St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-06
The Minnesota House of Rep
resentatives Thirty-Odd
Years Ago.
How Amos CoggsWell Desert
ed the Republicans at
That Time.
In a Family Fraeas Father
and Son Carve Each
Other.
Burglars Loot a Store in Day
light, but Make Little
Haul.

The fact that history sometimes re-
peats itself, was being commented upon
recently, by an old-time politician, who
recalled the fact that just before the war,
the legislature and governor were pO-
litically opposed. the former being Re-
publican and the latter Democratic.
Clerk Dorival, of the senate engrosSing
committee, heard the remark and at
once fell into reminiscent strain.
lie began by commenting on the fact
that now. on Saturday night, nearly
every member could go home and re.
turn in season for the Monday morning
session. In the old time it was widely
different. Said he:
A three days Journey in a lumber
wagon. with so below and better, made
a good hot stove and a warm supper
feel and taste good at the old WiDslow,
Dec. 3, 1859. L think, as look back on
it, that | should have frozen had it not
been for an old cotto; umbrella that the
whole party laughed at, carried by a
wise gentleman. They made me, the
kid, sit on the seat with him, fearing
they would get pofed with it. have
ever since had the greatest respect for
that old umbrel;' it was life-saver on
the prairies. The party consisted of
members of the Legislature and one kid
looking for a job; and he got it. The
Twin cities were then mere villages and
the rivalry was between st. Anthony
and minneapolis. Each claimed to be
the head of navigation on the middle
Mississippi boats ran above the falls,
and which of the two was the
head depended on which side of
the river the boat landed on. l don't
know that 1t was ever settled between
them. The legislature was Republican,
and the state officers were Democratic
until the 1st of January, 1860. History
repeats itself in that. as in this case the
legislature was forninSt the governor.
The house organized by the election of
Amos COggsWell for speaker, and how
it came about was little curious. He
then got the name of 'Goodby Coggs-
WE'LL
"People these days came to Mime
sofa for the purpose of health, to
breathe the fresh air and drink the pure
water. Now they come to have pleasure
in breathing foul air and drinking poor
whisky with cream on the side. These
health-seekers claimed that their babies
did not do as well. nor did they like the
white nurse as we'll as they did their
black mamma. 1t had bad effect, and
they complained to the good people of
this city, which the good people took to
heart, especially as money was scarce.
So they took it in their heads that if
they could do away with that clause of
the constitution that forbade their
Southern friends from bringing their
servants with them slave was never
mentioned) during the summer, how
the gold would roll in. A resolution
nicely framed was TO do the work, and
of hot
of the Republicans i'll and around these
health resorts would have been glad to
| have seen it pass and then kidnapped the
servants had they come. The resolu-
ton was introduced, all the Democrats
voting for and the Republicans against
it, except One-COggSwel SecOmbe
arose and said: Good bye, CoggsWell,
and it has been good bye ever since.
1.-The house had seventy-iive members.
Its officers consisted of chief clerk, as
| sistant clerk. enrolling clerk, engross-
ing clerk, sergeant-at-armS and two
pages, one big one to bring the mail to
the capitol. History don't repeat itself
| in this. The first fight was for senator
ship. Morton S. Wilkinson took the
cake against Dan Norton, who after
ward became senator and JohnSOniZed
| during his term.
1.-The next fight was for state printer
with two Republican papers after it.
| The mode of warfare was throwing taffy
at the members. DR.. Foster was for
one and eX-Gov. Marshall the other. 1t
| had been patched up some way and
| Marshall got the control of one of the
papers. His taffy got too thick for the
| doctor and he got mad and one morning
| came out saying, Marshall used to ped
die milk. Now he peddles milk and
water They neither got there. They
was after 'Awfull Brown as they called
him, and he got there.
"A hot shot came one day where il
was least expected. There were two
members, both Republican, from adj
! Joining counties. will call one Brother
| A., as he is still living and enjoying the
| fruits of virtuOuS life: fine-looking
large, handsome man-in fact, the very
| man that the ladies so much love. Ad
| joining the village in which he lived
| was a fine section of school land timber
| and rumor said that people living in
! the village sometimes crossed over on
this land for wood. Brother A. was
| foremost in the business of the house
| and was seated right up to the clerks
desk. Brother B., a good, honest. man,
| like George Washington. never told q
| lie, but had one bad habit-Sitting near
lltS QOOt-tllc DGlLcI W ltdNS IL OccdSlOU
| required, without disturbing business,
He made but one speech. There was
under discussion bill to prevent the
trespaSs on school lands; with a penal
clause, coniiscating of the team. ETC., If
caught. To the latter clause Brother
A. was opposed. and aired his bloviator.
being in favor of everything therein
contained except the losing of his team.
He wanted that part struck out. In the
course of his remarks he said: Now
suppose borrowed my neighbours team,
went onto the school land, cut down
| the timber. loaded it, and was going
home and was caught" At this mo-
ment voice from the rear came call
ing out: Mr.. Speaker, MIR. Speaker"
All the members turned around to see
from whence the voice came. 1t was
from Brother B.. who, standing up,
With his finger pointed to the speaker,
said: MIR. Speaker, [ will bet you 500
there is not another man in this house
would do it," He dropped down, and
in about minute saw him slip out to
load up with grape" for another hot
shot.