USA > Minnesota > Goodhue County > History of Goodhue county, including a sketch of the territory and state of Minnesota > Part 13
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" More than a month after the adjournment of Congress," [says Mr. Neill,] " just at eve, on the ninth of April, amid terrific peals of thun-
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der and torrents of rain, the weekly steampacket, the first to force its way through the icy . barriers of Lake Pepin, rounded the rocky point, whistling loud and long, as if the bearer of glad tidings. Before she was safely moored to the landing, the shouts of the excited villagers announced that there was a Territory of Minnesota, and that St. Paul was the seat of government. Every successive steamboat arrival poured out on the landing men big with hope, and anxious to do some- thing to mould the future of the new State."
Section one of the act under which the Territory of Minnesota was organized, defined the boundaries as follows :
" That from and after the passage of this act, all that part of the territory of the United States which lies within the following limits, to wit: Beginning in the Missis- sippi River, at the point where the line of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes of north latitude crosses the same; thence running due west on said line, which is the northern boundary of the said State of Iowa, to the northwest corner of the said State of Iowa; thence southerly along the western boundary of said State to the point where said boundary strikes the Missouri River; thence up the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River to the mouth of the White Earth River; thence up the middle of the main channel of the White Earth River to the boundary line between the possessions of the United States and Great Britain; thence east and south of east along the boundary line between the possessions of the United States and Great Britain to Lake Superior ; thence in a straight line to the northernmost point of the State of Wisconsin in Lake Superior ; thence along the western boundary line of said State of Wisconsin to the Mis- sissippi River; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby erected into a temporary government, by the name of the Terri- tory of Minnesota : Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to inhibit the government of the United States from dividing said territory into two or more territories, in such manner and at such times as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching any portion of said territory to any other State or Terri- tory of the United States."
As thus defined, the Territory of Minnesota included a large part of the present Territory of Dakota. St. Paul and Stillwater were the most important towns or villages in the territory, and St. Paul was named as the temporary capital of the new territory.
The organic act further provided that there should be appropriated annually, from the U. S. treasury, the sum of one thousand dollars to be expended by the Governor, to defray the contingent expenses of the territory, and a sum sufficient, based upon the estimate of the Secretary of the U. S. Treasury, to defray the expenses of the Legislative Assembly, the printing of the laws, and other incidental expenses. It was also provided that the first session of the Legislative Assembly should be held at St. Paul ; and that at the said first session, the Governor and Legislative Assembly should locate and establish a temporary seat of government, at such place as they might deem eligible. Power was also conferred upon them to prescribe by law the manner of locating
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the permanent seat of government by a vote of the people. Twenty thousand dollars, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appro- priated, was granted to be applied by the Governor and Legislative Assemby, to the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat of government. Five thousand dollars to be expended under the direction of the Governor, was also appropriated for the purchase of a library, to be kept at the seat of government for the use of the Governor, Legislative Assembly, Judges of the Supreme Court, etc.
It was also provided (in section six) that all laws passed by the Legislative Assembly and Governor, should be submitted to the Congress of the United States, and if disapproved by that body, they should be null and of no effect.
Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania, was appointed the first Governor. of Minnesota, and on the 27th of May, he arrived at St. Paul with his family, but the scarcity and crowded condition of the public houses rendered it impossible for him to secure accommodations, and he went up to Mendota, and became the guest of Mr. Sibley, where he remained until the 26th of June. On the afternoon of that day, himself and family descended the river to St. Paul in a birch-bark canoe, and took up his abode in St. Paul, where he has ever since continued to reside, except when absent at Washington, as U. S. Senator.
June 1, 1849, Governor Ramsey issued a proclamation declaring the territory duly organized. The several officers were as follows :
Governor, Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania.
Secretary, C. K. Smith, of Ohio.
Chief Justice, A. Goodrich, of Tennessee; Associates, D. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, and B. B Meeker, of Kentucky.
Attorney for the United States, H. L. Moss.
Marshal, Joshua L. Taylor. Mr. Taylor declined the appointment, and A. M. Mitchell, of Ohio, a graduate of West Point, was appointed to the 'vacancy.
