Daily globe., 1879-01-25
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Celebrating the Thirtieth Anniverzary-
Interesting Addresses by Gems. sibley and

Celebrating the Thirtietl Anniverzary-
Interesting Addresses by Gems. sibley and
Baker.
The thirtieth anniversary of the State His
| torical society, last night, was duly and appro-
priately observed by public meeting at the
capitol. The occasion was made interesting by
two eloquent and entertaining addresses from
Gen. b. H. Sibley and Gen. J. Fl. Baker: The
attendance was large; many of the old settlers
being present, and not few ladies honor
ing the occasion and meeting with the r
| attention. At 1880 o'clock the exercises
were opened with the following address by
Gen. Sibley:
Fellow citizens: We have met this evening
| to celebrate the thirtieth year of the existence
| OF the Minnesota Historical society as corpo-
rate body. created by the legislative power of
the Territory and confirmed by the State in her
| fundamental law. 1t marks an epoch in the
progression of an institution whichA almost
coeval with the distinct political organization
Of Minnesota, it having been incorporated by
an act of the first legislative assembly of the
Territory, approved Oct. co. 1849. That legis-
lature merits honored recognition and remem-
membrance for thus early pro:iding an agency
Tor the collection and preservation of records
ana other material illustrative of different
phases in the history of Minnesota and the
Northwest generally. In no other of the Ter
rltories, except perhaps Wisconsin, has such
forethought been displayed at the outset of
their political career. majority Of the origi-
nal corporators, and still larger p1 portion of
the members of the legislative assembly which
created the corporation, ''sleep the sleep that
knows no waking" They formed a part of the
small army of earnest and energetic pioneers
VINO were potential in laying deep and broad
| tne t'undat!ons OF new commonwealth, and
who have left their impress upon the institu-
| lions and character Of the State
For several years the society, sharing in the
draWbacks and discouragements incident to
new country, made but little headway and at
traeted' com paratively speaking, no public at
tentlSn. ten 1T was only after the admission of
| the State into the Union, and particularly
when the war of the rebellion was terminated,
that new life was infused into it, and citizens
| IN all parts of the State began to manifest
| deep interest in the efforts of its managers to
achieve success. To-day thanks to the liberal
lty OF The legislature, of kindred organizations
elsewhere, and of individuals outside as well as
inside of our own State limits, the society pre-
| sents Itself to you as an institution of which
| every citizen of Minnesota may we'll be proud
1t possesses library of 5000 bound, and
| nearly l3,OOO unbound volumes, of valuable
and interesting works, many of which are 20
rare as to be found in few public or private
collections. The complete files of the news
papers of the territory and State, upon its
shelves, are of themselves of priceless value,
and manuscripts explanatory of important
events IN years past, are preserved in its files,
for present or future reference. All of this
| treasure-house OF useful information is open to
! every one, equally so to the private citizen, as
to the highest officials of the State. It belongs
to the people of the State at large, and to no
one else
AS The Importance and benefcent workings
of the society become more and more apparent,
| with the advance OF the State in population
| ana wealth, it may reasonably be predicted that
not only will larger contributions from like
institutions in this country, and Europe, of
| costly and valuable books be made, but be-
quests and endowments be obtained from our
own citizens, who may desire to aid in the
| diffusion of useful knowledge among the mass
es. Many document OF inestimable value
will also lind its way into this common recep-
tac]e, which otherwise would be lost to the
public. As a case in point, I hold in my hand
! q. paper which will call to mind one of the
bloodiest and most mournful episodes in the
| annals of the State 1t is the original order of
the martyred Lincoln, addressed to me, then
IN command of the military district of Min
| nesota, to proceed to execute by hanging thir-
| ty-nlne sioux warriors of the number taken
prisoners after the battle of Wood Lake. and
| portion OF the more than three hundred of
them who had been sentenced to be hung by
| the military commission constituted by myself,
for participation in the murders and massa-
| cres OF August, 1862, perpetrated during the
terrible outbreak of that year. In this order
! the names and number of the doomed men,
| Accord >g to the record furnished the Presi-
dent, are carefully and accurately writ.
ten, all IN his own handwriting, covering more
Executive Mansion, Washington City, Dec 6,
1862, and signed Abraham Lincoln, President
OF the United States. It was a natural de-
termination on my part to leave this death
warrant as precious heirloom to my children =;
but a sense Of duty to the people Of the State
! inch
desire. and to present the paper to the Histori-
| cal society, where it could be seen and read by
| every visitor. It would seem that the Presi-
dent, deeply impressed by the soiemnity of the
occasion, and unwilling to trust tho prepar-
alton of the order to other hands, re tired to the
| privacy of his study and prepared the mandate
| which consigned thirty-nine human beings to
! the scaffold. AS historical document it will
be regarded, as the years roll on. in the light of
| an invaluable relic Of the lamented chief mag
! lstrate, who is second only to George Wash
| ington in the hearts of his countrvmen
To no other institution than this society would
| l have been willing to confide so highly priced
| a momento of the past, and it is but ono of
| many manuscripts of great interest which have
already been, and will hereafter be added to
| its collection.
! Wisconsin has like organization, which is
treated as quasi department of the State gov
eminent, and receives annually liberal appro-
| rrlatlon Tor It's enlargement and support
Being many years older than our own, it has ac-
| cumnlated correspondingly larger library, oc-
| cuples commodlous apartments in the State
| capitol at Madison and is source of pride to
every citizen. Others of the new States have
| made commendable progress in the same direc-
! tion.
! To the honorable members of the legislature
| Cow In session, the society appeals for con-
tlnuation of the liberal aid heretofore extended
| to it, on behalf of the people of the State and
OF their descendants, who are to reap the fruits
| of its labors Far elevated above the eLhemeral
| questions that agitate the body polite from
year to year, and intent only upon the accom-
plishment Of the object for which it was
| verify trust and believe, will not cease to be a
center of increasing interest, instruction and
| attraction to our citizens, long after all of us
! like streaks of morning cloud shall have
melted into the infinite azure of the past.'
GEN. BAKER 8 ADDRESS.
! At the conclusion of his speech, Gen. Sibley
introduced Gen. J. II. Baker, stating he would
deliver the annual address to the society and
its friends. Gen. Baker began by remarkine
| that he wished to disabuse the minds of the
! audience of any idea of address. He had
prepared paper upon Lake Superior and
| would read it.
The general then gave an address occupying
| an hour In delivery, with an occasional refer
| ence to his manuscript. He gave an account of
| it as natnre made it, man traversed it and
| as ages had rolled over its service.
| Its geology was declared to unfold history of
| millions of years. Then came the epoch when
its circuit of l,500 miles was peopled by races
engaged in the industry of commerce-the pre-
historic man. The evidences of the existen ce
of the mound-buildcr were here, his implements
and symbols of his pursuits were manifest on
all sides.
THR JESUIT FATHERS.
In alluding to the historic period of the re-
giop. religion was declared to be the grand in