New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-04-29

from politics, for the following, year, he
was chosen chairman of the whig state
committee. during the important cam
paign which resulted in the election Of
Taylor as president.
This campaign also affected Mr.. Ram
sey's. destinies to an important degree,
for, in March, 1S49, shortly after Presi--
dent der Paylor came into office, he appointed
territory, then recently established.
The appointment was accepted, and Mr..
Ramsey at once came to ST. Paul, arriv-
ing there on May 27th, 1S49. Four days
afterwards. the other territorial officers
having arrived, he issued a proclamation,
declaring the territory organized:
convened in two small rooms of hotel
Paul.
The governor read his first message to
tWenty-Seven members in all, assembled
in the hotel dining-room. r..
Among the first acts Of Governor Ram
tinguishment of the Indian titles by
treaty, and the negotiations made at Men
dota and Traverse de Sioux in 1851
brought some 4O,0o0.o0o acres of what is
state, into settlement.
He was elected mayor of st. Paul in
1855, and when Minnesota was admitted
mated for state governor by the repdb-
IAcan party, but was not elected.
Two years later he was again nomi-
mated and received a handsome majority.
He entered his office on Jan. 2, 1860. At
that time the state was in debt and the
treasury was empty. taxes were difficult
to collect. and there We're many diff
of so young a state in war time, but the
administration was successful.
At the time of the fall Of Fort Sumter
Governor Ramsey was in Washington on
official business. Upon seeing the neces-
sity for troops he at once called upon
President Lincoln and rendered him a
regiment Of 900 men from Minnesota
Governor Ramsey was reelected in the
fall of 1861, and his second term was
more important and trying than the first.
There. were repeated calls for troops
were recruited in 1852.
In the middle Of this activity occurred
the Sioux massacre in the southwestern
ized Governor Ramsey. he organized a
battalion to go to the front to the relief
In January, 1858. Governor Ramsey was
elected United States senator from Min
nesota,. and in 1869; at the close of his
term, he was reelected for six years
more.
His service in the senate was marked
by the Introduction OF many importan mt
b5s eu Of he 1E the adn
Of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the re-
peal of the franking abuse, and various
measures Tor the Denent or the north
west. Being chairman of the senate
committee on postofices, he was espe-
cially interested in postal reforms.
For few years after the close Of his
congressional term he enjoyed period OF
rest from his official life, but on Dec 10,
1879, President Hayes rendered him the
portfolio Of secretary of war. This posi-
ton he filled with much honor during the
rema inder of President Hayes admins
tration Under the "Edmunds law.
which created commission of five ia
control the affairs of the polygamists In
Utah, Senator Ramsey was appointed In
1882 to serve on this board, and was
elected its chairman.
He filed this position for four years.
resigning in 1885. 1t was his last public
service. s
During his long and active life as a
public man in Minnesota, Governor Ram
sey has been active in many movements
for the benefit of his city and state not
connected with official affairs. Since l849
he was one of the most active members
of the Minnesota Historical Society He
was president and director of the ST. Paul
public library and a leading member Of
the Old Settlers Association and an hon.
ored member of the Minnesota command
cry, Loyal Legion.
On Sept. 10. 1916 Governor Ramsey
married Miss Auna Earl jerks daugh-
ter of Michael II. jerks. Judge and
congressman of Bucks county Pennsyl-
vania. They had two sons, both Of whom
died in infancy. and one daughter, Mrs.
Charles q. Furnass.
"