be found at the close of his adj
ministration without single wound.
4. The Territory of Alinnesota-the spirit Of
progress-the healthy element OF great State
are developed by her-may she soon see her star
shine with those Of the Confederacy.
Mayor Olmstead responded as follows:
Mr.. President 81 can scarcely believe you all
in earnest in calling upon me to respond to this
sentiment. 1t is subject so great, so compre-
hensive, so suggestive of reflection and reminis-
cence of the past, and speculation, hope and an
ticipation for the future, that it would be mock
cry for me to attempt to do it justice. 1t may be
asserted that 1 can hardly claim exemption on &C
count of ignorance, but the fact is, it is subject
with which am so familiar that don't know any
thing about it. 1t is true, might call to mind
and tell you some of my recollections of, and ad
ventures in the Territory, long before Minnesota
had separate existence or name when in
iourneying hundreds of miles with no wagon roads
except Indian trails, Indians were the only white
men could find !; when instead of such music as
Ihave heard this evening, our only musical instru
ments were the wolf and screech owl, and when
instead of festivals like this in commemoraton of
| the virtues Of q christian apostle, the towns and
villages were enlvened only with the war whoop of
the savage or the revolving ceremonies of the
scalp dance. But these are amongst the scenes
of the past, and don't intend to allude to them
Civilization and Christianity have succeeded to
the domain of the savage, and the citizens of al
most every enlightened country are collecting in
our Territory to partakc Of the PHYSICAL civil and
moral advantages which it affords.
A portion of our fellow citizens have met here
tonight for the purpose of commemorating the
virtues Of the apostle and patron saint of Ireland.
And it is pleasing and agreeable feature in
new country like this, where the natives of differ
cnt countries have come together for the purpose
of founding and rearing Republican State, hay
ing forever bid farewell to their native country,
that by reunions like this they should OCCASION
ally manifest the love, the respect, which is due
from every civilized being to the land which gave
him birth. Aman exhibits one of the finest traits
in the human character when forever sundered from
his native land, every old association severed, every
interest withdrawn, and everything like person.
al advantage transplanted to his adopted home,
thenceforth to be the chosen object of his affec-
tions and cherished by the patriotism of himself
and his posterity, he is always ready to bcqueath
his blessings to his native land, and say with an
other
% .-l ."Grcen forever be your groves,
RIA. And bright tho fowery sod
Where first my chidhoods spirit loved
Its country and its God.''
This feeling is directly the reverse, dictated
by different motives ansRfed by different impulses,
from the narrow spirit manifested by the man
who labors to prescribe all who first saw the light
in different locality from himself. The one is
the sentiment of patriot, the other that of On
enemy to his fellow citizens and to the best inter-
ests of his country. 1a-ee.5
As I said before, Mr.. President, we have all
come to Minnesota for the purpose of founding
and building up great Republican State where
We and our children may find happy homes and
be secured in tho enjoyment of civil and religious
liberty. And as architects of this great ed6ce,
our responsibility is by no means light. Our
foundations strong and our material good, but it
is our duty to guard against incendiaries within as
we'll as assailants without. But have an abiding
faith in the vigilance-the intelligence-thc pa
triotism Of our citizens, and believe that the fu-
ture of our territory will realize the brightest
hopes of the patriot and philantrophist,- -that
like the mighty river whose source is rivulet
within her borders, she will flow irresistably on to
greatness her different tributaries from, xvhot,,.