A second proclamation was issued on the 11th of June, dividing the territory into three temporary judicial districts. The first district was comprised of the county of St. Croix; second, LaPointe county and the region north of the Minnesota River, and a line running due west from the headwaters of the Minnesota to the Missouri River. The third district included all the country south of the Minnesota River. Judge Goodrich was assigned to the first district, Meeker was assigned to the second district, and Cooper was assigned to the third district. Terms of court in each of the districts were ordered to be held as follows: St. Croix county, at Stillwater, on the second Monday of August ; at
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the Falls of St. Anthony on the third Monday, and at Mendota on the fourth Monday. As illustrative of the condition of affairs then existing, the following paragraph, written by Mr. Sibley, is presented :
"I had the honor of being the foreman of the first grand jury ever impanelled on the west of the Mississippi River, in what is now the State of Minnesota. The court was held at Mendota, Judge Cooper being assigned to that district. His honor delivered a written charge of considerable length, and really it was an able and finished produc- tion. Unfortunately, out of the twenty-odd men who composed the jury, but three, if I recollect rightly, could speak English, the rest being Frenchmen, who were to a man profoundly ignorant of any language but their own. As a matter of course, they were highly edified while engaged in listening to the Judge's charge."
Under the provisions of the organic act of the territory, a census of the inhabitants was taken in June, with the following showing :
Names of Places.
Males.
Females. Total.|
Names of Places.
Males. Females. Total.
Stillwater, -
- 455
154
609
Prairieville,
9
13
22
Lake St. Croix,
129
82
211
Oak Grove, -
14
9 23
Marine Mills,
- 142
31
173
Black Dog Village,
7
11 18
St. Paul,
540
300
840
Little Canada and St.
Anthony, -
. 352
219
571
Red Wing Village, 20
13
33
Crow Wing and Long
Prairie, -
- 235
115
350
River,
- 78
36
114
Osakis Rapids,
92
41
133
Fort Snelling, -
26
12
38
Falls of St. Croix,
15
1 16
Snake River, -
58
24
82
children in forts, 267
50
317
La Pointe County,
12
10
22
Pembina, -
- 295
342
637
Crow Wing,
103
71
174
Missouri River,
49
37
86
Big Stone Lake and
Lac qui Parle,
33
35
68
Total,
3067 1713 4780
Little Rock, -
20
15
35
Crow Wing, east side, 35
35
70
Mendota,
72
50
122
Wabasha and Root
Soldiers, women and
On the 7th of July, Governor Ramsey issued a proclamation dividing the territory into seven council districts preparatory to the election of a Territorial Legislature, and for other election purposes, and fixing the 1st day of August as the time for holding the election. The election passed off very quietly. H. H. Sibley was elected as delegate to congress without opposition.
At the first session of the legislature the territory was divided into the following counties, the census of which, together with the votes cast for delegate to congress, was as follows:
105
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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
County.
County Seat.
Males.
Females.
Vote for Delegate.
Ramsey,
St. Paul,
976
564
273
Washington,*
Stillwater,
821
291
213
Benton,
Sauk Rapids,
249
108
18
Dahkotahı,
Mendota,
301
167
75
Wahnahtah,
344
182
70
Wabasha,
Wabasha,
247
84
33
Pembina,
Pembina,
295
342
Itasca,
Mankato,
-
Males,
3253
1687
682
Females,
1687
Total population June 30, 1849,
4940
The first Legislative Assembly was composed of the following named representative citizens.
COUNCIL.
Names. No. of Dist.
Residence. Age.
Nativity.
James S. Norris,
1 Cottage Grove,
38
Maine.
Samuel Burkelo,
2 Stillwater, 45
Delaware.
William H. Forbes,
3 St. Paul,
38 Montreal, Canada.
James McC. Boal,
4
St. Paul,
38 Pennsylvania.
David B. Loomis,
5 Marine Mills, 32
Connecticut.
John Rollins,
6
Falls of St. Anthony,
41
Maine.
David Olmsted,
7 Long Prairie,
27 Vermont.
William Sturges,
6 Elk River,
28 Upper Canada.
Martin McLeod,
7 Lac qui Parle,
36
Montreal, Canada.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Names.
No. of Dist.
Residence.
Age.
Nativity.
Joseph W. Furber,
1 Cottage Grove,
36
New Hampshire.
James Wells,
1 Lake Pepin,
46
New Jersey.
M. S. Wilkinson,
2 Stillwater,
30
New York.
Sylvanus Frosk,
2
Stillwater,
- New York.
Mahlan Black,
2
Stillwater,
-
Ohio.
