USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 32
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The lack of one more vote saved President Johnson from im- peachment.
A majority of one vote in the Electoral Commission practically made Mr. Hayes President of the United States.
A majority of one vote ouce elected a governor of the State of Massachusetts.
A famous United States Senator was re-elected by a majority of one vote, and that one vote was given by a member of the legisla- ture who had himself been elected by a majority of one vote.
Coming to our owu State, Senator C. K. Davis was re-elected by the legislature by a majority of one vote, on joint ballot.
There are also some voters who are so iguorant, or corrupt, or both, as to sell their votes, while in some sections of the country certain classes of voters are sent to the polls to exercise this right as an employer, or a ward boss, or some one else may dictate, and in some other localities, numbers of electors are not permitted to vote at all.
It is well to think occasionally of the real character and import- ance of the right to vote. It is one of the highest, most dignified, most honorable and most necessary of the rights of a free citizen.
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This political right, more than any other, makes the distinction be- tween a monarchial, or despotie, and a free government.
And it is literally true that millions of men, through the ages past, have perished in the struggle for those civil liberties, of which the right to say how they should be governed was one of the great- est. There may here be added to what has already been said of the value and importance of the elective franchise, the following further considerations:
In the first place, it is well known, but not always fully recog- nized, that the right to vote is greatly limited as to the number who are invested with the right, or, in other words, that but few of the great mass of the people, who are interested in the affairs of the town, county, state or nation, are permitted to vote. Only about one-sixth of the population, of any voting district, practically do the voting, and often a less number, for there are always some who are entitled to vote who fail to do so. Thus, if the nation has a popula- tion of 60,000.000, about 10,000,000 of voters, practically, determine who shall be president and vice president, and the general policy of the government.
If our State has a population of 1,500,000, then only about 250.000 vote on the questions of who shall be our State officers and decide other State affairs, which may be submitted to the people. If our county has 18.000 inhabitants, then about 3,000 votes settle the question of who shall till our county offices and decide other impor- tant interests.
Now these facts imply that every voter exercises the right to vote, not only in his own behalf, individually, but he votes, also, in behalf of five or six other persons, equally interested with himself. The right to vote thus becomes a great trust, to be exercised for, not only the voter's own good, but for the welfare of many others, who cannot vote.
But this is not all the responsibility which rests upon the voter. He decides, by his vote, the principles and policies that shall obtain, not only for the present, but, perhaps, for the future, for many years, thus making that country (state or locality ) and its conditions of success, or failure, in which his children, probably, or his kin- dred, are to live and labor, long after he may be dead. The des- tinies of this great state, and the greater nation, of which we have the honor to be citizens, rests in the hands of the voters.
And the school district, the township, the county, the state and the nation have the right to demand of every one invested with this great franchise, that he exercise the right; they are entitled to his judgment in the affairs of the public, and to be intelligently and con- scientiously expressed by his vote. To vote is the duty of every elector, as well as his right, and he who feels that he has voted ac-
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cording to the noble sentiment "For God and home and native land," has done well. And the man who would permit his vote to be dic- tated by another, or who would sell his vote, is unfit to be a free citizen, and should be disfranchised. And the man who would seek to corrupt a voter, or to deceive him, or by fraud, attempt to annul, or pervert the expressed will of the people, deserves not only dis- franchisement, but imprisonment.
MURDER.
A murder was committed at Wells, on the 4th day of November. This was the fourth homicide in the county. The facts in the case, briefly stated, are about as follows. A number of Swedes and Nor- wegians under the influence of intoxicating liquors got into a street brawl when one Nels Hast stabbed or cut one Ole Olsen in the neck. Olsen died in a few minutes. Hast was immediately arrested and was finally tried at the June term, of 1871.
"The Great King of Kings Hath in the table of IIis law Commanded, That thou shalt do no Murder."-Shakespeare.
ANOTHER NEWSPAPER.
On the ninth day of December, the first number of The Wells Real Estate Advertiser appeared. It was published at Wells, in this county, by Messrs. Chase and Hall. Wells could now boast of two newspapers. The Advertiser was a four page, seven column sheet. We copy the salutatory.
