St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-20

days-GeOrge Bradley, William Sprigg
Hall, John Mcmahon Holland, Charles
E. Flandrau, j. Travis RosSer, Robert
Smith, John B. Brisbin, Isaac Atwater,
w. w. McNair. William LOchren, Eu-
gene NJ. Wilson and host of others. OF
all this company of bright intellectual
lights Mr.. Wilson easily took rank
among the first. But he possessed
something better than even high intel
lectual capacity-a warm heart, perfect
truthfulness, high sense of honor and
q nature so genial and kindly that it in
Sensibly drew all hearts to him like a
magnet. In some of the encomiumS
passed upon Mr.. Wilson's character
since the sad news of his death came to
us, observe that he has been called ''a
descriptive adjective. All gentlemen
have been born or educated. Its given
to no particular locality TO monopOlize
the die that strikes the stamp of Gen
tleman" upon the human coin.
The rank is but the guinea stamp
The mans the gowd for a thai!
And with all of the rough, uncouth, I'M
finished features of our early Minnesota
society, it never lacked for gentlemen
and they came, too, from every state in
the Union and from nearly every coun-
try in Europe.
/ first saw the subject of this sketch
I'm state convention-in either '5S or
80. He took the floor on some minor
topic, and delivered one of his brief and
pithy speeches. striking the center of
the subject without circumlocutiOn, and
carrying his point-as he nearly always
did-with the least possible effort. l
Shall never forget the impression he
made upon me. and although | had no
personal acquaintance with him, my
friendship for him. and confidence in
his integrity, dated from that incident.
Later years, and a more perfect knowl-
edge of his character only served to
deepen and confirm that first impress
sion,
DURING THE WAR,
and while he commanded company in
the First Minnesota cavalry Jour
Mounted Rangers, as the organization
was locally KNOWN became more init
mately acquainted with him. He was
periors and wOrshiped by his interiors
in rank, Had he chosen the broader
military field in the South, there would
have been no limit to the probabilities
of his promotion, Indeed, have heard
that q cannot vOnch for the truth of the
rumor) Governor Ramsey went SO far as
to tender him the colonelcy of a regi-
ment. His courage was tried many
time during the years campaign of his
regiment against the Indians. and it
would be Superf1uOuS to say that it was
never found wanting.
His chief characteristic in his inter-
course with men, however, was unfail-
ing courtesy. And in the practice of
ic vi, nd
aire and bod carrier. statesman and
roustabout, saint and sinner, stood on a
perfect equality before him. Indeed,
his political enemies Il never heard that
he had other than political ones) often
turned this virtue to his disadvantage.
s'WilSOn is demagOgue," they would
say; ''lOok at him crossing the street TO
shake hands with that poor devil" But
the poor devil knew differently, and as
he looked at the clean gentleman stand
ing before him with smiling face and
outstretched hand he realized that there
was at least one man that claimed to be
q gentleman that recognized their kin
ship. "NOblesse Oblige," and with him
the obligation was never laid aside.
How much better and sweeter this
crude old world of ours would grow if
all men of great wealth and high sta
tion would practice the same courtesy
to the poor and weak. The same trib-
ute is to-day being paid to his memory
by the younger members of the bar, and
many are the incidents related. Let
me give one that was told me only a
day or two ago:
81 had my first case against Eugene
Wilson," said the speaker-now a
prominent attorney, land / was as awk-
ward as big Newfoundland pup l
felt all the time that was beaten, and
was Inclined to quarrel with fate for
having put him against me in my very
first case. struggled along during the
forenoon. fancying that the Judge and
all the spectators were guying me in
their hearts, and particularly yexed