The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-03
The Railroad Festival at st. ClOOd.

OAO~>' -'~''~"S' AVoAA
inst, comes freighted with the toasts and
speeches at the Railroad Festival at that
place on the evening of the 23d. The
speeches were excellent, and we regret
that we have not room for some of them.
Among the attractions of the festal board
were "oysters, servedin the many different
ways that man has invented for preparing
the bivalves, passed 'around and dis
cussed; fowls disappeared by the quantity !;
pastry, confectionery, creams, jellies and
the like melted away as dew before the ris-
ing sun, while fruit followed quickly after,
and still the supply seemed no nearer ex-
hausted than BEFORE
VIM. j. PARSONS, Esq, presided, and at
his request, Hon. E. O. HAMLlN, Chairman
Of the Committee on Invitations, read let
tiers from Hon. (now Cow HENRY A.
SWIFT, and Hons CHAs. TAYLOR, r.
OrTMAN, JAMES SMITH, jr., G. W. NASH,
and N. DANE, expressing regret at their
inability to be present, and speaking in
tlattering terms of the energy and ability
OF the Delegation from this District
Mr.. PARSONS then read the first regular
toast:
]. The President of the United States
This was responded to briefly but felicit-
ously by S. B. PlNNEY. Esq.
.. The Congress of the United States
7. G. MCCLURE, Esq, responded to this
sentiment The benefits of the Home
stead Bill and the Railroad Land Grant,
especially that from Lake Superior to St.
Cloud, were spoken Of in appropriate
terms.
5. The judiciary of the United States-Amid
the turmoil of civil war as well as amid the
years of peaceful prosperity Which we hope for
in the future, may the judicial erlnine be pre-
served in spotless purity.
This toast was eloquently responded to
by VIM. II. WooD, ESQ.
H. The Army and Navy of the United States
In their patriotism, courage and endurance
the country has unlimited trust and confidence:
upon their brilliant achievements we look with
pTOuu diit IllciI 10 lC
Constitution and the Union we find a sure guar
antee for the union and liberty of the Ameri
can people.
The response by COL MINOR I. THOMAS,
of the Sth Minnesota Regiment, has the
ring of the true soldier.
5. The American Union 1t must and shall
be preserved"
To this toast, the Hon. Z. O. HAMLIN
made beautiful and eloquent response.
6. The State of Minnesota-Though her peo-
pie have known what it is for 1.-THE grasshopper
to become burden; desire to fail: and her
mourners to 90 about the Streets" yet the in
domitable energy, undying patriotism and de-
termined courage of her sons have not only ac-
complished her prosperity at home, beneath
her own Italian skies and by the margins of
her incompatible lakes and rivers, but have
carried her fame and proudly established their
own good name on a score of battle fields and
in almost every State of the Union.
Capt E. NJ. WILSON, of the LIST regi
ment Minnesota Mounted Rangers, in re-
spending, related the experiences Of the
early years of Minnesota how, having
been a resident since 1866, when every
man owned his town-site and thought him.
self either millionaire or on the sure
road of becoming one; he had seen the
State pass through the grasshopper scour-
ges of '56 and 81, and, when in her in
fancy, through the financial crisis of the
latter year, which Frustrated business
throughout the old States of the East !;
and through the horrors of the Indian raid.
He spoke of the elasticity of our young
State, and how quickly she had shaken off
these depressing influences, and said if the
Indian question was settled properly eIli-
grafton would flow in, and the iron horse
would soon be rushing up to our very doors.
The Delegation from the Third Senatorial
District, and their co-workers in the last Leg
stature Well done, good and faithful SER
wants"
Hon. VIM. S. MOORE, Senator from the
St. Cloud District, responded briefly to
the toast.
s. The Great Northwest-The beautiful and
fruitful mother of the 6 Father of Waters"
The response to this toast was made by
GEO. W. SWEET, Esq, of Benton county,
who gave history Of the mighty progress
of the Northwest even within the past fifteen
years; of the boundless resources it con-
tanned, and what might be expected in the
future.
9. The Railroad to Lake Superior-connect-
ing with its iron hands the greatest OF American
Lakes with the greatest of American Rivers.
Hon. HENRY G. WAIT, Representative
from this District, made suitable response
to this toast.
10. The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad with
its Branches-the Pioneer Railroad of MinnesO-
ta-May it follow, and that right speedily, in
the pathway OF the Star of Empire"
Our old friend, A. B. CURRY, formerly
of St. Paul, made a fine practical speech
in response to this sentiment, on the bene-
fits of the great chain of railroad from the
commercial emporiums of the East to St.
Paul, traversing our own beautiful State,
and placing them and the lakes of British
America, and even the trading posts at
Hudson Bay, comparatively few days
apart.