Washington County, Minnesota - Chapter 22: Minnesota from Its Organization As, 1881

Chapter 22: Minnesota from Its Organization As

Appearance of the Conntry, A. D. 1MI - Arrival of Hist Editor - Governor Ramacf arrive - Gnrat of H. H. 8iM«y - Proclamation loaned - Governor Kanuey and II. M. Rice move to Baint Paul - Ponrth of July Celebration - Pint election - Early aewapnpen - Pint Coorta - Pint Lr*ialatnr* - Pioneer Rawa Carrier'* Addrnea Wedding at Port Boellinp - Territorial Seal - Scalp Dance at Stillwater - Pint Steamboat at Palls of Saint Anthony - Preabytenan Chapel burned - Indian eoanclt at Port Snellinp - Pint Steamboat above 8aint Anthony - Pint boat at the Bine Earth River - Cotnrreeeional election - Ttait.of Prodrika Bremer - Indian newspaper - Other newspaper* - Second Legislature - University of Minnesota - Teamster killed by Indians - Sionx Treaties - Third Legislature - Land dlile at Stillwater - Death of lint Editor - Ponrth Legislature Baldwin School, now Mac al cater College Indian light in Saint Paal.

On the third of March, 1849, the bill was passed by Congress for organizing the territory of Minnesota, whose boundary on the west, extended to the Missouri River. At this time, the region was little more than -a wilderness. The west bank of the Mississippi, from the Iowa line to Lake Itasca, was unceded by tlie Indians.

At the foot of Lake l'epin was a store house kept by Mr. F. S. Richards. On the west shore of the lake lived the eccentric Wells, whose wife was a bois bnilc, a daughter of the deceased trader, Duncan Graham.

The two unfinished buildings of stone, on the beautiful tank opposite the renowned Maiden's Rock, and the surrounding skin lodges of his wife's relatives and friends, presented a rude but picturesque scene. Above the lake was a cluster of bark wigwams, the Dahkotah village of Raymneccha, now Red Wing, at which was a Presbyterian mission house.

The next settlement was Kaposia, also an In¬ dian village, and the residence of a Presbyterian missionary, the Rev. T. S. Williamson, M. D. On the east side of the Mississippi, the first set¬ tlement, at the mouth of the St. Croix, was Point Douglas, then as now, a small hamlet.

At Red Rock, the site of a former Methodist mission station, there were a few farmers. Saint Paul was just emerging from a collection of In¬ dian whisky shops and birch roofed cabins of half-breed voyageurs. Here and there a frame tenement was erected, and, under the auspices of the lion. II. M. Rice, who had obtained an inter¬ est in the town, some warehouses were con¬ structed1, and the foundations of the American House, a frame hotel, which stood at Third and Exchange street, were laid. In 1849, the popu¬ lation had increased to two hundred and fifty or three hundred inhabitants, for rumors had gone abroad that it might be mentioned in the act, creating the territory, as the capital of Minnesota. More than a month after the adjournment of Congress, just at eve, on the ninth of April, amid terrific peals of thunder and torrents of rain, the weekly steam packet, the first to force its way through the icy barrier of Lake l'epin, rounded the rocky jioint 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 were heard announcing that there was a territory of Minnesota, and that Saint Paul was the seat of government.

Every successive steamboat arrival poured out on the landing men big with hope, and anxious to do something to mould the future of the new state.

Nine days after the news of the existence of the territory of Minnesota was received, there arrived James M. Goodhue with press, type, and printing apparatus. A graduate of Amherst college, and a lawyer by profession, he wielded a sharp pen, and wrote editorials, which, more than anything else, perhaps, induced immigration. Though a man of some faults, one of the counties properly bears his name. On the twenty-eighth of April, he issued from Ids press the first number of the Pioneer.

lie houses, immediately proceeded iu the steamer to the establishment of the Fur Company, known as Mendota, at the junction of the Minnesota nnd Mississippi, and became the guest of the lion. H. II. Sibley.

On the first of June, Governor Ramsey, by pro¬ clamation, declared the territory duly organized, with the following oflieers : Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania, Governor ; C. K. Smith, of Ohio, Secretary ; A. Goodrich, of Tennessee, Chief Justice ; D. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, and B. B. Meeker, of Kentucky, Associate Judges; Joshua L. Taylor, Marshal ; II. L. Moss, attorney of the United States.

On the eleventh of June, a second proclama¬ tion was issued, dividing the territory into three temporary judicial districts. The first comprised the county of St. Croix ; the county of La Pointe and the region north and west of the Mississippi, and north of the Minnesota and of a line running due west from the headwaters of the Minnesota to the Missouri river, constituted the second ; and the country westof the Mississippi and south of the Minnesota, formed the third district. Judge Goodrich was assigned to the first, Meeker to the second, and Cooper to the third. A court was ordered to be held at Stillwater on the second Monday, at the Falls of St. Anthony on the third, nnd at Mendota on the fourth Monday of August.