Benjamin W. Brunson, 3
St. Paul,
25
Michigan.
Henry Jackson,
3
St. Paul,
42
Virginia.
John J. Dewey,
3 St. Paul,
- New York.
Parsons K. Johnson,
3 St. Paul,
- Vermont.
Henry F. Setzer,
4 Snake River.
Missouri.
-
21
9
-
*At the first session of the Territorial Legislature, Washington was substituted for St. Croix.
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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Names. No. of Dist.
Residence. Age.
Nativity.
William R. Marshall, 5 Falls of St. Anthony, 25
William Dugas,
5 Little Canada, 37 Lower Canada.
Jeremiah Russell,
6 Crow Wing,
L. A. Babcock, 6 Sauk Rapids,
29
Vermont.
Thomas A. Holmes, 6 Sauk Rapids, 44
Pennsylvania.
Allen Morrison,
6
Alexis Bailly
7 Mendota,
50 Michigan.
Gideon H. Pond,
7 Oak Grove,
39 Connecticut.
During the summer the "Central" House, a two-story frame build ing, had been erected, and there being a great scarcity in the capital of the new territory of buildings of sufficient capacity to accommodate the Legislature, the Central was brought into requisition, and in this building, on Monday the 3d day of September, 1849, the foundation of the laws of the now great and prosperous State of Minnesota was com- menced. The office of the Secretary and representative chamber were located on the first floor, and the council chamber and library occupied rooms in the second story. Indians were plenty around the new capitol, and Mr. Neill says a number of them set on a rocky bluff and gazed at what to them was a novel, and perhaps saddening scene, as the flag was run up the staff in front of the house.
The Council consisted of nine, and the House of eighteen members. The Assembly met on Monday, the 3d day of September, in the dining- room of the " Central " House, and adjourned on the first of November. The Council organized by electing David Olmsted, president ; Joseph R. Brown, secretary, and H. A. Lambert, assistant. The House elected Joseph W. Furber as speaker; W. D. Phillips, clerk, and L. B. Wait, assistant. After the organization was perfected, prayer was offered by Rev. E. D. Neill, after which Governor Ramsey delivered his message. The work of making laws for the new Territory then commenced.
What changes twenty-nine years have wrought! Now, instead of a village of a few hundred inhabitants, many of whom were only one degree removed from the native red men of the country, there are many thousands. Instead of a few scattering skeletons of frame build- ings, there are thousands of stately stone and brick edifices, that would do no discredit to the cities of the oldest States of the Union. Instead of utilizing a newly-constructed frame hotel building as a capitol, there is a very handsome brick structure, founded upon a rock and built upon a hill, in which the Solons of the State are wont to meet bi-ennially to enact laws for the benefit and protection of the people of the common- wealth. Great manufacturing establishments give employment to
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thousands of honest, sturdy, toiling mechanics, and support to depend- ent families. Great trains of steam-drawn cars come and go at almost every hour of the twenty-four, and mighty steamboats plow the waters of the great Mississippi almost daily, where less than a quarter of a cen- tury ago, only an occasional birch-bark canoe, conveying wild men, their wives and little ones, or may be a few peltries, disturbed its sky- tinted waters. Strong iron bridges, instead of rude ferries, afford com- munication between the east and west divisions of the beautiful and prosperous State that has grown up in the land of the Dahkotas. Instead of cavalcades and whole villages of Indians zigzaging along the courses of the streets, or gazing in wonder and amazement at the hoisting of the American flag, only an occasional "dusky son or daugh- ter of the forest " is to be seen on the old hunting grounds of their ancestors, now the abode of civilization, intelligence and refinement- of schools, churches and colleges-of thundering steam printing presses and all the other attendants and belongings of the high perfections of American advancement. Instead of a Territorial Assembly of twenty- seven members, all told, there is now a State Legislature of more than five times that number. Instead of a solitary delegate (without vote) to represent a scattering pioneer people in the National Congress, there are two grave senators and three members of the House of Represent- atives, all of whom are as wise and statesmanlike as are the members from any of the other and older States. If twenty-nine short years have evoked these wonderful changes, who can predict or foresee the revolutions and additions of the next quarter of a century ? Fruitless the inquiry.
