The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-04-26
Great Union Meeting to Sustain the
Government.


The largest meeting ever held in st.
Paul was at the Capitol Thursday night, to
express the devotion of our citizens to the
Union their determination to sustain our
National Government at all hazards, in
defending our national flag, our national
honor and our national existence. The
Hall of the House of Representatives was
packed with people, and hundreds could not
obtain footing inside the door.
The meeting was called to order by AL
derman William Branch, of the First
Ward.
Hon, John s. Prince, Mayor of the city,
was elected President by reclamation.
On motion, the following gentlemen were
selected Vice Presidents:
D. w. Ingersoll, Earle S. Goodrich, Jas.
Smith, Jr., j. P. Kidder, Henry Hale,
John M. Gilman, Aaron Goodrich, William
Branch, VIM. j. Cullen, G. M. Daley,
Walter w. Webb, Isaac Van Etten, and
J.W. Bass.
On motion of William Lee, ESQ.,, John
p. Owens, of the Press, and Louis E..
Fisher, of the PIONEER, were elected Sec
retaries.
Slas B. A. Haynes, Esq, moved that
committee of thirteen be appointed to re-
port resolutions to be submitted at an ad-
journed meeting to be held Friday night.
Mr.. s. P. Jennison moved that the Ma
tional Flag of thirty-four stars be our Sc.
series of resolutions. Carried with much
applause.
The motion of Mr.. Haynes was then
adopted, and the President announced the
names of the following gentlemen as the
committee:
Messrs. S. B. A: Haynes, John M. Gil
man, Aaron Goodrich, James Smith Jr,
r. F. Houseworth, William Lee, D. w.
Ingersoll, w. A. German, VIM. Branch,
Capt. Howard Stansbury, U. S. A., Alex.
Wilkin, John O'Gorman, Louis Semper.
The members of the committee were no.
tilted to meet at the Office of Judge Good
ich on Friday, at II o'clock.
At this point in the proceedings, it be-
came evident that only a small portion of
the people assembled in and about the
Hall, would be able to hear the speeches,
and an adjournment was had to the front of
the Capitol, in the open air, where the meet
was called to order again by the Mayor.
This arrangement prevented any attempt
on the part of the reporter to give to the
public the remarks of the gentlemen who
addressed the meeting.
Judge Goodrich made short speech and
was followed by Hon. John M. Gilman, in
one of the most eloquent and stirring speech
es, it has even been our fortune to hear in
this State. He waived all consideration of
ideas held by himself and others, of how
our national difficulties might have been
settled and the present crisis averted, and
advocated the mergement of all political
parties into one body, with one idea and
one purpose-to sustain the constituted
authorities of the Government in preserving
our national honor and crushing out trea.
son. His eloquence touched the popular
heart, and men of all political sentiments
Wed with each other applaudiug the senti"
ments of the speaker.
He was followed by Lieut.. Gov. Donnelly,
and James w. Taylor. Esq. The clear,
ringing voice of the latter gentleman was
heard for long distance, and the last word
of every sentence was distinctly echoed
back to the crowd. His sentiments also
found an echoing response in every heart.
The meeting was then adjourned.
The most pleasant feature of the occa-
sion was the entire obliteration of every
trace of party feeling. All political preju-
dices and asperities seemed to have melted
away and party platforms were forgotten,
in the united determination to sustain our
common government.