The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-04
PAYS AN ELOQUENT
TRIBUTE TO RAMSEY
Gen. j. H. Baker Delivers EuIo.
gy of Its Founder Before
State Historical Society.

eloquent eulOSy TO the memory OF the
late Alexander Ramsey, which was de-
livered by Gen. ]. H. Baker, of Fari-
bault.
This glowing tribute to the late Gov.
Ramsey was delivered before the Min
nesota Historical society, founded by
Gov. Ramsey many years ago. and of
which he was president for so many
years.
The room was prettily decorated,
and splendid bust and two oil paint
ings of the subject of the eulogy oc-
cupied prominent places near the
speakers table.
Gen. Sanborn, himself a pioneer of
the state and a personal friend of Gov.
Ramsey, presided at the meeting.
Gen. Baker, in his address, told of
the early life of Gov. Ramsey, how he
came here when a young man from
Pennsylvania. and of the many places
Of trust which he held at the hands of
the people.
The speaker dwelt at some length
upon the political career of the late
governor, and praised his every public
act.
Coming down to the time when Gov.
Ramsey retired from public life, Gen.
Baker said:
I'VE have touched now the more sa-
lient points of his remarkable history.
He had rounded out a splendid career,
more abundant in honors than was
ever accorded to any son of Mime
sofa. With grace, dignity and philo-
sophie satisfaction, he retired to pri-
vate life. He was out of the dust of
| the political arena, but in the full en-
! joyment of the profound respect of all
his fellow citizens. Not Jefferson at
Monticello, nor Jackson at the Her
mitage, was the object of greater ven
| Grafton and love from their own fell
! low citizens. He had retired full of
honors, as full of years.
Now that the tomb has claimed
him; what do men think of him? Was
Alexander Ramsey great man? Well
was it remarked that since the advent
| of Washington all estimates of human
| greatness have essentially changed.
| Men are now measured by the actual
benefits they. achieve for their fellow
citizens and for humanity. Measured
by this standard, he was great man,
and his name should be canonized
within the limits of our state.
He was one, and the chief one, OF
an assemblage of distinguished men
who were eminently conspicuous III
our early annals. His rivals and CO.
workers were Of the Titanic, type.
There was Henry Hastings Sibley
his most illustrious compeer; man
of culture, amid barbarlc surround
| lUSS, brave ana CIllFe1ii Inc PlOtLCN
| knight" of -preterritorial times.
There was Henry M. Rice, able,
! graceful; whether In the wigwam or
the senate, always polished, suave and
| diplomatic.
There was Joseph Renshaw Brown,
| the brainiest Of them all, sort Of an
| intellectual lion, who sported with the
/ savage Sioux or ruled a political cau-
Gus with equal power.
G1ThQro Txyoc Iona tins nnnY0l1V- fha I
Celtic genius, whose dazzling intellect
| shone like a meteor; but, unhappily,
like the elephants of Pyrrhus, he was
sometimes as dangerous to his friends
as his foes.
There was Edmund Rice, elegant
and courtly the Chesterfield of his
day There was John S. Pillsbury,
honest, solid and true: the champion
of the university, the friend of the set
| tier.
There was Morton S. Wilkinson
stately, gifted and elegant; the friend
of Lincoln. 1t is to be regretted that
his speeches were always better than
his practices.
"There was Cushman K Davis
| that great jurist, whose bugle notes OF
eloquence in Ciceronian periods still
live in the echoes of the American
senate, as his memory yet lives, death
less, in our hearts.
"And there is the familiar face OF
| Charles Eugene Flandrau, the cavalier
of the border. lawyer, jurist, soldier
the Prince Rupert of the Northwest.
There is George LOOMS Becker
! lawyer, railroad president, state SEN
ator railroad commissioner, twice
| Democratic candidate for governor, a
! true type of an elegant and accom-
plished gentleman of the old school.
+ There is James J. Hill, strong
unique, virile, monumental character
for whom sharp claim will be justly
pressed, with all the power of steam
for a high niche in the Pantheon OF
| Minnesota's great men.
There is the patriotic face of the
Rt. Rev. John Ireland, priest, army
| chaplain, assistant bishop, bishop
| archbishop and soon, we pray Che il
| prophetically said), to wear the red hat
of a cardinal, the most eminent Cath
Ollie prelate America has yet produced
and splendid type of a loyal Ameri-
can, after the stamp of Patrick Henry
And we must mention also the
name of Joseph A. Wheelock, whose
polished Athenian pen has been the
brightest jewel in the crown of oul
literature. and will remain for him g
peerless monument, which proclaims
the pen nightier than the sword.
Men such as these, and other rare
| Sp1IIlS, VI 1lISl al civil 0OCl1
mark, were his august compeers and
emulators. Yet, in some aggregate
way, he measured more than any one
of them; and moreover, down deep in
the red core of their hearts, the peo-
pie loved him better than any other
public man. That position he held by
the grace of God, and without the
leave of politicians.
What then constitutes the qualities
which made Ramsey great? His great
est gift was his strong, practical COM
mon sense. Guizot, in his History OF
Civilization says, that saving common
sense is the best genius for mankind
and has ever been its savior in al
times of danger. While not a genius
he possessed talents of the highest
order. His mental fabric was sym
metrical, and he was ever in command
of all his faculties, judgment, memory
perception, discretion. He could ap-
ply his whole intellectual endowment
to a solution of the question before
him. He was never among the stars
searching for the ideal, but always or
earth, taking clear, practical views OF
affairs.
He was man with a purpose He
was one who did things. He was g
protector, as well as an executor. He
possessed individuality of character
and that character impressed itself in
delibly upon the councils of the state