At the first session of the first Legislative Assembly it was enacted that " this Territory shall be divided into the following counties, to-wit : Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Cass, Pembina, Ramsey, Washington, Chisago 'and Wabasha." The boundary lines of these several counties were defined, and " that the counties of Washington, Ramsey and Benton be, and the same are hereby declared to be organized counties, and invested with all and singular, the rights, privileges and immunities to which all organized counties in the Territory shall be and are by law entitled." The counties of Itasca, Wabasha, Dakota, Cass and Pembina were " de- clared to be organized only for the purpose of the appointment of jus- tices of the peace, constables and such other judicial and ministerial officers as may be especially provided for. St. Paul was declared to be the seat of justice of Ramsey county, and Stillwater of Washington county. It was further provided that the seat of justice of Benton should be within one quarter of a mile of a point on the east side of
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the Mississippi River, directly opposite the mouth of Sauk River, (Sauk Rapids.) The seat of justice of Chisago county was left to be located at such point as the first board of county commissioners should deter- mine. Under the provisions of the law, however, Chisago county was not entitled to exercise county independent functions until after the first day of January, 1852. Wabasha county was attached to Washing- ton for judicial purposes, and the county of Dakota was attached to the county of Ramsey for similar purposes. Cass, Itasca and Pembina were attached to Benton. The law also provided that the counties of Itasca, Wabasha, Dakota, Cass and Pembina should “ each be entitled to any number of justices of the peace not exceeding six, and to the same number of constables;" the justices and constables to "receive their appointments from the Governor," and to hold for two years, unless sooner removed by the Governor.
The common school system elicited a good deal of attention, and an able report on this subject was made to the council by Mr. McLeod, the chairman of the committee that had that interest in charge.
During the session of the Assembly, Mr. Sibley addressed a commu- cation "To the Honorable the Legislative Council of Minnesota Terri- tory," calling the attention of the members to the Red Pipe stone quarry in the southwest part of the Territory and to the propriety of sending a slab of the stone to the Washington Monument Association. He pre- sented a slab to the Assembly about two and a half feet in length, a little over one and a half in breadth and two inches in thickness, to be disposed of as the wisdom of the Territorial Legislators might suggest. A joint resolution was adopted, and the slab was forwarded to Wash- ington. A county has since been created called Pipe Stone, named after this material.
To quote from Neill's history : " The committee on seal recommended as a device an Indian family with lodge and canoe, encamped, a single white man visiting them, and receiving from them the calumet of peace. The report was accepted and the committee discharged. During the following winter, Governor Ramsey and the Delegate to Congress devised at Washington the Territorial seal. The design was: Falls of St. Anthony in the distance ; an emigrant ploughing the land on the borders of the Indian country, full of hope, and looking forward to the possession of the hunting grounds beyond. An Indian amazed at the sight of the plow, and fleeing on horseback towards the setting sun.
" The motto of the Earl of Dunraven, ' Que sursum volo videre,' ' I wish to see what is above,' was most appropriately selected by Mr. Sibley, *
* * but by the blunder of an engraver it appeared on the territorial seal ' Quo sursum velo videre,' which no scholar could translate. At length was substituted 'L'Etoile du Nord,' 'Star of the
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North,' while the device of the setting sun remained, and this is objectionable, as Maine had already placed the North Star on her escutcheon, with the motto ' Dirigo,' ' I Guide. Perhaps some future legislature may direct the first motto to be restored and correctly engraved."
When the Territory of Minnesota was organized, only a small portion of the country had been acquired by the U. S. The portion to which the Indians had relinquished their title, was mostly on the east side of the Mississippi River, and was bounded on the north by a line extending east from Crow Wing River, to the western boundary line of Wisconsin. Above that line the lands were occupied by the Ojibways. A heavy immigration was anticipated, and it was deemed advisable to make a treaty with the Dakotas, so as to secure the right to the occupancy of the lands west of the Mississippi and in the valley of the Minnesota. To carry out this purpose, the U. S. authorities appointed Governor Ramsey and ex-Governor Chambers, of Iowa, to treat with the Dakotas. The commissioners went to Mendota during the session of the legislature to hold a pow-wow or council with the Dakota head men, but in conse- quence of the absence of many of the Indians on their fall hunt and other hindering causes, they did not accomplish the full purpose of their instructions, but did succeed in effecting a purchase of the half- breed tract in the vicinity of Lake Pepin.
