St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-23

he brought with him Blackstone, Glib
bon's, Scott's works and many other
books, which it is evident he read with
care and to good purpose. The letters
he sent cast to tell about this locality
Will not suffer by just comparison with
ike letters written to-day by our Off
Gals. tie did not seek to make gain at
the expense of the public good; his in
iiuence for consideration could not
be had. Chances to make cash
i such as many men seek with care. Or
make with design came into his path
only to be set aside. What would not
your modern Spectator give to have
the chance to locate the capital of state
like this. Sibley had the chance to
place it on his own property, but he
would not because it was his. And so
st. Paul is to-day st. Paul. The scenes
! ofIts early history, if they could be
seen, WOdld bring men from all parts OF
the world to see. The old homemade
cart, not nail or any iron of any kind
IN 1t, and high wheels which never had
grease placed on them; cow often, for
power. harnessed with primitive raw
hide. This conveyance, every time it
moved, told the story of quarter of
mile. The taciturn trapper for
driver, or the half-wild Indian,
as they had come in the spring
to sell the furs taken in the long, in
tense winter. Often hundreds of these
hunters came to and were in ST. Paul at
time, picturesque sight truly. No
railway or appliances of modern life as
we know them. All this has gone never
to return. Sibley saw it all and more.
The Indian wars he was prominent in
blamed by many at the time, praised by
few, but with that decision which
marked the man, he held the constant
tenor OF his way. And to-day some of
the best judges, as we'll as the great
majority of the people, say he was wise.
discreet, far seeing, and most patriotic.
lie was a prominent factor in the settle
ment of Indian questions of those tur-
whose word was his bond. No man
ever charged him with breaking faith
In any business enterprise or obli-
CATION. The much-veXed railway
bond reputation gave him much
anxiety and sorrow. The day
viii III saw it adjusted moved him
profoundly, almost to tears. He said to
Gov. PillSbury the day of its settlement,
Now can L die in peace. My name
was on the first bonds, and to repudiate
them was a great grief to me-" Gen.
SIbley was a man of decided opinions.
He was and he never pretended to be
anything but Democrat in politics;
yet. IN state strongly Republican he
gained and he kept the love of men of
all political creeds. He was an active
man. He believed that idleness is a
SIN, and that if man will not work he
ought to starve. TO try to obtain some
thing Tor nothing was not his way. He
N mo a nd nn
knew exactly what he meant by what
he said; duplicity was not his style. He
llVed as he died, in a reasonable, con-
hdent, quiet way, and desired that no
pageant mark his path to the grave;
ms man being dead yet speaketh.
he had an excellent spirit. (which,
when 1t Is present, men take example of
IL; when 1t is gone they desire it; it
Weareth crown and trlumpheth for
ever, having gotten victory forever.
striving for indebted rewards" Such
men take the part in dividends which
are invisible, for there are to all human
conduct invisible dividends. The man.
who loves DriDes of power, place of
profit, sometimes obtains them, often
not; but when successful he takes them,
and something he does not bargain for
or desire; it is the guilt, shame and dis
SloSOs 40 paw vi tliO SpOii' 1HC uidU
who in rugged, stern loyalty to the
truth to duty and to God. refuses cor
rupt compacts. rewards and pay,
obtains also his invisible share in
the appreciation of good and
true conscience. the loyal warm love
and esteem OF his fellow men, and the
rich satisfaction of having served his
generation and his God. 1t Will be an
i'll day. should it ever come. when this
state will let die the memory Of such
public life as Gen. Sibley's. Let us
rather think and hope that as long as
the evening lamp is trim ned and moth
erS talk to children in the long winter
evenings, as long as patriotism is re-
rered and disintereSted service is loved,
as long as the state OF Minnesota lasts
or its history is known, the life of the
man who built its first church, was its
first justice of the peace, first member
OF congress, first governor of it as state,
will be told to stimulate youth and to
show hoary age revered by high and
low alike.