Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-09-17
The Discussion At Faribault between
the Nominees for Attorney General..-
Cole Triumphant!

FAR1BAuLr, Sept. 7, 1859.
To the Editors Of the Ainnesotian:
The first contest between the unrivalled
champion of the Railroad Taxation Democra-
cy, the immortal "Briz," and our fellow-towns
man Gordon E. Cole, the Republican nominee
for Attorney General, came off at this place
last evening.
The friends of misrule and Democratic
skulduggery had been for some days looking
forward to the time of this meeting as Pc
Rod long to be remembered by the faithful"
(and, Mr.. Editor, am decidedly of the opin-
ion they'll not forget it soon) as forming an
interesting epoch in the history Of the Mecca
sin Democracy of Minnesota.
"Briz will use up your Republican nominee!
there won't be grease-spot left of Cole,
after the first evening were the common
remarks of the (un) terrified.
So confidently did they boast of the "great
power" and "prowess of their champion
that few timid Republicans expressed re-
gret that Mr. Cole had accepted the challenge
of the Democratic Goliath of St Paul.
But those who knew Mr. Cole, and knew
him well, were calm and fearless-they
knew their man and were not afraid of the
consequences of a collision between the two
men. They were confident that although Mr..
Cole was not himself, nor by his friends, con-
stantly proclaiming his powers as stump
speaker, with Railroad ready to back him
up in every position, and pay him big sal
airy from the peoples funds for aiding them in
their efforts to still further swindle the peo-
ple-he was yet man who had a clear head,
logical mind, and was thoroughly posted !;
and who in the cause of right and justice
knew no such word as fail
The meeting for the debate was held in Ma
jor Fowler's new store in ,Faribault Square,
which was filled to overlooking.
The debate was opened by Mr.. Cole, who
spoke for one hour He first reviewed the
Democratic State platform, on national ques-
tons, in one of the most able and eloquent
speeches which has ever been made in Fari-
bault. Being amongst his own friends and
neighbors, he threw aside all the trammels of
mere set speech, and pitched in generally.
He showed conclusively that the platform of
the minnesota Democracy" was not only in
opposition to all the principles of the great
founders and fathers of the Republic; contra
ry to the principles of Thomas jefferson, now
claimed by the Minnesota Democrats to be the
great apostle of American Democracy; but
contrary to the principles of more than three
fourths of the selfstyled Democratic party of
the Union. He challenged the Minnesota De-
mocracy to show the slightest proof of the ex-
istence of their present principles upon the
popular or squatter sovereignty plank prior to
the writing Of the famous Nicholson letter by
General Cass in 1S4S.
Mr.. Cole next disposed of the false pre-
fences of the Democracy on the Homestead
question, in a manner which must have been
anything but agreeable to the very few friends
of General Shields, in our town. Mr.. Cole
had the records present, and if we mistake
not, many an honest Irishman left the meet
ing fully satisfied that General James Shields
has deeper interest in the welfare of the old
hero's political prospects than in that of his
fellow countrynen in Minnesota and that
Jim. Cavanaugh's faltering' 'hesitating and
bowling about Know Nothingism have more
direct reference to "our Jim's" election to
Congress than to the Irishman's homestead
in Minnesota. ,..... -..-,... ---..
He next briefly referred to the Democratic
love of foreign-born citizens showed that the
naturalization laws of the United States were
intended to confer upon the foreigner who
complied with their requirements all the rights,
privileges and immunities, Of the native-born
citizens; and consequently, that be was enti-
tied to all the protection of the natural born
citizen of the United States, in every land and
in every cline. And he then showed up the
doctrine of the Democracy upon this subject,
as enunciated by the illustrious General
Class s.g --.,- ... ......r....
The hour allotted to Mr.. Cole having ex-
pired. the Attorney General of the Minnesota