The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-18
Was Senator Rice "Averse to q Re.
publican VictOry3"
THIRD ARTICLE.

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THIRD ARTICLE.
In our former articles, wherein we pre-.
sented facts bearing upon the subject in
volved in the foregoing query, we showed
That during some months prior to the
commencement of the late State canvass,
Senator RICE had openly in public CONVEX
sations, and secretly in private correspond
ence, predicted the defeat of the Democracy
at the October elections;
That, this fact, coupled with the maneu-
vres of his confidential personal and politi-
cal friends within the State, gave rise to
the suspicion throughout the party that
such predictions were the expression of
Senator RIcE's desires il regard to the result
of the contest, instead of the innocent utter
ance of what proved to be a truthful proph-
ecy;
That, these suspicious were strengthened,
even if they were not verified, by the fact
that Senator RICE kept himself out of the
State until within a fortnight of the election,
and out of the canvass until within a week
of the election and even at that late day
allied himself with the contest only by means
of a publication which, from its length and
immateriality, could be productive of no
possible aid to the party or its candidates !;
and
That, Senator RICE not only TINS rendered
no service to the Democratic party during
the late campaign, but that, by his adverse
prognostics, openly uttered over the coun.
try, and industriously circulated throughout
the State, and by the effect which his singu-
lar absence and indifference produced upon
the floating vote, he really contributed to a
Republican victory" whether he was
"averse' to it, in fact, or not.
We now proceed to an inquiry into the
reasons, real and pretended, which prevented
Senator RICE from taking an active part in
the late campaign in support of the nominees
of the Democratic party.
And, first, we shall treat as both con-
temptible and absurd, the reason given by
the Senator himself for his protracted absence
out of the State, and for his non-participa-
ton in the contest wherein the interests not
only of his party, but also of bis most devo-
ted and deserving friends, were at stake.
The reason thus given by the Senator, and
the only reason which we have heard of his
giving, was, that he unluckily found himself
on the opening of the canvass at Bayfield,,
on Lake Superior, without money to pay the
expenses of his fare in the stage from that
point to st. Paul, and that it was utterly i'm
possible for him to raise there the sum required
for that purpose. Now, when it is considered
that the stage fare between the two places in
the summer was only about twenty dollars,
and that Senator RICE, either in Minnesota,
Wisconsin, or Washington, possesses proper
ty enough to make any man of moderate de-
sires rich, it will be acknowledged that such
reason is too contemplate for any one of
his means and position to prefer, and
too absurd for any one of common sense
to accept.
So much for the pretence. Now for the
fact. Senator RICE kept himself aloof from
our late canvass because he dare not con-
meet himself to any efficient extent with it,
1t was a question with him whether he
should perform the obligations which he
owed to the Democracy of Minnesota and
lose by so doing the control of the federal
patronage, or whether he should disregard
those obligations and retain the control of
that patronage. He chose the latter as the
most important to his interests. He knew
that he must, unequivocaly, take one posi-
ton or the other, and that if he took the
former the consequences suggested would
inevitably follow. He received lesson on
this point at the very commencement of his
Senatorial career, which he has since laid
closely to heart, and kept in constant re-
membrance. Senator RICE went to Wash.
ington after his election to the Senate as the
devoted friend of DOUGLAS, and as the sup
porter of his Interpretation of the doctrine
of Popular Sovereignty. His position was
understood in Washington as we'll as in ST..
Paul. The Senator had for some years
enjoyed the unquestioned control of the
federal patronage in Minnesota. The con-
troll of this patronage in Minnesota had
been of the greatest benefit to him, and was,
in fact, the means by which he had been
able to advance himself to position 10 the
United States Senate. The Senator was
thus aware of the value of this patronage
and he decided to retain it. When, there