THE EARLY POLITICAL HISTORY OF MINNESOTA.*

BY HON. CHARLES D. GILFILLAN.

After the admission of the State of Wisconsin into the Federal Union, that part of the Territory of that name outside of the state lines was left in an uncertain political condition. Was it still the Territory of Wisconsin with the old laws yet in force, or was it not? The general opinion prevailed that this section was still under the laws passed by the Territory of Wisconsin, and that the governor and the secretary of the Territory were still occupying the same positions in reference to the section sliced off. It was, however, thought best that an agent be sent to Washington to urge the creation of a new Territory. Prominent citizens from different sections of the outside Territory met at Stillwater and selected, for this purpose, Mr. Henry H. Sibley, who was then at the head of the American Fur Company. No politics entered into this selection; it was made because Mr. Sibley was then the most eminent and influential person in the region. He proceeded to Washington. After the lapse of a few months, an act creating the new Territory was passed and Mr. Sibley was admitted as its delegate, under what might be called a "squatter" election. President Taylor appointed Alexander Ramsey to be the governor of the new Territory of Minnesota. He arrived in St. Paul in the latter part of May, 1849, and shortly thereafter issued his official proclamation, declaring the Territory organized, and provided for the election and for the meeting of a legislature.

On June 14, 1849, Colonel James M. Goodhue, in an issue of the Pioneer, the first newspaper published within the limits of the new territory, urged that there should be no parties in

*Read at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council, February 14, 1898.

its politics, as the people had no vote in national matters and had no power to command anything, while on the contrary they had everything to ask of Congress. "What we want, let us ask for; 'ask, and you shall receive.' But to hold out one hand to secure a gift and the other to strike, is the conduct of a madman."

This was the declaration of the policy which was to become and remain the dominant one in the new Territory for the next few years. Goodhue was elected public printer by the first legislature.

It would be impossible, among Americans, and especially among those in the West, to be satisfied with one political party; the elements soon began to work, to organize an opposition party. This resulted in a convention held October 20, 1849, in which a platform was adopted, according to its own language, embracing the principles of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, and Polk. The latter had already almost sunk into forgetfulness, but the memories of fat gifts of patronage still lingered in the minds of a few members of the convention. Rice does not appear to have been present upon the occasion of this convention, nor Mr. Sibley. The latter, however, wrote a letter, affirming his faith in the political principles of Jefferson. But he continued to coöperate with those citizens who thought it their paramount duty to work together to advance the interests of the Territory.

The national administration, and the majority of Congress, were Whig; but the elements in the territory were generally Democratic. As late as 1851 there were not sufficient public lands in Minnesota to supply one year's immigration, with a quarter-section to each head of a family. All the country west of the Mississippi was Indian land, and all north of a line drawn east and west through and about the locality of Princeton. The most important of all political movements was the one to make a treaty with the Sioux, to obtain a title to their land in Minnesota. Mr. Sibley had such commanding influence with the Sioux, that no treaty could be made without his aid. Mr. Rice had no influence whatever with the Sioux. It was necessary for Gov. Ramsey, in bringing about a treaty, to enter into a political movement with Sibley, which he proceeded to do. The influence of Mr. Sibley

among the Democrats in Congress, and of Gov. Ramsey with the National Whig administration, resulted in the extinguishment of the Sioux title to all of their land within the present limits of Minnesota, except a strip of land lying along the Minnesota river below Granite Falls, about ten miles in width and sixty miles long, which was retained as an Indian reservation.

There was bitter opposition to this treaty, and many charges of fraud were made. But the opposition came from those who were unable to manipulate the treaty in their own interests. The charges preferred were investigated by the United States Senate; and the parties censured were declared by that body to be not only innocent, but their conduct was declared to be highly meritorious and commendable. The public mind in Minnesota settled down to the belief that these charges were brought by a set of unscrupulous men. who were not permitted to manipulate matters for their own interests. These treaties redounded more to the interests of Minnesota, in its early days, than all other measures combined. The prominence of Mr. Sibley, and his powerful aid, rendered him the most influential man among the Democrats in the Territory. The Whigs of all stripes soon were of the opinion that Gov. Ramsey exhibited the greatest wisdom when he formed the coalition with the Sibley Democrats. The Whigs alone could not have made the treaties. The Whigs and the Rice Democrats could not have made the treaties. Only the Whigs and the Sibley Democrats could make the treaties, and they made them.

