The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-02-10
From the st. Anthony Express.
Major Fridlcy and his Maligners.

Human character does not exhibit itself in
worse or more hideous phase than that of the
bitter malignity with which some men pursue
an enemy. Whether it appear in the bastard
ly midnight deeds of the assassin or incendia-
ry, CT in envenomed public assaults upon char
acter, it is equally revolving.
ssIt is vice of such hideous mien,
That to be hated needs but to be seen.a
The malignity with which certain class of
politicians feel themselves at liberty to assail
the reputation of public men, is one of the I'M
avoidable evils resulting from the license of
speech engendered in the heat of warm politi-
cal contests. and winkcd at by our laws But
if our penal code is insufficient to restrain the
malicious from the violence of vindictive false
hood and vituperation which circumstances ac-
ting upon their depraved nature might prompt
there is an inevitable moral penalty follow
ing upon such malevolence abundantly sufi-
cient to deter men of cool discretion from any
indulgence of it. Rarely is the libeller of pub
lie or private character permitted to exercise
this privilege more than once successfully, if
indeed in the very onset he does not in his
blind and insatiate malice, like certain spe-
cies of serpent, strike his poisonous fangs into
his own flesh and become the agent of his own
speedy destruction.
We have been led to these remarks, by an
exceedingly bitter which appeared in the St.
Paul Pioneer of Tuesday last, directed against
the Hon. A. NJ Fridley. Member of the House
of Representatives from St. Anthony. 1t char
ges him with being defaulter to the Govern
ment in the sum of over $4,000, during his Of
fetal term as Agent of the Winnebagoes, and
exbausts the language in its use of Billingsgate
terms The article shall not disgrace our col
umns. Suffice it that we have given its sub
stance above. 1t is impotent of harm-its Sc
verify being its own bane. Burns says
! Some write a neeber's name to lash
Some write, (vain thought y for needful cash;
Some write to court the contra clash,
Amp raise din.
Which of these classes this editor belongs to
we are not quite sure, but think it would not
be amiss to mark him down for all three. But
we would, by way of caution, remind him. tina
the counterpart OF this charge, so audacious!y
put forth more than two years since. against
our respected Ex-Gov. Alexander Ramsey,
proved not only signal failure as 10 its in
tended scope, but, recoiing, has damned its
authors in the eyes of all honorable men, as un-
worthy the respect of society, and fit subjects
for the penitentary. "Whom the Gods wish
! to destroy. they first make mad" Let the ed.
itor of the Pioneer, be warned.
The explanation of this violent attack upon
Mr. F. is to be found in the fact that he has seen
proper since be has been in the Legislature to
pursue an Independent course--unswayed by
selishness and unawed by threats in doing
which he has sometimes crossed the schemes Of
the clique of which the Pioneer is the organ
He has dared to utter his own sentiments ani
follow the dictates of his own judgement in re
gard to certain grave questions of legislation
and therefore "delenda est Cdrthago"-if, for
sooth, the Vaccinations of designing individ
ais or the denunciations of their frenzied or
gan can accomplish it. . ..... .-......
But to the charge. The editor of the ST
Paul Democrat, opposed in politics to Majo
Frdley, speaking with the positiveness of per
sonal cognizance of the facts, has the followin.
article in reply to the Pioneers abusive one
and in vindication of Major F.:
"Tho facts relating to his accounts with tn
Government are these. After his removal, AM
before he had an opportunity of closing his &C
, counts, systematic attack was made upo
him as we'll as upon Gov. Ramsey, by GOV
German, the new Superintendent Of Indian A
fairs. who represented to the department tba
Mai. Fridley was a heavy defaulter and const
auently the District Attorney commenced
suit against him, but on examination found tha
, Major Fridtey would bring the Government il
to debt, and he therefore suffered the suit
remain for two years without any action on j
E "Nothing further has been done in the ma
y ter, except that Major F. has repeatedly offere
to settle his accounts at Washington or here, b
= law or otherwise. aoa.c ...-a -s 20 -tq .9.s.
E "Major Fridley is responsible, and SO are h
e bail if he is defaulter, why have not the u
n yernment proceeded with the suit and recOve
e ed the money 7" HlE % sltaIoy@ sson doso
e yd Now let us sum up the whole thing in awor
n The ro-racious editor of the Pioneer say
e fsmacking his lips in evident enjoyment of Il
e prospect Of the delicious feast he proposes