The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-09-05

was no' ,a'r W ask IL ana that there was no
use to talk about it further. Judge Sher-
burne remarked, II was not in when the
proposition was made, and certainly misap- |
pretended your remarks" He had said, as !
stated before, that my proposition, ifcarried
out, was simply ridiculous. Ex-Governor
German, with whom l had discussed the
matter fully, in the morning rose up from a
reclining posture and said, eff you misappre-
hended. Judge, there are number in your
words to that effect. knew
he understood me, and wished to put false
construction upon it, by an insulting inuendo,
that had wilfully changed the proposition,
or that the proposition was simply ridiculous |
1 replied, "There are some gentlemen that
wish would always misunderstood me; pre-
fer to chose my own companions" Those
think, are the very words I used. As to
Judge Serburne feeling insulted and demand
ing an explanation it is fiat lie, got up by
those who retail it, whoever they may be-
an unmitigated lie. Judge Sherburne, 1 am
confident, will state that fact, if called upon.
To him l appeal in confidence and what
man, pretending to be a man, would state
through the public journal, what his own po-
litical friends must know to be false. How
much of man is he? made the remark I
above stated, and Gov. German rose up and
asked me if meant him, by that remark
l told him, Certainly" spoke it out fiat
ly, with no reserve. was sitting behind
round table, in the corner Of the room. 1 had
been sitting few minutes be fore with my
feet upon the table, and whether I was in
that position at the moment, 1 do not certain
ly know. Those present say was and my
recollection is that was. He took his cane
every man knows it wasa heavy cane-and
struck me over the head before could place
myself in position to defend myself: was
then in position in which l could not de-
fend myself in any possible way-I was
struck to the floor and as l rose and saw
this man-the most consummate and the
basest coward ever saw in my life-diag
orally across the room, picked up frag-
ment of his cane, and finding it no use for
my purpose, seized my own, when saw
him shrinking away into the corner of the
room, and crying, "don't let him strike me
with that cane" He Immediately left the
room. Where he went do not know-my
friends could not ascertain-and, as / under
stand, continued some place around the Capt.
tol until nearly dark, and then, with two men
in his buggy to guard him, went home.
Now, 1 state the facts, without coloring
and without any exaggerated particulars, as
members of that Committee must know
The insult first came from Gov. German
more insulting because in ambiguous phrase.
AS to those statements made there, as being
insulting to Coy. German. / understand he
says he would do the same thing again, upon
q repetition of them. l repeat them here;
repeat them 10 the fullest extent, and say
when l repeat and reiterate them, that, tho
! almost anon-resistant in practice-though l
am not a quarrelsome man, though not a
brave or a strong man, hold myself person
ally responsible for every word utter. Now
that eowardly, miserable poltroon may take
/ that up, but prophecy he will not, un-
less he can get me in some position where
cannot defend myself, or unless there are
halt a-dozen men to guard him from being
struck "with that cane"
But this morning appears another state
ment in the papers. 1t is ridiculous to make
such statement, as every man who knows
anything about it, knows to be utterly false.
What lie can mean, l hardly know. But
perhaps l can surmise. That man is not
known so well abroad, as he is here. He
does not make those statements to be used in
St. Paul, for he is known here. Every man
knows what his reputation is in the city OF
st. Paul. His statements will haxe nc effect
here, one way or the other. He does not
make them for this latitude. He makes them
for the districts where the facts cannot 60,
and where he thinks his paper will be circu-
lated. What does he say
"They were promptly separated, and while two Der.
holding Mr. German, Mr.. Wilson seized large
iead-headed cane and approached Mr.. German, when
German said" Ay-r
Now as to that, we were standing opposite
to each other across the room. There were
a number of men close around me to prevent
other side of the room, evidently very much
alarmed for his safety, no person holding him
or having hand upon him. For all that
matter, all that was necessary was to hold
him from Jumping out of the window. But
l read further from the speech
When German said, "dont hold me until he strikes
me with lhat cane. If he does, will make sum-
marily defence than i have"
Isubmit here, Mr. President, that this thing
is simply ridiculous if intended for home con-
sumption. But it was not intended for home
consumption, but to be sent abroad. l ven-
ture the assertion here that there is not a
member of that committee that will not, if
you can get them 10 speak at all in reference
to that transaction, unequivocally declare that
that declaration is false. / said he cried, and
cried out with pathos and feeling, "don't let
him strike me with that cane"-not a word
more, not word less, and the recollection of
the members of that committee agree with
my own. II is ia se sir; and for all the state
ments make here, am responsible-for ev-
cry one of them. 1t is false, sir.
IL Al
object for which that committee was appon-
ted. have not particle of doubt, and not
a member Of this body, and, so far I know,
but very few in the other wing of the Capt.
tol-certainly not many among the candid
and honorable men of that body-have ex-
pressed doubt but that the secret object of
that gentleman has been all through, to pre-
vent any sort of an arrangement being made
between the two Conventions. AS said be-
fore, he lives in storm. He lives where the
attention of the community is distracted and
drawn from the man, to other circumstances.
He knows that he can do nothing when men
look calmly at the man who wishes to be sent
to the II. S. Senate. That is understood by
him.
Now as to the action of that Commit
tee. When that Committee took thoir seats-
in the Committee room to endeavOr
to arrange this matter, and to agree upon
one Constitution to be submitted to the peo-
pie; as the resolution under which we were ap-
pointed declared it our duty to do. The very
first word said was by w. A. German. lie
ssid:-Gentlemen I know one thing; there
is no use in trying to agree upon one constitu-
ton; we can never do it," or words to that
import. That man goes out then into the
other wing of this capitol and makes a long
speech, showing that he was in favor of agree
ing upon one constitution. l say that the
first words said in that Committee room
was that very declaration of Willis A. Cor
man. Our committee said they came there
for that purpose and nothing else. His own
committee declared that they too came there
to try to accomplish that end. Upon that,
seeing he was not sustained by his own COM
mittee, he sits down and says ssGentleman,
have some knotty points want to present."
And what is the first resolution, or about the
first resolution he presents That the con-
stitution agreed upon by the joint committee,
shall be signed by the Hon. H. HI. Sibley'
as President, and by all the admitted mem
bers save some in our own body whom, they
declare are not legally elected. VINO Deneves
thas man, who could offer such an insulting
resolution resolution which every body
sees, strikes at the very root OF the compro-
mise-can be otherwise than opposed to a