St. Cloud visiter [sic]. [volume] (St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1857-1858, 1858-05-13
d. From The st. Paul Times March 30, '58.
Disgraoeful Outrage at St. Cloud!
...-..:es.. Press DestroYedl 's,

SDASoASAS~4~A ~A ~ - SAoN w SOs s~4SSA&As
. .~..,.;.s. Press Destrovedl .,E,,+
One of the most outrageous acts which
ever disgraced community, was commit
ted at St. Cloud, in this State, on the oath
Of March. The full particulars are given
below. The Visiter, since Mrs. Swisshelm
assumed it's editorial control, has been an
able and courteous Journal and has done
more to reflect honor on the County in
which it was published than the old Adver-
tiser could possibly have done had it. lived
fifty years. The perpetrators Of the Deed,
would not hesitate to whip the beings that
gave them birth, and if the honorable citi-
zens of St. Cloud, don't make the place too
warm, for them, then they deserve to be
branded as towards but we believe they
will do so. We believe that Mrs. Swisshelm
will be fully sustained by the people, and
that she will yet have an opportunity to
give her cowardly and most contemplate
assassins that chastisement which their
Border Rufian conduct deserves. t.22s:an.
sig We cheerfully tender, to Mrs. Swisshelm
whatever facilities our Office affords to ena-
bic her to publish her paper again and to
give utterance to whatever views she may
hold as to the damnable curse of Slavery.
We think we do not speak hastily when We
say, that our cotemporaries will cooperate
with us in this offer. a5& 5E{9 : Ii. +s-f =
Border Rumanism In Minnesota -
Great Excitement Attempt to
Stife Free Speech !!-A Press De-
molished |! !-Great Gathering Of the
People, &c., &C., SC. % .~ :,.,.<
On the morning Of the oath Of March,
the Office Of the St.: Cloud Nsiter, was bro
ken open, the press demolished, and the
type and contents Of the Office thrown into
the street and the river. So high handed
an outrage never before disgraced our COM
mupity or Territory. The citizens, indigg-
nant at this attempt to stife free speech and
to put down an independent press, issued a
call for a meeting to be held at the Stearns
House on the ensuing evening, and invited
the editor to address them. Although but
few hours notice of the meeting had been
given, yet SO large and respectable an audi
q. ence was perhaps never before, convened in
the Territory north Of St. Anthony Near
:, y, the entire population of the town men,
4 women, and children turned out en- nsasse,
while large delegations, were present from,
:, Sauk, Rapids and The surrounding country.
r. The, large and commodious rooms Of the
Stearns House, were filed to sufocation,
q and the windows blockaded from without
+. By those unable to gain admittance. 5,
,,ls Hon G. T.. Stearns was called to the
chair, and Nm, Smith chosen Secretary Of
the meeting. .s$t,...ss Il <.$.<F
Mrs. Swisshelm, the editor of the St.
= Cloud Nsier then read the following ad.
. dress: a5 asa ,st3S75ia p so
E < sa4 MRS sw1ssnELM's ADDRESS.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN 1t is not my business to speak in
public otherwise than through the press
but the present crisis appears to require thai
/ should speak to you face to face. Tht
Press Of the st. Cloud Nsiter was last nigh
destroyed, its type scattered on the street
or thrown into the river; and it appears t,
me to be an imperative duty to put you il
possession: of al the facts connected with i
with which 1 myself am acquainted As
am so intimately connected with this darl
s. stain upon our community, you will pardon
the apparent egotism Of brief sketch ofm,
! history and connection with your paper.
was born member Of the Scotch Gov
enanter Church, baptised into its commu
MON in infancy, and formally united with j
when but sixteen years Of age. My fore
fathers and foremothers were co-worker
u with John Knox in his labors for civil an,
ai 5s ss1s F; % 81 i .%s1 ;sit sy sns9 ss
z tie 6solemn League and Covenant, !" il wa
8. not known that women ssho otllds not inteffer,
ID with politics b Afterwards my sforefather
and foremothers stood shoulder to shoulde
with that devoted band who resisted tn
political edicts Of Charles u.-they VII.
were hunted Ike wild beasts ~ the legion'
of Claverhouse, who were slaughtered al
9 the day, who dwelt in csves and holes o