The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-21
MINNESOTA ELECTION FRAUDS.

The Washington correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Inquirer makes the following interest
ing revelations in regard to the gross frauds
by which the Black Democracy elected Gov
ernor, secured majority in the Minnesota
Legislature, and as consequence elected two
men to the Senate
Washington, July s, l859.-A leading
Democrat in the State of Minnesota being here
some days ago, fell in conversation with
friend, to whom he revealed the mode of ma
king citizens and voters ont of Indians as
practiced at Pembina, in Minnesota, at the
election two years ago. The mOduS Operdndi,
according to his statement and he ought to
know, was this an Indian was taken to some
convenient place, dressed up in white mems
clothes, handed a ticket, and then marched to
the poll, where he deposited the ticket as di
rected, unquestiOned, and then taken back,
stripped of his Clothes given a drink of whisky,
and sent adrift.z The clothes were then put
upon another, VITO went through the same pro-
cess, and SO on till the managers thought they
had got as many votes as were needed.
" But why all this trouble should have been
taken, if the revelations lately made by low
ernor German are true, | cannot understand,
except that those who voted the Indians i'll the
manner above related were ignorant of the
fact, that the election was to be carried by
false returns if such became necessary.
- The Ex-Governor lately let the cat out of
the bag, in a conversation held with and in
the presence of sundry gentlemen of both par
ties, in Chatfeld, Minnesota. But what he has
stated was surmiscd and charged upon Rice,
Sibey, and company, Immediately after the
election took place.
." Rice was the Delegate in Congress from
Minnesota, and, as the Territory was about to
become a State, was ambitious to be elected
one of its I. S. Senators of course it behoov-
ed him to take good care of the election, and
endeavor to give his party the power. Alex
ander Ramsay, well known in PENNSYLVANIA
was the Opposition candidate for Governor
under the new Constitution, and Mr. Sibley
the Democratic candidate. BY the returns, as
proclaimed by the Democratic Governor, Sam
Medary, Mr. Sibley was elected by small ma
jority, and the Democrats had small majority
III the Legislature. But how was this accom-
plshed? Let the leaky Ex-Governor answer
Governor German declared saws the Chat
field Min.) RepublicdR, that he knew, from his
own personal knowledge, that the Rice men,
headed by Henry NJ Rice himself, did. two
years ago, in Becker's law Office, fix up the
plan by means of which the canvass of the
election in 1857 was made. The Governor
further declared that it was known not only to
himself, but to others in and around st. Paul,
that the first arrangement of Fl. NJ. Rice with
the returns defeated Sbley, but that this ere
ated such a row in the camp that Rice backed
down, and altered the plan, and Sibley was
elected by the next arrangement by 249 ma
Jority. Damn it, said the Governor, referring
to the Democrats present, we all know this {;
and yet these same tricky Moccasinites would
set themselves up again for honest Democrats
To vote for
The term Moccasinites,' here used, has
reference to Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Sibley, who
were both formerly Indian traders.
Now it will be recollected, that a Mr..
James w. Lynde, Democratic editor in that
State lately threw up his employment, and de-
clared that he would no longer support a party
which he kneoc to be abominably corrupt and
prohigate, and which resorted to forgeries TO
carry elections. His declaration is so far con
hrmatory of the late confessions and revela
tons OF Governor German. Blu. it NAV be ask
ed, why Governor G.. should thus reveal the
secrets of his party7 What motive had he to
do sof Perhaps no particular motive; but
the Governor Is the last man in the world who
should be intrusted with a secret for il is ut
terly impossible for him to keep one, even if
the revelation of it were to hang him. He is
naturally leaky."