The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-01-09


To be sure, there stood the new State Con
stitution in their way. According to its pro-
visions, the United States Senators for Min
nesota must be chosen in pursuance of the
provisions of law. No such law was oi
course, yet in existence. Without it the
United States Senators could not be elected
The fact Of the State Legislature being in
session, did not fully meet the difficulty. II
was, certainly, a portion of the law-making
power but under the Constitution, every one
of its enaetments before becoming law
must pass the ordeal of the Governor of the
State, and receive his approval. But there
was no Governor of the State to approve Of
laws for though the State Legislature was
in session, yet the same Constitution that d.
rected their assembling, prohibited the elected
Governor of the Stats, from qualifying or en-.
tering upon the duties of his Office befora
the admission of Minnesota, by Congress,
into the Union.
What, therefore, under these circumstances,
was to be done ?-became the great question
with the Democratic aspirants for Senatorial
honors.
The Republican members of the Legislature
answered the question by saying-"Let us
adjourn over for couple of months or 50, until
we have duly qualified Governor; and then
we can meet and 60 ahead without doubt or
hindrance of any kind and you Democrats
will be just as strong then, just as much in
the majority, and will be just as sure of car
rying youe Senators, as you would be to go
into an election of more than doubtful valid
ity, now!
But no-this wise, conservative, safe and
economical course, did not suit the Demo-
cratic majority in the Legislature, nor square
with the impatience of their outside leaders.
They were determined to suffer no delay
The consideration of economizing the public
money was, with them, small one compared
with the qualification forthwith of their
greedy aspirations for Office. They set their
wits to work, to overcome the difficulty
Past experience bears Witness that Demo-
cratic leaders ore not easily baffled if either by
wrestling laws and constitutions from their true
meaning, or by openly violating them even to
the commission of torgsrg and felony, success
in their plans can be obtained by them -
They never stop at trifles.
In this case, they were true to their we'll
earned reputation. By hard straining of a
simple provision of the Schedule to the Con-
stitution, plainly intended for another p,r-
pose, they made out that SAM. MEDARY, fed
eral Governor of the Territory, was continued
as Governor of the State until the new Gov
ernor elected was qualified and inducted into
office
Here was q construction, ridiculous and
far fetched, yet it would relieve their case
greatly, if they could only get MEDARY and
the majority of the Legislature, to adopt it.
To convince MEDARY and bring him to adopt
the construction, was but short and easy
work. An unscrupulous party hack from
Ohio, broken down in purse, too old to work;
and pensioner upon the Democratic party
for Office to keep him from starving, few
words from HENRY M. RICE that he would
sustain his aspirations to be Governor of the
prospective Territory of Dakotah, comprised
all that was necessary to buy SAMUEL MEDIA
RY to do any dirty work set down for him in
the programme
The Democratic majority in the Legisla-
ture, were, if possible. still easier managed.
There are but three or four real sharp fellows
in the whole lot. These were gained by
feeding them with hopes of reward in the fu-
ture. Quite a number of post-masters -four
ish as Senators and Representatives. The
party lash cracked over their heads, made
these subservient officials wheel into line,
without more ado. But the greater portion
of the Democratic Notwithstanding half
dozen Celtic Irishmen--are but dull fel-
lows, with no ideas beyond implicitly sup
porting whatever their party leaders pro-
claimed a "party" measure, without their
seeking to know whether it was right or
wrOng-their mental powers to discriminate
upon the constituticnality or unconstituton-
ality of any legal proposition that might be
submitted to their decision, being at best not
above mediocrity!
There was, therefore, little difficulty in
trotting all the Democratic members of the
Legislature up to the mark; so they passed
resolution inviting MEDARY to communi.
cate with them as Governor of the State
which invitation he graciously accepted,
sending in his Annual Message as coolly as
though he was really the genuine Governor OF
the State. After this, they passed the requi-
site preliminary law regulating the election
eff United States Senators which this Terri
torial Gubernatorial State official, promptly
signed and the charm being then complete
HENRY NJ. RICE and General JAMES SHIELDS
were forthwith elected q. S. Senators for the
State of Minnesota.
This grand end accomplished Mr.. MEDARY,
instead of remaining at his post to fulfil the
duties and bear the responsibilities of the new
position he had arrogated to himself shoul-
ders his baggage and makes bee line straight
for Washington City, there to claim his re-
ward for the ready qualification of himself
in this and in the matter of his felonious
State Canvass whilst the Democratic men,
bers of the Legislature, as if their work was
also finished, have scattered in every direc-
ton over Minnesota, their leaders having evil
IDENTIFY done with them for the present, and
these leaders, besides, having too much good