The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-03-28
Another Republican Ally.

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The O1onoco Couria'-a journal editedwitl
as much ability and spirit as any in Mime
! sota-has thrown off its neutrality and nov
comes out on the right side. Olmsted
county has long needed Republican paper,
and we trust the Courier will hereafter take
care that her large Republican majority is
not misrepresented in the Legislature or
elsewhere.
In becoming party journal, the Courier
makes the following statement:
1t is, perhaps, necessary to define our po-
sltion on matters of politics more clearly than
has yet been done.
We are Republican. We have refrained
from saying anything on this topic until
now, for reasons which we deemed sufficient
to warrant our silence. We have felt no
cowardly reluctance arising from any fear of
being found on the unpopular side; but, af-
ter the feverish excitement of last autumn,
the public mind required repose. We did
not choose to hazard the pecuniary success
OF the journal committed to our guidance,
by imprudently disturbing this repose; nor
could we, after the event of last fall's cleo
ton, see clearly what stand duty required of
us to take. But whatever of doubt then eX-
listed, there is none now. We have looked
for, but find nothing to give us hope that
the newly installed administration will be
less wreckless in the observance of sectional
compacts, than the preceding one Freedom
in our Territories is to be left drifting on the
waves of chance. Our President proclaimed
from the Portico of the Capitol at Wash
ington, his indifference to the result of the
great question upon which the Republican
party is based. Whether Freedom is to be
the rule, and Slavery the exception, rests
outside the Democratic party. However re-
luctant we may be to unite with a party
based upona single idea, this one is so tow
ering that it overshadows all others, and up
of it's advocates.
In matters of national policy, then, we
proclaim ourselves Republican.
There has been heretofore, but little heed
paid to party one way or another, in this sec
ton of our Territory. Every voter has felt
that he might entertain his own views in re-
gard to national issues, without binding him
self to the behests of any partizan organiza-
ton. 1t was difficult to understand how the
question of freedom in Kansas was to be ef-
fected by any direction given to votes in
Minnesota. The people could not see how
party based upon issues foreign to their
localities, would benefit them or the country;
so, in casting their snffrages they have gen
orally discarded all questions save those of
local nature. True, an organization of the
Republican party was made in our county
last fall; but its nominees were sorely de-
feated on grounds quite different from pref
erence for Democracy. But it appears to
our minds that local questions should no
longer interfere with our choice between the
nominees of the two distinct parties. If Re-
publcans wish to have Minnesota take her
stand among the states opposed to the fur
Their spread of Slavery, they should be will
ling to lay aside all trivial prejudices and
unite in solid phalanx on this one subject
We, as becomes our duties as Journalists,
pledge to the Republicans of Olmsted county
our willingness to labor in their cause with
zeal and earnestness.