The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-11

Memorial addresses in honor of the
late Gen. John B. Sanborn, pioneer
lawyer of st. Paul, and probably the
most distinguished among Minnesota
soldiers in the Civil war, were delivered
last night at az gathering of the State
Historical society, of which Gen. San
born was president during the year be-
fore his death last May. Several hum
dred persons, including many women,
attended this public session of the So
ciety in Committee Room No. 16 on
the third floor of the old capitol
The president of the society, Judge
Greenleaf Clark, presiding for the first
time in succession to Gen. Sanborn, in
troduced Gen. Henry w. Childs, the
principal speaker. In the course of his
Introduction, Judge Clark said:
Gen. Sanborn was a member of this So
ciety for forty eight years, member OF
it's executive council for twenty EIGHT
years, an officer of 1t for thirteen years,
and he was its president when he died.
His contributions to its literature COM
prise many articles of historical value,
and its treasures have been enriched by
his bounty. From the time he became a
member of its executive council to the day
of his death no man was more constant
than he in attendance upon its meetings
or more devoted to its work, and no one
upon incidents of the past.
Pays Tribute to Pioneers
I cannot refrain from saying that no
border country was ever ushered into the
light of formal and salutary social order
by body of men more judicious, courage
Gus or possessing higher qualities of man
Illness and refinement than are to be found
among the leading spirits of the old plo-
neers of Minnesota. If there be any who
think that contact with primeVal things
dulls the SensibilitieS or debases the char
acter-to refute such contention we have
only to point to the innate and never
failing courtesy, kindness, hospitality,
refinement and gentility of the leading
pioneers, both men and women who ush-
cred into life the state of Minnesota.
Reviewing at length Gen. Sanborns
career, Gen. Childs gave this judgment
of the late presidents characteristics:
No ingenious reader can carefully
peruse the military record Of Gen. San
born without admiration for his qualities
as q soldier. He was a successful COM
mander. Engaged in twenty sieges, bat
ties and affairs" his command never
failed to execute an order, was never
driven from its position, never pursued
by the enemy" and never suffered the
loss by capture of single sound soldier.
This is a remarkable statement, sub
stantially in language as penned by our
subject, yet careful research has failed
to disclose any ground for its modifica-
ton.
A career marked with so large a meas
ure of success cannot be ascribed to the
mere capriciousness of fortune. The ia
vorites of fortune are the brave, the
wise, the prompt the vigilant. His
sword flashed too often in the fray; there
We're too many forced marches, too many
desperate charges too many repulses Of
the enemy, too much of logged per
sistency to justify disparagement of his
military fame by any form of specious
reasoning. If he was not great, he was
yet an able, commander.
Possessed Solid Judgment
In his civil profession he possessed in
a rare degree that excellent quality, too
often wanting in the lawyers intellectual
him safely over many dangerous chasm
where mere learning might have failed.
Experience had taught him the value of
a mastery of the facts of his cause; and
unerringly in the application of legal