The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-08-08
Great Ratification Meeting at Norris
tOvn!--.SOuthern Minnesota Awake f!
speech of Hon. LEWIS McKUNE.

To tho Editors oftts Minnssotian
In pursuance of a previous notice, the
citizens of Morristown and vicinity, convened
at Morristown, Rice County, on July 9th.
The meeting was called to order, and R. j.
MILLER was chosen Chairman, and WALTER
MORRIS, Secretary.
ject, and upon call, Hon. LEWIS McKUNE
addressed the meeting:
Mr. CHAIRMAN, AND Fellow CITIZENS -
1t is we'll known to the people Of Minnesota,
and to this audience, that ever since the agi-
tation of of the admission of Minnesota into
the Union as a sovereign State, that the
Democratic presses have been marshaling
their hosts. so that at the time of the election
on the first of June last, their organization
as party was as complete as a military Or
ganization that at the election they were
able TO avail themselves of every vote on
their side; that all money and talent, active
ly employed could do, was done; while the
Republican party rested upon its oars, and
suffered the election to go almost by default.
Accordingly, Immediately after, tie Pioneer
$,Democ'a, the boosted official organ of the
Democratic party, trumpeted loud and long,
that the Democrats had gained clean and
decided victory. In their second issue after
the election, they doubted their boosted ma.
jority. The third was complete back down;
and no Democrat ever in my hearing has had
the audacity to deny that if the Republicans
would give them all they asked, that the Re-
publicans then would have majority of two;
and firmly believe that it never entered in
to the head of any one Democrat after they
were in possession Of all the facts of which
they now are, not even german himself, to
deny that the Republicans had a majority,
until after they run out of the Representa-.
tive Hall on Monday, the thirteenth. The
whole thing was an after thought.
am informed from reliable source, that
some time before the assembling of the c. n
stitutional Convention, threats were made by
Governor GoRMAN that if the Pembina dele
cation, with the flock of federal office holders
they claimed had obtained certain number
of votes, at certain places in the Territory,
but who had never received certificates of
election-that if they were not admitted,
that he, Gov. GoRMAN, "would kick up a hell
of fuss" And here let me state, that the
bogus Convention generally comes in and
goes out, with II. II. SIBLEY at the head, and
German behind with heavy cane and let
me further state, that german is the leader,
the sole proprietor and owner of the so-called
Democratic Constitutional Convention as.
sembled at St. Paul.
Now, I will proceed to speak of their ac-
ton as body of citizens, from the time thew
hol q of bo Full
day evening, the 18th inst The speaker
then gave full and elaborate statement
from the time of the attempt to compromise
between the two parties, on Sunday evening,
| down to the time when W. A. German
made his great speech" on Thursday, 23d
July, inst Then he proceeded to give full
and elaborate history of the proceedings of
the Constitutional Convention from the time
of its first converting, at the Capitol, up to
the time of adjOurning on Thursday, 23d
inst. also to point out the duties of Secre-
tary Chase, as Secretary of the Territory,
denying the statement of the Pioneer d. DEM
ocrrt, that Chase was the proper person to
| call the Convention to order-but showing
| in clear and concise maLner that any mem
| Der had right to call the Convention to Or
der: especially when requested by as large
majority as Hon. John w. North was. He
| also stated that Convention to frame State
Constitution was primitive body, and might
exist without any previous legislation, being
simply chosen body of the people, whose
powers were delegated to them by the whole
people, and might properly resolve them
selves into an organized body, without the
aid OF the law or any creature of the law
not even excepting Cromwell Chase, the acts
oftbe Convention not being void without the
sanction of the people, the people being the
only tribunal having right to judge of their
acts. He therefore appealed to the people as
the only tribunal which he, as member of
the Convention, considered had right to
Judge of his acts or the acts of the Conven-
ton as body. He denied the right of any
tribunal to interfere, from the Supreme
Court down, except in the capacity of citi-
zens and voters. loud aud long cheers by
the meeting)
On motion it was then resolved that the
meeting tenders its thanks to the speaker
the motion was put and carried. and W.
Morris presented the following preamble and
resolutions, which were adopted by unani-
nous vote:
| Wereas in pursuance of the Enabling act
of Congress- authorizing the citizens of Min
nesota to frame a State Constitution pre-
paratory to our admission into the Union
as State; and whereas, majority Of the
delegates elected by the people of Mime
sofa to frame State Constitution, convened
| at st. Paul. on the 18th dav of July instant.