"We present you, readers, with the Wells Advertiser. It means business. It is a permanent institution in Faribault county, fixed to stay. At present we shall publish it monthly, more frequently when it will pay to do so. Our aim shall be to benefit the entire community, not forgetting ourselves. We shall do a good deal of blowing, and being free-born, half white, andwholly independ- ent, expect to say a good many things that will make others blow. Our motto is "Advertise." We have got some things to sell and propose to let it be known, hence our name. In politics we are going for the best man and the county seat. If any body wants a row, let them puneh us, if a farm, or village lot, come and see us."
This is pith and point, but not much pathos. It may be added, that after the publication of two or three numbers of this paper, it "blew" itself out.
THE GENERAL RECKONING.
In this year the ninth national census was taken. The work was done in this county, during the months of June and July.
S. P. Childs, of Blue Earth City, was the assistant United States Marshall, appointed for the south half of the county, and A. A. Huntington, of Winnebago City, for the north half, to do the work of taking the census.
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As this is another year of general reckoning and posting up of accounts, in the history of our county, a record is here made of all the valuable statistics of the year. The quotations from the census, the agricultural productions, the assessed value of property in the several towns, and the other items of interest given, make up a very complete exhibit. But it must be again stated, that the value of some of these statistical collections is not great. It is found that those compiled from the census differ considerably from those taken from the State reports. We cannot here attempt to explain the causes of these discrepancies. The statistics are given here as they are found recorded in the books of authority on the subject.
TABLE NO. 1-POPULATION.
Number of male inhabitants in the county
5,274
Number of females. 4,672
Total number of Inhabitants. 9,946
As to the nativity of the inhabitants, there were born in the United States, 7,453; in Norway, 821; in Germany, 680; Canada, 431; Ireland, 195; England, 150; Scotland, 74; France, 44; Denmark, 32; Sweden, 20; Wales, 17; Holland, 8; Switzerland. 3; other countries, 18. By the census of 1860, the county ranked as No. 29 in popula- tion, but by the census of this year as No. 19.
The population per square mile was, in 1870, 13.81.
TABLE NO. 2-LIVE STOCK.
Horses, 2,996; mules, 110; milch cows, 3,298; working oxen 1,401; other cattle, 3,447; sheep, 4,037; hogs, 3,311.
TABLE NO. 3-FARM PRODUCTS OF 1870.
Acres.
Bushels.
Wheat.
32,678
343,546
Oats.
11,470
323,174
Corn ...
5,497
151,333
Barley
1,618
29,868
Rye. .
16
106
Buckwheat
170
1,985
Potatoes.
314
11,635
Beans.
117
1,417
Tame hay.
237
306 tons.
Wild hay
17,243
23,208 tons.
Sorghum.
2,947 gals. syrup.
Wool ..
10,778 lbs.
Butter
185,490 lbs.
Cheese.
11,320 lbs.
Honey
2.025 1bs.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
TABLE NO. 4-VALUATIONS.
The following table exhibits the total assessed value of all the Real and Personal Estate in each township in the county for the year 1870:
Total.
Seely & Kiester.
$65,059
Rome.
21,059
Elmore.
64.677
Pilot Grove.
26,266
Foster
58,910
Brush Creek
35,711
Emerald.
77,816
Blue Earth City
223,444
Jo. Daviess
69,829
Clark
130,564
Walnut Lake.
46,435
Barber
61,979
Prescott
83,230
Verona
103,966
Dunbar.
56,713
Minnesota Lake.
63,910
Lura
62,836
Guthrie.
83,479
Winnebago City.
160,822
$1,495,705
TABLE NO. 5-MISCELLANEOUS.
The number of farms in the county, in 1870, was 1,474. The number of dwelling houses, 1,911. There were 199 births and 83 deaths during the year. As this was the first year in which returns of births and deaths were required by law to be made, and the matter was not well understood, the returns made were quite im- perfect.
There were five grist mills in the county, one a steam mill, two propelled by water, and two by wind power.
There were in this year eighty-two marriages, and in five years, including 1870, six divorces, there being three in this year.
SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR 1870.
The following statistics and remarks are taken from Mr. Rich- ards' first reports, as superintendent of schools:
No. of school districts. 90
No. of school houses 79
No. of scholars 3,529
Eighty-one per cent of these attended school during the year. The graded schools at Blue Earth City and at Winnebago City, are doing good work. The county is well represented at the State Nor- mal School at Mankato. The deportment of pupils is generally
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good. Twelve public examinations of teachers were held in the county. One hundred and five certificates were issued to teachers. There was paid to teachers during the year, $15,123.00. Nine new school houses were built, costing $3,590,00. These facts and figures clearly show that the people of Faribault county are wide awake in school affairs.
THE FALL AND WINTER.
The fall weather of this year was remarkably pleasant, and long continued, affording ample time for all fall work.
But winter approaches
"Winds are swelling Round our dwelling, All day telling Us their woe. And at vesper Frosts grow crisper As they whisper Of the snow."
The first snow fell about the twenty-third of November, but plowing was done as late at the sixth day of December, and navigation remained open on the Mississippi very late, a steamboat excursion coming off at St. Paul on the twenty seventh of December.
FINIS.
The following statement is clipped from a newspaper, and forms a neat conclusion to the history of this year:
"Saturday, December 31st, 1870, was the last day, of the last week, of the last month, of the last year, of the last decade, ending with 1870. When will such a coincidence again occur?"
- The winter winds are wearily sighing, Toll the church bell, sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low; For the old year lies-a dying."-Tennyson.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
CHAPTER XVII.
A. D. 1871.
The morning of the first day of January, 1871, broke over this land, bright and still. Blue skies and a balmy atmosphere ushered in the new year- it was the Sabbath day.
"Amidst the earthiness of life, Vexation, vanity and strife; Sabbath! how sweet thy holy calm, Comes o'er the soul like healing balm."
This year not only began, but ended on Sunday. In reference to the Sabbath, or Sunday, for whether properly, or improperly, both names are now generally given to the day known as the Chris- tian Sunday and are so here used, there are several propositions which may here be discussed.
It is well known that the Jews and certain Christian denomina- tions, hold that Saturday, the seventh day of the week, is the true Sabbath day and the day which all people are, by the fourth com- mandment of the decalogue, required to keep as the Sabbath day. But, on the other hand, the great majority of Christian people keep Sunday, or the first day of the week, as the Sabbath day, and some legislative enactments, relating to the observance of Sunday, are to be found in the laws of most civilized nations.
The propositions referred to above, are the following:
Whether under the Christian dispensation, Sunday-the first day of the week-kept in commemoration of the Christ's resurrec- tion and the descent of the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentacost, and kept by the apostles themselves and other followers of Christ, in the assembling themselves together and "the breaking of bread," preaching and the reading of the scriptures-a practice continued in the church in all ages, since their day, was, by competent authority, substituted for the Jewish Sabbath, under the old dispensation. which, on the coming of the Christ, is said to have passed away. And here did the Christ, who declares that "He is Lord, also of the Sabbath," who in the three years of his ministry and, also, during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, spake "of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," instruct his apostles concerning the Sabbath, or Sunday.
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Whether Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who was a disciple of St. John, and was ordained by the Apostles then, living, spoke wisely and with authority, when he instructed some of his disciples, who wished to keep both Saturday and Sunday, that they should not keep the Sabbath of the Jews ( the Saturday), but lead a life con- formable to the Lord's day.
Whether the observance of one day in seven, as the Sabbath, be it the first or last day, or any other day of the week, is a compli- ance with the spirit of the law.
Whether the sixth day-Sunday-before the Passover of the Jews (Saturday), was the day on which God rested from the work of Creation, and the original Sabbath, and whether, when the Israelites left Egypt, the day was put back one day to our Satur- day, and so remained for fifteen hundred years, until the Christ arose from the dead on Sunday the original seventh day of the week, and that Sunday and the original Sabbath are now the same day.
Whether in the lapse of time, a discrepancy of one day has oc- curred. in consequence of which the present first day of the week- Sunday-is in fact the identical original seventh day of the week.