The opposition to the Territorial administration organized and repeatedly elected members of the legislature, but never a majority. The larger number of Democrats preferred to act with the majority of the Whigs. But still the organization of forces against the dominent power went on. In August, 1850, a coalition of anti-Sibley Democrats and Whigs brought out Colonel Mitchell as candidate against Sibley for delegate to Congress. This election resulted strongly in favor of Sibley.

A very bitter feud arose between the members of the American Fur Company and Mr. Henry M. Rice, who had formerly been a member of the company. The Fur Company claimed that Mr. Rice had acquired title to that part of St. Paul then

known as the upper town, holding it in the same manner as the title to Kittson's addition and other property in the lower town was held, simply for the benefit of the Fur Company. Mr. Rice had given away many lots in the upper town and had sold many, and he was the man above all others instrumental in building up that section. Outside of the members of the Fur Company, he was admired for his generosity and public spirit.

To recover this property, a suit in chancery was brought by the Fur Company against Mr. Rice, charging him with all sorts of fraud. The feeling of bitterness spread from the principals to their adherents throughout the Territory, extending to judges, jurors and officers of the court, as well as to the legislature, and justice was but little regarded. As an instance of the extravagance of official conduct, there can be found, in the first or second Minnesota Supreme Court reports, a foot-note, by the official reporter, to this effect, "It is but justice to Mr. Rice to say that he denies each and every one of the charges in the bill." This, I think, is the only instance in any law report published in the English language, where a reporter stepped out of his official line to defend parties to a lawsuit. The majority of the legislature was "Fur," and they created new judicial districts, to which they banished inimical judges, where they would have no judicial functions to perform.

Naught came of this suit, and with its disappearance, and with the withdrawal of the American Fur Company from the Indian trade, the political influence of Mr. Rice ascended rapidly, while that of Mr. Sibley declined. At the next delegate election, Mr. Rice became the candidate of the Democratic party, and was elected by a large majority over Alexander Wilkin, who ran as an independent Whig. Some Whigs, and nearly all the Democrats, supported Mr. Rice. By this time it became apparent that the political elements of Minnesota were Democratic. After this accession of Mr. Rice to power, he became and continued the undoubted leader of his party for eight years.

During the days of the Territory, there was never any general organization of the Whigs as a party. Some of them voted with the Rice Democrats, but the greater number with

the Sibley side. However, there was a local exception to this. At Stillwater there was a small and very select body of Whigs, who preferred to act upon a higher plane than that chosen by either of the other parties. These Whigs met in convention, and nominated a straight Whig ticket. They polled fifty-two votes in Stillwater, and elected a member of the House of Representatives. This member, upon arriving at the capitol, kept the House nearly three weeks from organizing in the attempt to force his own election as speaker. This effort cost nearly ten thousand dollars. But, as Uncle Sam paid the bills, it did not excite much indignation on the score of economy. This representative then lowered his aims and compromised upon the proposition to elect his friend as assistant clerk of the house. The total fruits of this effort of the select Whig party was the election of a dull man to an inferior office, which he was incompetent to fill. Thus ended the first and only attempt to act as a separate party.

During the next four years the Democrats had everything their own way, but they were divided into factions. A prominent man among them was David Olmsted, who led, during a part of this period, the anti-Rice forces. After the appointment of Willis A. Gorman as territorial governor, he also joined the anti-Rice forces, and endeavored to build up a Democratic party in opposition to Mr. Rice; but the latter possessed too many friends, particularly among the old settlers, to be supplanted by a newcomer. In 1854 the passage of the Nebraska bill, and the actions of the Democratic administration in Kansas, shocked the anti-slavery sentiment of the North, and made a deep impression in Minnesota. Many of the Democrats threw off allegiance to their party, while others resolved to fight the slavery propaganda inside of party lines.

In March, 1855, a few people, strongly anti-slavery, most of them former Democrats, met at St. Anthony, passed strong resolutions upon the slavery question, and provided for a general Territorial convention, to be held at St. Paul on the 25th of the following July. At the meeting in St. Anthony, the name Republican was first applied to a party within the Territory. This name was adopted by the July convention, and the party was finally launched under that name. call for this July convention was signed by Alexander Ramsey, William R. Marshall, and about twelve others. The conven

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