Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-07-30
The S truggle in Minnesota.
Correspondence OF the New York Tribune
ST P.r1 NJ IT Julv l6. 1857

i Correspondence o. the New York Tribune
ST. PAUL, NJ. T July Is, 1857.
/ wrote to you day or two since inform
ing you Of the revolutionary steps taken BY
the Bofeer Ruffian Democracy to get con
troll Of the Constitutional Convention BY
! force. fraud or violence, or defeat the desire
of the people of N innesota TO come into the
Union as State. also informed you thai
it had been asserted by Democrats, and be
lieved by all parties, that at II m. on Tues.
day, The second day of the Convention, the
Democratic members would attempt to tale
control Of the Hall prepared for the Conven
ton. Had they done so, there would have
been hot work The Republicans, knowing
full well their rights, were prepared 10 de-
fend them, and would have done SO to the
! last.
But when the hour Of Il drew nigh. dis
cretion, the better part of valor, seemed to
control the minds of this faction and their
pluck cooled down to zero. Secretary Chase
appeared at the ba. of the Hall, and with
trembling voice said:
"In the name of the Secretary of the
Territory, demand the surrender of this
Hall for the use OF the Constitutional Con-
vention.''
President.-'The Constitutional Conven-
ton of this Territory is now in session in
this Hail.
Chase-"Do you refuse to surrender the
possession of this Hall!'
President-"I do refuse"
Whereupon the pompous little Secretary
SUNK from The Hall and rejoined his mob
below.
In few minutes, however, the Demo-
cratic delegation headed by the little Srcre-
tary, came to the door and reconRoitered.
Chase said: ats no use: no man can get po-
session ofthat chair" One of their number
also remarked: They will not yield-it will
be useless for uS to make the attempt"-
Ex- Gov German ,one OF their number, step
ped inside the door and addressing the mob
outside, said. 81 move this Convention ad-
iourn TO the Council Chamber" to which
the mob said sAve,' and fol owed their lead
er. There they played the farce If going
through q permanent orgizination. The
result will be that the two Conventions will
be held and along with ours bogus Consti-
tuition will be brought before Congress.
The Republicans have done :heir duty
noby. They have shown the right m tile
in their composition. They were on hand
to prevent cla"destine organization by the |
Democrats as early as II o'clock on Sum-
day night, and after the orga nization of the
Convent ion, remained in the hall without |
an adjournment for three days and two
nights to prevent the Ruffians from Stealins
possession of the hall. But the Democracy
do not expect their course will be approved
by the people ,or that the Constitution they
may frame will be recogn I'D bv Congress
Their only hope i that. now it is distinctly /
shown, by the late election, that the new
State would be a Republican by giving
a Democratic Congress some ground for an
excuse, our admission into the Union would
be refused until such time as, by trickery
and stratagem. and by the help Of the Irish
vote, which the building of our new rail-
roads would induce, they would stand bet
ter chance of carrying an election. They
had, as they supposed,the whole matter fix
ed I'D to their salts faction. Our Delegate in
Congress, H. N Rice, knowing the South
prn part of the Territory to be strongly Re-
publican, had a. the late Congress bill in
authorizing US to form State
and dividing our Territory bv
a north ard South line. This, they suppos-
ed, would give them a majority though such
a division would be against the interests of
the Territory, and contrary to the wishes
Of two thirds of her people. Our Legjsla-
ture last Winter memoralized Congress, BY
a vote of two to one, for different or east
and west line, but the memorial was disre-
garded,
This is the state of affairs among us at
What the final result will be is
vet to be shown, but it is the opinion of
your cores pondent that, unless the Demo-
Gratis abandon their present revolutionary
post ion, we will lot become State at pre-
sent. have the utmost faith and conf
dence in the honesty and good sense of the
people, and am fully confident the Republi
cans will be triumphautly sustained by them
in the position they have taken, but from a
Pros lavery Democratic Congress. judging
from past experience, nothing is to ce ex-
pected. E. p. D.