The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-09
Great Democratic Meeting at Hastings!


SPEECHES BY MEssRs. BECKER, BRIsBIN AND
CAvANAUGH.
The most enthusiastic, and one OF the best
attended Democratic meetings of the pres
ent canvass, was held at Hastings, on Tues
day evening. Edison's Hall was crowded
about one-third more persons being present
than at the Republican gathering held on
the 23d ut
Hon. GEORGE L. BECKER commenced the
speaking, and in an address OF over an hour in
length, vindicated the position of the Demo.
cratic party on questions of State policy.
Mr.. B., unlike Gov. RAMSEY, did not con-
tent himself with merely pointing out the
financial difficulties under which the people
of the State suffer-he suggested a remedy,
and that remedy is contained in the thir-
tenth resolution of the Democratic plat
form. He criticised most thoroughly RAM
sEY's speech at Hastings, as reported in the
Minnesotian, aid exposed the deliberate
Justification of public laws and records by
the Ex-Governor. Mr.. BEcKER's speech was
enthusiastically received; it was we'll ma
tured, yet bold and manly enunciation Of
views of State policy. RAMSEY, and his
coadjutors, had carefully reported in Has
tings, that BECKER was unable to make a
speech. Yet this very falsehood worked to
the advantage of the Democratic candidate.
People could not avoid contrasting BEcKER's
statesmanlike and plausible remedy for ex-
listing evils with RAMsEY's shutting and non
committalism.
JOHN B. BRIsBIN, candidate for Attorney
General, followed Mr.. BECKER Mr.. B.
first referred to national politics, and
pointed out the great achievements of the
Democratic party. He traced the growth
of the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty,
from its origin in the revolutionary war,
when the people of the colonies rebelled
against the rule of GEORGE Ill, down to its
elimination in the Kansas. Nebraska bill,
in 1854. This portion of his speech was
particularly able, and elected applause. But
when the speaker entered the arena of State
politics, and scathingly CRITICS d the Repub-
lican platform, and Bluff Aleck," he pro-
duced great effect He showed conclusive
ly that according to its legal and legitimate
construction, the Republicans either intend
ed reputation or immediate taxation by
their platform-whle the Democracy pro.
posed to avoid both, by strengthening the
hands of the Railroad Companies, and by
legislative action, giving the lie to the proph-
ecies of reputation uttered by the BANNING
clique, which had deprecated the bonds and
rendered worthless our currency. Gov.
RAMSEY, as Director of, and stakeholder in
the Pacific Railroad, to the amount of
$4,000, was most strenuous and solicitous
in insisting that Gov. S1BLEY's ruling,
requiring deposit of first mortgage bonds,
as additional security, should be overruled,and
that currency should be issued on the bonds
of that road, at the same rate it had been
issued to JOHN w. NORTH, in his PEAsE
garranement, but without priority of lien.
as in that instance, in favor of the State,
We hope to be able to give one of Mr..
BR1sB1N's speeches, in full, on this subject,
before the canvass closes. On questions of
State and national policy, we unhesitatingly
pronounce his Hastings speech to be the
most thoroughly argumentative and effective,
that has ever been delivered in Minnesota.
JAMES NJ. CAvANArGH followed Mr..
BR1sB1N in brief speech. Mr.. G. had with
him the secret records of WINDOWS connec-
ton with Know Nothingism in Ohio, and
proved, as HENRY A. WISE did in Virginia
in 1854, the tendencies of that order and
the political character of its members, by
the production of such irrefutable proof as
its secret proceedings, in which WINDOW,
figures as conspicuous member. Mr.. G.
then went into a statement of his career in
Congress, explaining and defending his votes
and speeches.
After the conclusion of CAvANAUGH's
speech, the meeting adjourned with thrse
cheers for the Democratic nominees.
We have rarely seen as good feeling any
where as was manifested at Hastings. The
meetinU worked Tn the advan-
tage of the Democracy. RAMSEY was irrita-
Die, non committal, and unrelentingly bitter
against Democrats personally DoNNELLY
vas heavy and sleepy, enlivened by an inju-
licious admixture of BLACKBOARD stories,
which drove many good men disguised from
he room; GooDRICH. as usual, was scoffer
md blasphemer. Set Dakota down for 500
Democratic majority
A LETTER writer thinks witnessing BLoN-