The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-20
The Tone of the State Convention.

The most astounding mark of political
impudence which we have seen exhibited in
Minnesota, is the pretence of the Admins.
tration clique of the State that DOUGLAS
defeat was secured at the late State Con-
vention. This pretence is founded on the
fact that certain resolutions introduced by
Col. ROBERTSON were defeated, and certain
other resolutions reported from the commit
tee were passed. This ridiculous claim is
preferred by the office-holders on the streets,
and appropriately echoed in their organ, the
Minnesotian and Times, of this city. 1t
may be proper, though perhaps unnecessary,
to give the history of the resolutions re-
ported by the committee, and adopted by
the Convention with single dissenting
voice, for the purpose of preventing this
class of politicians, either personally, or
through their Black Republican organ,
from successfully libelling, in this manner,
the action and position of the Democracy
of Minnesota.
The resolutions adopted with such una.
nimity, were drafted by General SHIELDS,
and were designed as an expression of the
peculiar DOUGLAS sentiment Of the Conven.
ton. As such they were agreed to by the
strongest and most devoted friends Of DoUG.
LAS in and out of the body. After having
been thus approved, they were submitted by
Hon. e. L. BECKER to caucus of those
delegates who were supposed to sympathise
least with DOUGLAS, and to be most under
the influence of the administration. They
were agreed upon by that interest, and, &C
cording to the general understanding, were
presented by Mr.. BECKER to the Convention,
for reference, as mere matter Of form, to
the appropriate committee. No one antici-
pated either opposition or amendment to
them on the part of any delegate. They
were prepared by Gen. SHIELDS, the oldest
and best known friend of DOUGLAS in the
State. No honorable man will suspect him
OF preparing resolutions prejudicial to the
interests of his old associate and colleague
Nor are they thus prejudicial either to
DOUGLAS or his principles. For one, and as
a known supporter of him, we were satisfied
with the direct, manly, unequivocal express
sion Of preference contained in the first
resolution. The second we regarded as
mere surplusage, and of no practical account.
The vote in the Convention by which they
were referred TO the committee was unani-
nous, and it was understood that they were
to be reported back from the committee as
an expression Of the sense Of the Democ-
racy, without any change altering their
meaning, or impairing their tone. And
when, with this expectation, the resolutions
were thus reported back without amend
ment, the great body of the delegates was
prepared to vote for them. The introduce
ton of the additional resolutions by Col
ROBERTsON,--though there was nothing in
them, abstractly considered, against which
any friend of DOUGLAS could object,-were
yet regarded as inopportunely presented, as
being in violation of an arrangement pre-
scribed by the DOUGLAS interest, and as.
sented to by the opposition, and as being
without any practical Importance. They
were, therefore, under the circumstances,
very properly rejected !; while the original
resolutions were, with equal propriety,
adopted by an almost unanimous vote.
This is the history of the resolutions, so
far as we had any connection with them, or
knowledge of them. They were prepared
by General SHIELEs, at the request of some
Administration delegates, who desired to
know precisely what the DOUGLAS delegates
demanded. The demand thus placed in the
form of resolutions, was assented to by the
BUCHANAN interest, and endorsed by the
whole convention. These resolutions en-
dorse DOUGLAS as the first choice of the
Minnesota Democracy for the Charleston
nomination, without equivocatiou or qual6-
cation. If any enemy Of DoUGL AS
whether federal officer or Black Republican,
can extract any consolation out of that
resolution, or any other adopted by the
State Convention, he is most heartily wei
come to its enjoyment. He is equally well
come to any comfort he can derive from any
anticipated action of the delegates chosen.
Every man Of them is not only bound by the
action of the convention, but by the most
solemn and unequivocal pledges publicly
and privately given, to sustain DOUGLAS
with all his heart and strength. And there
is not man of them who has the disposition
to violate snch pledges, or who dare violate
them if he had the mind.
The friends of DOUGLAS are satisfied with
the action of the convention. If his enemies
are also pleased, it is happy circumstance,
and one rarely incident to the defeated
party in political body