The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-11-16

course of his speech: "if, in the
vicissitudes to which all matrons
E are exposed, danger should fall up
! on the great republic, and if the
choice be made to us to desert or
: befriend the land of Washington
and Franklin, for one will prefer
to be grateful to the Samaritan
rather than be loyal to the Levite."
AT the close of the Civil war
Captain Clark and General Meagh-
er met again for the first time
since the Dublin banquet.
| Captain Clark referred to their
former melting and to the pledge
lgiven by Meagher, and said; Gen
eral, you have nobly kept the prom
Use you then made"
In Montana
The first Montana legislature
met Dec. II, 1864. Sidney Edger-
ton had been appointed governor
some months previously and had
held absolute sway" according to
early Montana history. When the
Legislature convened the following
were the officers of the new terri
tory: Sidney Edgerton, governor;
General Thomas Francis Meagher,
secretary of the territory; H. L.
Hosmer, chief justice; L. P. Willis
ton and L. E. Munson, associate
justices; E. B. Neatly, United
States district attorney, and George
M. Penney, United States marshal.
First Governor
In the history of this state, COM
piled by D. ]. Stewart and NJ. A.
Leason, in 1882, and published by
Warner, Beers & Co., the state
ment appears: General Meagher
was in reality the first governor
of the territory" Governor Edger-
ton having left the territory short
ly after his appointment. !
In July, 1865, Meagher left New
York for Montana "and arrived at
Virginia City in September of the )
same year." quantity says the his :
torical account. There he found :
the duties of governor, as we'll as
secretary, devolving upon him, ow- :
ing to the absence of Gov. Sidney
Edgerton.
The General didn't fail to make
known his political convictions,
Notwithstanding the fact that he
was federal appointee.
In letter addressed to the dem
ocratic convention held at Helena
Feb. 81, 1866, he said GAS dem
ocrat I took the field; as demo-
craft went through the war; the war
being over, I am precisely the same
IS when it broke out. There are
few people who can forget, though
here are many people who will de-
ny the delight with which the dem
ocratic support, given to the repub-
lean administration, from the out
set to the close of the Civil war,
vas acknowledged by the partisans
If the administration"
While an ardent supporter of the
democratic party, Meagher was all
20 fair to his republican opponents.
At an address which he delivered
n New York in 1862 shortly after
he battle of Fredericksburg he
oasted the political opposition as :
ollows: "The heroism of both
'arties = united they could whip
he world" These sentiments he
epeated in Montana.
He aroused antagonism within .
he ranks of his own party by his |
ttitude toward the conquered
outh. In defending himself :
gainst criticism on this score, he r
aid, regarding the southern people, |
the Helena convention of the |
party: |
Tribute to the South /
"On the battlefield, which they |
eroically held for four tempestu- L
us years, the soldiers of the south -
ad lowered their colors and r.
leathed their swords.
"The spirit in which they sur
sndered, as well as the spirit in
hich they fought, entitled them to
,spect, honorable consideration, II
lie frank confidence of their adj
and the generosity of the |
,lossal power to which they were
reed to capitulate. What I said |
lring the war, the same am I now
repaired to repeat, should another
bellion be set on foot and the re-
1blic be declared in danger.
But the war is over, and l for
lie will never plant thorns where
e olive has taken root"
IL