Political parties and party lines were unknown in Minnesota until after the commencement of the session of the Legislature. On the evening of the 24th of September, 1849, a caucus of Democrats was held at the residence of Henry M. Rice, at which it was determined to call a mass meeting of the Democrats, to assemble at St. Paul on the 20th of October. The meeting assembled in the ball room of the American House. Preliminary to a permanent organization, Henry Jackson was chosen as temporary chairman. A committee on permanent officers was appointed, which reported the following named gentlemen for per- manent officers of the convention : President, James S. Norris ; vice presidents, John A. Ford, S. Trask, W. Dugas, H. N. Setzer, James Wells, John Rollins and A. Morrison ; secretaries, B. W. Lott, A. Larpenteur, H. A. Lambert and John Morgan. The Minnesota " Pioneer" was desig- nated as the organ of the party. From that time forward a different spirit was present in the management of public affairs. On the 29th of March, 1855, a convention was held at St. Anthony, which led to the organization of the Republican party of Minnesota.
While the Legislature was in session, the right of the territory to expend the twenty thousand dollars appropriated by Congress for the erection of capitol buildings became a question of interest. Joseph R. Brown, the Secretary of the Council, addressed a letter of inquiry to
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the Secretary of the Treasury in reply to the subject. The Secretary replied at some length, and after quoting the law under which the appropriation was made, closed in the following pointed paragraph :
"In view of the antecedent, and the object of this appropriation, the Department decide that the public building in question, can only be erected at the permanent seat of justice, located as prescribed. Of course the reply to your inquiry must be, that nothing can be expended from this appropriation until after the location shall be duly made."
During the session of the Legislature the Minnesota Historical Society and the St. Anthony Library Association were incorporated. The incor- poration of the former was principally due to the industry and influence of C. K. Smith, Territorial Secretary. The act of incorporation was the fifth one passed by the Legislature, and results have proved that it was a wise enactment. In the month of December the St. Anthony Asso- ciation commenced a series of lectures, the introductory one being delivered by Rev. E. Duteill. The first public exercises of the Histo- rical Society occurred at the M. E. Church at St. Paul, on the 1st of January, 1850. "The day was pleasant," said the "Chronicle and Reg- ister," of the 5th of that month, " and the attendance large. The open- ing annual address was delivered by Mr. Neill. Subject-' The Early French Missionaries and Voyageurs to Minnesota.'"
On the fourth Monday in November an election for county officers was held in the counties which had been organized at the beginning of the Legislative Assembly. The Legislature passed an act providing that thereafter elections should be held on the first of September.
In November, 1849, the question of establishing common schools come to be considered. The first meeting relating to this vital interest was held in a small school house on St. Anthony street, near the site of the First Presbyterian Church, in St. Paul. Before this the English schools, in the white settlements, had been taught by teachers that had been sent out by the National Society of Popular Education. Among these teachers were the Misses Bishop and Scofield, who had taught at St. Paul; and Miss A. Hosford, who had taught at Stillwater ; and Miss Backus, who had taught at St. Anthony. These were the pioneer white schools and school teachers in Minnesota Territory.
January 1, 1850, the " Pioneer" issued a Carrier Boy's Address, from which the following lines are quoted :
" The cities on this river must be three, Two that are built and one that is to be. One is the mart of all the tropics yield-
The cane, the orange, and the cotton-field ; And sends her ships abroad and boasts Her trade extended to a thousand coasts. The other, central for the temperate zone,
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Garners the stores that on the plains are grown; A place where steamboats from all quarters range, To meet and speculate as 'twere on 'change. The third will be where rivers confluent flow From the wide-spreading north through plains of snow ; The most of all that boundless forests give To make mankind more comfortable live, The land of manufacturing industry,
The workshop of the nation it shall be ; Propelled by this wild stream, you'll see A thousand factories at St. Anthony ; And the St. Croix a hundred mills shall drive, And all the smiling villages shall thrive; But then, my town-remember that high bench With cabins scattered over it, of French ? A man named Henry Jackson's living there, Also a man-why every one knows L. Robair; Below Fort Snelling, seven miles or so, And three above the village of Old Crow ? Pig's Eye? Yes ; Pig's Eye ! That's the spot ! A very funny name, is't not? Pig's Eye's the spot to plant my city on, To be remembered by, when I am gone. Pig's Eye, converted thou shall be, like Saul : Thy name, henceforth shall be St. Paul."
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