Whether, from the time when the command was given to keep the Sabbath day holy, the weeks, day by day, have been exactly regular in their succession, and that counting, day by day, from the beginning, our present Saturday, or Sunday, or any other day of the week, will prove exactly correct in the order of time. And here, what effect on Sunday did the Act of the Parliament of Great Britian, in 1752, have, when it was enacted that the third day of the month of September of that year should be called the (14th) four- teenth.
Whether or not the Edict of the Emperor Constantine issued A. D. 321, commanding that all work should cease in the cities "on the venerable Sunday," was the first official recognition of Sunday. Sunday was, originally, and long before the Christian era, the old pagan Roman day of the Sun-a day in the pagan worship dedicated to the sun.
Whether in this land, where "no religious test shall be required as a qualification to office." "where no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercises thereof," where all are guaranteed the liberty of "worshipping God according to the dictates of their own consciences." and where "no control of, or interference with the rights of conscience is per- mitted," any state, as such, has any constitutional. or other right to enact laws, providing for the observance of any day as the Sab- bath or as Sunday, and enforcing the same by penalties. Has a majority the right to determine this question?
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
But may not the State, considering the value of the Sunday, in its secular aspects only, enforce by law, its observance as a day of rest from toil?
The answers to these questions may be left to theologians, chronologists and statesmen.
But there are a few plain, brief remarks regarding the observ - ance of the Sabbath day, which may not be inappropriate here.
That this day should be observed by all, in a proper manner, is clearly declared in the fourth Commandment. None of the Com- mandments are more positive, more full or more in detail than this. By this command, we are in six days to labor and do all we have to do, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, to be kept holy. The seventh day-the Sabbath-is not ours, it is the Lord's. We have no right to pervert it, or use it for our ordinary purposes. We can only use it for purposes designated by Him to whom the day belongs. All this seems to admit of no argument.
This day is evidently intended to be kept as a day of rest and wor- ship, in which all the ordinary labors of life are suspended, and works of charity and necessity, only, are permissable. The word "Sabbath," means rest. God rested on this day from the work of creation, and he commanded the day to be kept holy. It is not a day of frivolity, dissipation, or amusement, and it is certainly to be kept quietly, restfully and reverently, and as the Jews were commanded to have a holy convocation on the seventh day-the Sabbath, and Christ, as was his custom, went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and "stood up for to read," and as the apostles and disciples assem- bled for public worship, subsequently on the Lord's day, as they did also on the seventh day, or Sabbath-the day is intended as a day of public assembling together for the worship of God.
That the day should, in all things, be kept with the strictness of the ancient Jews, or the rigidity of our Puritan forefathers, would be unreasonable and certainly not the intention. The Christ said that "the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath," that is, it was made for man's benefit and, therefore, it is lawful to do good, as doing works of necessity, mercy, charity, piety, on that day. In the Church calendar, Sunday is a festival, not a fast. On the other hand, what is known as the Continental Sabbath, or Sun- day, that is, the Sunday as it is kept generally in Continental Europe-a day devoted to recreation, amusements, excursions, gaming, theatrical performances and general dissipation, is simply a perversion of the day. The public welfare and the cause of relig- ion would be much better promoted, even by the old puritanical Sab- bath, than by the Continental observance of the day. Sunday must not be secularized.
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There are some things in the conditions of society, which mili- tate greatly against the proper observance of the Sabbath. Among these, there may be named the fact that persons who labor hard in factories, workshops, mines and otherwise all the work days of the week, and many hours of the day, which prevails much in Europe, and is coming to be the fact in this country, are almost compelled to ignore the Sabbath day. When Saturday night comes they are ex- hausted. The laborer has had no time during the week to attend to his private or personal business affairs, or for self-improvement, instruction, amusement or rest, or enjoyment of family life, and when Sunday dawns he feels that he must devote the day to some of these requirements. But suppose that even Sunday should be abol- ished, as has been proposed in certain localities, what would be the life of the daily toiler. Of all men, the workingman should be the friend of the Sabbath day. An eight hour day for the laborer and a Saturday half holiday, will be among those improved conditions of labor which will some day be recognized everywhere. Human experience, in all ages, has taught much of the value of the proper observance of the Sabbath.
