The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-23
FEDERAL OFFICES FILLED
Cabinet officer and Utah Commissioners
- s.es Peaceful Old AGE.

Peaceful Old Age.
After his retirement from the senate In
1875 Governor Ramsey enjoyed g. short
respite from exacting official duties and
devoted his attention to fostering the local
enterprises with which he was connected.
AS director in two or three banks he
figured as councillor and an interested
stockholder. His landed interests also
demanded considerable attention and his
fatherly interest in the Minnesota His
torical Society, Of which he was an in
corporation, was always manifested by his
presence at the monthly meetings and by
liberal contributions. Of material with
which to swell the collection.
In 1879 he was called to the cabinet
of President Hayes as secretary of war
He held this position until March, 1881,
when the inauguration of Garfield marked
a change of cabinet. During his short
term Secretary Ramsey contrived, with
the practical wisdom characteristic of his
public life, to introduce many reforms in
the army regulations. It was under his
direction also that the government began
to issue those ''Official Records of the
Rebellion that have proved invaluable to
students Of the nations greatest crisis.
On the Utah Commission. -N..''
A year later Governor Ramsey was
named a member of the commission ap-
pointed, under the Edmunds law, to in
vestigate conditions in Utah and to eradi-
cate, as far as possible, the evils produced
by Mormon rule. Governor Ramsey was
made chairman Of the commission. He
supervised SO courageously the delicate
task before him, that within four years
the commission had accomplished much of
the work expected from 1t, and had vir-
tually eXtinguished the practice of poly
gamy. The chairman, II years old, then
resigned from the commission and retired
to private life. ~. <-'~
In the seventeen years that have since
elapsed, the venerable war governor has
passed his declining days in the ideal re-
tirement of a patriot, a. distinguished
citizen. He has lived almost constantly
ly at his handsome home: near Irving
park, st. Paul. He has travelled but little
whenever went away for my health"
said he, recently, ''as so many of nv
friends do, I've always fallen sick. AS
long as I have trusted to our Minnesota.
climate have kept quite WE'LL"
49, Active to the Last.
Altho freed from public duties Governor
Ramsey was by no means idle. He pre-
sided regularly at the Minnesota Histor-
ical society, he, was a frequent guest of
the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of the
Republic, the Old ,eSttIers' association.
and many other bodies, associated with
the welfares Of the commonwealth. Sell
dom was the governor absent from any
public: gathering. of general Importance
His, speeches on such occasions, If brief,
were admired for their kindly hun1or and
their sterling wisdom. ~,
Unlike many aged men, Governor Ram
sey could never say that all his friends
had gone before him. The circle of his
acquaintance extended with each new
generation of his fellows and until the
last hour he welcomed, at his home, a
| multitude Of personal admirers.
In the works Of church and charity he
Republic, the Old Settlers association,
serving God as he served man thruout
a long and noble life. -