The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-01
WAR
GOVERNOR DEAD
Alexander Ramsey Dies at His
Home in St Paul at
f" Age Of 88.
WAS a PROMINENT FIGURE
Made Treaties With the Indians, Was
United States Senator and Score.
tary of War Under Presi.
dent Hayes.

st. Paul, Mimi. April 24.-Alexander
Ramsey, former governor Of Minnesota,
secretary Of wal under President Hayes
and for two terms United States SEN
ator from Minnesota, died at his home
in this city last night. aged IS years.
Governor Ramsey had suffered since
the middle Of February from an attack
Of the govt, but his death came unex-
( pectedly. He was surrounded at the
last by his surviving relatives.
Governor Ramsey was born in Penn
sylvania in 1915, and came to Mime
sofa in 1S49 as territorial governor.
When the state government was organ
lied Governor Ramsey was elected gov
ernor In 1860. He was active in organ
izing the states military service during
the period of the civil war, and in 1863
was elected United States senator,
being reelected in 1869. He supported
all the var measures Of President Lin
coins administration, and Dol a prom
inent part in the discussion of the mo-
mentous questions of the reconstruct
ton period. He was chosen by Presi-
dent Hayes as secretary of war in 1879,
n served until the advent of the Gar
field administration.
In 1882 he was appointed chairman of
the commission created by the Ed
munds. law relating to polygamy. Gov
ernor Ramsey resigned from this COM
mission in 1886, and had not since held
n public office.
Made Sioux Treaties.
The greatest achievements of Gov
ernor Ramsey's territorial administra-
ton. We're his successful treaties with
the Indians at Mendoza and Traverse
des Sioux in 1851. AS governor he was
ex-otticio Indian commissioner for the
territory, and the settlement of all i'm
portant questions. relating to the saw
ages virtually devolved upon him. The
first area Of, territory west of the Mis-
sissippi was owned by the Sioux, and
white men might not settle there.
The cessiop OF this territory to the
government required the formal auth
orization of congress-, and twon years
were spent by Governor Ramsey and
his associates in efforts TO secure the
proper assent. But at last the treaties
were authorized, and in 1851 at Trav-
erse des Sioux, near. st. Peter, and in
August ,offthe same year at Mendoza
treaties were mad by Governor Ram
sey and a special United States COM
mission with the Sioux chiefs and head
men, who ceded all of their remaining
lands in Minnesota to the United States
excepting a tract ten miles in width on
>ASAASA oANS#St tbAS AiSb'DNu !
fifty miles above Traverse des Sioux on
the east to Lake Traverse on the west.
The result was the opening to white
settlement of a great expanse of fine.
fertile country, 10000, 900 acres in ex+
tent.
Proffered Troops in Person.
Governor Ramsey was not only the last
living war governor, but he was the first
or the war governors to make a tender of
a regiment to the United States, he being
In the city Of Washington at the time
news was received that Fort Sumter had
been fired on . !.
! He went at once to the war office and
met Simon CAMERON, then secretary OF
war.
MIR. Secretary" he said, IT have the
honor to offer you 1000 men from Mime
sota."i Z
Secretary Cameron stood on the. steps
Of the capitol with a number Of papers
interlaced between his fingers. He re-
| piled:
We'll, hurry them u. I am going up
to see the president
Governor Ramsey Immediately. wired
home to st. Paul to put affairs in motion