The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-15

TONS and provided for general terri
torial convention. to be held at St Paul.
July %. Here the name Republican was
first applied to party within the territory.
This name was adopted by the July con-
vention, the call for which was signed by
Alexander Ramsey, William R. Marshall.
and about twelve others. The convention
adopted a strong set Of resolutions. 1t
elected a central committee of fifteen. of
which the writer was made chairman and
was thus provided with the full machinery
Of a party, which even aounited Democracy
could hardly make head against. This con-
vention nominated William R. Marshall as
delegate to congress. On the same day Mr..
Rice was nominated as the Democratic can
didate Of the National Democracy Some
time after this Mr.. Olmsted was brought
out as the anti-Nebraska. Democratic can
didate. The election resulted in favor of
Mr.. Rice. he getting handsome plurality,
but not a majoritys5
The meeting at St. Anthony put into the
platform a Maine liquor law plank This
law was approved by about so per cent of
all the church bells of the city rang for
joy. The ds5Democrats denounced
the pro-slavery ideas of the National Dem
ocrats, and the Maine liquor law of the
Republicans. Minnesota, at this early date,
had acquired a large German population
Of whom so per cent, at least, were anti
slavery, and 100 per cent against the Maine
liquor law. They voted principally for
Olmsted. This was the first and last at
tempt ever made in a Republican general
convention for a general prohibitory liouor
lay in Minnesota.
In 1854 and 1855 a matter creating oui+a
a commotion in politics, arose out OF A
grant of lands made by congress to aid
in the building OF railroads. Immediately
upon the passage Of the act a word had
been changed so as TO give the lands to
a then existing company. Congress in
its indignation, Immediately repealed the
act The company claimed that rights were
at once vested in the grant which placed
D1X0n0 A
political fight arose in Minnesota. con-
fined solely to the Democrats The marty
friends of the railroad company. headed BY
Mr.. Rice on one side, and the friends and
appointees of Gen. German on tho other
The latter called themselves "anti-fraud
democrats In year or two thereafter
the United States courts decided that the
repeating act was valid, and that no grant
existed. o '-A'
The rapid growth of the Republicans
united the different factions of the Demo
crauc party; Nearly all of the speakers
among the Republicans Of national reputa
ton were brought to Minnesota to do mis-
sionary work. or these. I can recall the
names of Lyman TrqmbuI. owen Love
Mace, Galusha A. Grow, SCHUYLER Col
fax, Carl Schurz and F. P. Blair Jr.
Another speaker who exercised great in
fence was Carl Schurz
In 1857 commenced the great caun.igr
wherein the stakes were many times Larger
than ever before. state constitution was
to be made and adopted, and under It a
governor and state officers were TO he eIect
ed, two, II not three members Of conoress
and two United States senators. In view
OF these great prizes. all factions in either
party came together and the battle was
fought with united forces on both sides
In the first election both sides claimed the
election of a majority of their own faith
as delegates to the constitutional conyen-
tlon. upon the arrival OF the delegates at
st. Paul an effort was made by the lead
ers to agree upon a line Of conduct which
would avoid a disgraceful scene and per
maps a failure to make a constitution at
all. The parties could not agree, and each
side prepared to grab first, and as much
as they could. Or. to use the language of
the respective parties. to secure their rights
The convention was to meet in the hall ~
the house of representatives at 10 m Az
both territorial and city administrations
were Democratic. 1t was feared on the mart
OF the Republicans that an attempt might
De made to clear the hall of Republicans
or to prevent, by the aid of the police the
entrance Of Republican delegates to the hall.
The Republicans concluded to take posses
sion or the hall the evening before camD
there all night, and be on hand when the
hour arrived. This they did AS the hour
approached the Democratic delegates came
into the hall, and precisely at u O'Clock
Mr.. Chase secretary of the territory. and
Mr.. North a Republican delegate sprang
to their feet. nominated a chairman and
declared him elected. The chairman de-
cIared elected by Mr.. North got possession
of the seat first, and the Republicans pro-
ceeded to organize the convention The
Democrats withdrew. and after caucusing
while appeared at the outside of the
door of the hall with ex-Gov. German at
their head. He. after looking in. turned
to his followers, and in that clear sonor-
Gus voice Of his, said: "A mob has taken
and the convention will proceed to the SEN
ate chamber to organize" Which the
Democratic wing immediately proceeded to
do. About one-third of the time occupied
DIV the convention in IFS pntirptv
voted by orators to showing posterity that
their particular convention was q legal one
and the other false one. Hennepin coun-
ty was entitled to eight delegates and
without these the Democratic convention
could in no sense claim a majority The
Republican candidates from that county had
received the regular certificates OF election
issued by the authority provided by law for
that purpose. viz: the registrar of deeds
The Democrats claimed that he had ignored
the facts and had arbitrarily and unlaw-
fully issued these certificates.
The Democratic governor promptly re-
moved the register. The people renomi-
mated him for the same office, and the is
sue was plainly made up. He was tri-
umphantly elected by several hundred ma
jorty.
After the sdiournment. of the constftu
tlohal convention. each party met in con-
yention and nominated candidates for the
inherent state Offices, and also, for three
members OF congress The Democratic
ticket was headed by the9 name of H II
Slbiey for governor sand the Republicans
By Alexander Ramsey. After an exciting
campaign. the Democratic ticket was de-
clared elected and Sibey Installed as gov
ernor. in accordance 5here%ith. The Demo-
Gratis obtained a small majority in the leg
1slature and elected Henry VI. Rice and
zen. Shields as United States senator's. The
latter was a newcomer, and his eI~ct on
was bitter dose to many of the old set
lers in the party. N ~
In 1859 the Republicans again placed Alex
ander Ramsey at the9head' OF their ticket
In 1881 the Democrats had the control of the
election machinery and of. the canvassing
board. 1t was unanimously believed bv
the Republicans. and by many of the Dem
ocrats that Gov. Sibley was net elected
(but only counted I'M. The race in 1857 had
shown that Gov. Ramsey was a very popu-
lar man among the masses running several
hundred votes ahead of the balance Of his
ticket. The idea that he had been unjustly
treated in 1851, Of immense advantage
to him in 1883. and to the balance of the
Republicans, and the entire ticket was then
elected. The party was thus entrenched in
power in the state of Minnesota and they
have never since been dislodged, a period
of nearly forty years
There have been but two cases in the
United States where the Republican party
has shown such a hold upon state govern
ment
There was something peculiar to the In
dian trade. which benumbed the fine notions
Oh honor necessary to success in commerce
between white men, Nearly all these traders
carried their Indian conscience into the pol
ttics. Those men became after time much
disliked by the masses of their own party
and were styled by them ''Mocassin Demo-
Gratis However: they were the brains of
the party and pulled it through some very
tight places, through which it would not
have passed without their aid.
The influence of the Mocassin Democracy
ended with the election of Mr.. Lincoln. It
had supported Breckenridge as against
DOUGLAS GiSannparpd