The keeping of one day in seven, as a day of rest from ordi- nary labors, is necessary to the well-being of man, and of all working animals. They can accomplish more labor and under better condi- tions, because of this rest.
Its hygienic effects are greatly beneficial to man, mentally and. physically, not only because of the rest and recuperation but, also, because, according to the customs of all Christian lands, it is a day of personal cleaning up and change of raiment, and the mind is diverted from the ordinary tread mill round of mental and physical labors. to something new and different for the time being. In this age of nervous diseases, insanity and suicides, caused by over-work. hurry and worry, the Sunday rest is especially valuable.
The famous Dr. Farre declared that the keeping of the Sun- day is necessary to the public health, and many other eminent phy- sicians indorse this testimony, and so do statisticians and sensible observers in general.
It is morally and religiously beneficial, because the mind and attention are, or ought to be, called from sordid, temporal, worldly affairs to a higher plane, to instructions in religious duty and obli- gations, and to spiritual and eternal interests. Sunday is the great conservator of the morals and religion of the world.
Blackstone, the great commentator on the laws of England, says that "A corruption of morals usually follows a profanation of the Sabbath." Justice MeLean, formerly of the Supreme Court of the United States, declared that "where there is no Christian Sabbath, there is no Christian morality."
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
The proper keeping of the Sabbath is necessary to the well being of the State. Justice McLean, above-named, also said, that without the Christian morality which is conserved by the Christian Sabbath, "free institutions cannot long be sustained." Our Ameri- can liberties are largely connected with the weekly day of rest.
Adam Smith, the eminent writer on political economy, declares that "The Sabbath, as a political institution, is of inestimable value, independently of its claim to divine authority."
Macaulay, the English historian, writes that "If Sunday had not been observed as a day of rest, during the last three centuries, we should have been, at this moment, a poorer and less civilized people."
But it is not only where the Christian religion prevails, that the value of keeping one day in seven, as a day of rest and worship, is recognized, but the Jewish and great pagan religions bear testi- mony to the same facts.
Sunday, the first day of the week, is claimed as the proper day of rest by Christians, generally, Monday by the Greeks, Tuesday by the Persians, Wednesday by the Assyrians, Thursday by the Egyptians, Friday by the Mohammedan Turks, and Saturday, by the Jews and several Christian denominations.
Finally, to sum up the subject, considering the authoritative command of the Great Creater, in regard to the observance of the Sabbath, its value to man's mental and physical well-being, its im- portance in the conservation of morality and religion, its value to the State and to the progress of civilization, the disregard and desecration of the Sabbath approaches very near the turpitude of a crime. And the writer regrets to record the fact that very generally, throughout the world, the profanation and desecration of the Sabbath is one of the evils of this age which seem to be rapidly increasing and over-shadowing the nations, our own among the number. But the writer adds here, with great pleasure, that locally (in Faribault county ) the people generally, with a few ex- ceptions, have ever been a Sabbath observing, church going people. People who have the good of their race and nation at heart, can do no wiser act than to encourage, at all times, the proper observance of the Sabbath day.
MORBUS SABBATICUS.
A writer says, that morbus sabbaticus, or Sunday sickness, is a disease peculiar to church members. The attack comes on sud- denly every Sunday-it never occurs on any other day. No symp- toms are felt on Saturday night. The patient sleeps well, eats well, but just about church time. the attack comes on, and continues until services in the morning are over. Then the patient feels easy and
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cats a hearty dinner. In the afternoon the patient can take a walk, talk politics and read the Sunday paper. This sickness never inter- feres with the sleep, or appetite-it usually attacks only the head of the family, but no physician is ever called. Yet the disease is serious and becoming so prevalent, that it is sweeping thousands every year prematurely to the devil.
JUDICIAL.
The first January term of the district court in this county, com- menced its session January 3d. Hon. Franklin HI. Waite, judge. There were eleven criminal and eighteen civil cases on the calendar. The term lasted six days, and much important business was trans- acted.
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