The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-11-09
GOV. RAMSAY'S SPEECH.
When Nominated for Governor
of Minnesota in 1878.
PROVO, NoYember s, 1ss2.

ElLLbOIO II 81 CtGCL
AS the election will probably take
place before this can appear in
print, no one can truthfully charge
me with attempting to influence
voters or intimidating stump ora
tors. | do not take much stock in
these electioneering campaigns,
where the main object is to exert
undue influence over the people by
bossism, priestcraft or machine
politics. The revolt against bosses
and machines is everywhere pend
ing. The purity and integrity of P.
T. VanZile cannot be spread over
all of the cOrruptions Of the party
he represents, and his overwhelm-
ing defeat will be the more effec-
tive if it has a tendency to prevent
future administrations from at
tempting to dictate who shall be
elected to Office. To illustrate my
own private convictions of the re-
cent campaign, perhaps | cannot do
better than by quoting from a
speech delivered by Governor Ram
say, at Farribault, Mimi, in 1857 or
1858. Since, in my letter of August
14th, which appeared in the HER
AID, L intimated my ability to re-
produce verbatim report of the
spec from memory, some of my
friends have importuned me to do
so, while others accused me of hay
ing an "axe to grind" l will omit
those portions of the speech which
only applied to the issues of that
time, and l am satisfied that Gov
ernor Ramsay himself will ackoWl-
edge that l gave strict attention,
and that l have q very good mem
ory. The occasion was a grand
republican rally, at the time of the
first election in the new state of
Minnesota. Several prominent
speakers occupied the grand stand,
and some of them had INDUCED
somewhat in abusing the democratic
candidates: Governor Ramsay, being
introduced amid great applause,
said:
am surprised to see SO many
people here to-day, for l had an idea
that this portion of our Territory
was rather thInlY settled. The peo-
pie must have come together here
e FmaSSe, regardless of party lines,
and as there must be some of our
democratic friends present l wish
to speak more directly to them. If
there are any here who wish our
new state to take her place in the
Union, to be claSSed with the states
of mentioning several slave states),
it is your duty to vote the demo-
cratic ticket. = Some of you
might think from the remarks we
have heard that we were simply
opposed to the candidates of the
other party. l am personally ac-
quainted with most of them and
know them to be good, honorable
men. We are opposed to the prin-
ciples they advocate, and have
nothing TO do with the private
reputation of any man. 1t would
be useless to prosecute a political
speaker for defamation of character,
for tue man who would falsly &C
cuse another under these circum-
stances would not hesitate at per-
jury. Now, don't know what
may be accused of, and [ don't care
very much, even if they accuse me
of stealing sheep, [ would rather
admit what they say than attempt
to prove my innocence. | will
not prosecute them for libel
under any circumstance. A
friend of mine back in the
state of - was nominated for the
Office of constable in the town
where he lived. The other party
among other things, accused him OF
stealing sheep. This was more than
my friend could stand, and he com
mence6 an action in the courts fol-
defamation of character, laying his
damages very high. / demonstrated
with the man, and advised him tx
withdraw his suit and admit what
they had said to be true. But nay
| friend valued his reputation very
high, and knowing his own limo
ceHce, thought he had clear case
| Said he, They've called me sheer
| thief, and III make them prove it,
and I'll be hanged it they didn'
| prove it with peculiar shrug o.
the shoulders). In con
Icluding my remarks, l will say
have received the nomination of th,
| republican party for the Office o.
governor. | did not seek for thu
honor; and my advice to the youns
men here is, do not seek for office
and if you ever do accept of any
Office, you must make up your minc
to be abused. SinceI have accented
1.-The nomination I desire to b,
Ielected, but do not wish to gair
one single vote by abusing my CD
ponent."
Note-I have strictly followed
this advice of Governor Ramsey
and the result is, I have never &C
ceDted of any civil Office from tina
| day to this; the fact is, have never
had an opportunity of declining.
DOUBLE You BE.