Until the twenty -sixth of June, Governor Ramsey and family had lx'on guests of Hon. II. II. Sibley, at Mendota. On the afternoon of that day they arrived at St. Paul, in a birch-bark canoe, and became permanent residents at the capital. The house first occupied as a guber¬ natorial mansion, was a small frame building that stood on Third, between Robert and Jackson streets, formerly known as the New England

A few days after, the Hon. II. M. Rice and family moved from Mendota to St. Paul, and oc¬ cupied the house he had erected on St. Anthony street, near the corner of Market.

The anniversary of our National Indei>endence was celebrated in a becoming manner at the cap¬ ital. The place selected for the address, was a grove that stood on the sites of the City Hall and

On the seventh of July, a proclamation was Is¬ sued, dividing the territory into seven council districts, and ordering an election to be held on the first day of August, for one delegate to rep¬ resent the people in the House of Representatives of the United States, for nine councillors and eighteen representatives, to constitute the Legis¬ lative Assembly of Minnesota.

In this month, the lion. If. M. Rice despatch¬ ed a Inv.it laded with Indian goods from the the Falls of St. Anthony to Crow Wing, which was towed by horses after the manner of a canal boat.

The election on the first of August, passed off with little excitement, Hon. II, II. Sibley being elected delegate to Congress without opposition. David Lambert, on what might, perhaps, be termed the old settlers' ticket, was defeated iu St. Paul, by Janies M. Boal. The latter, on the night of the election, was honored with a ride through town on the axle and fore-wheels of an old wagon, which was drawn by his admiring but somewhat undisciplined friends.

J. L. Taylor having declined the office of United States Marshal; A. M. Mitchell, of Ohio, a graduate of West Point, and colonel of a regi¬ ment of Ohio volunteers in the Mexican war, was appointed and arrived at the capital early in August.

There were three papers published in the ter¬ ritory soon after its organization. The first was the Pioneer, issued on April twenty-eighth, 1849, under most discouraging circumstances. It was at first the intention of the witty and reckless editor to have called his paper " The Epistle of St. Paul. " About the same time there was issued in Cincinnati, under the auspices of the late Dr. A. Randall, of California, the first number of the Register. The second number of the paper was printed at St. Paul, in July, and the office was on St. Anthony, between Washington and Market Streets, About the first of June, James Hughes, afterward of Hudson, Wisconsin, arrived with a press and materials, and established the Minnesota Chronicle. After an existence of a few weeks two papers were discontinued ; and, in their place, was issued the " Chronicle and

Description Of The Temporary Capitol

The first courts, pursuant to proclamation of the governor, were held in the month of August. At Stillwater, the court was organized on the thirteenth of the month, Judge Goodrich pre¬ siding, and Judge Cooper by courtesy, sitting on the bench. On the twentieth, the second judi¬ cial district held a court. The room used was the old government mill at Minneapolis. The presiding judge was 15. B. Meeker ; the foreman of the grand jury, Franklin Steele. On the last Monday of the mouth, the court for the third judicial district was organized in the large stone warehouse of the fur company at Meudota. The presiding judge was David Cooper. Governor Ramsey sat on the right, and Judge Goodrich on the left. Hon. II. II. Sibley was the foreman of the grand jury. As some of the jurors could not speak the English language, W. II. Forbes acted as interpreter. The charge of Judge Cooper was lucid, scholarly, and dignified. At the request of the grand jury it was afterwards published.

On Monday, the third of September, the first Legislative Assembly convened in the " Central House,1' in Saint Paul, a building at the comer of Minnesota and Bench streets, facing the Mississippi river which answered the double purpose of capitol and hotel. On the first floor of the main building was the Secreta¬ ry's office and Representative chamber, and in the second story was the library and Council chamber. As the flag was run up the staff in front of the house, a number of Indians sat on a rocky bluff in the vicinity, and gazed at what to them was a novel and perhaps saddening scene ; for if the tide of immigration sweeps in from the Pacific as it has from the Atlantic coast, they must soon dwindle.

The legislature having organized, elected the following permanent officers: David Olmsted, President of Council; Joseph R. Brown, Secre-* ary; II. A. Lambert, Assistant. In the House of Representatives, Joseph W. Furber was elect¬ ed Speaker: W. D. Phillips, Clerk; L. B. Wait, Assistant

On Tuesday afternoon, both houses assembled in the dining hall of the hotel, and after prayer was offered by Rev. E. D. Neill, Governor Ram¬ sey delivered his message. The message was ably

The first session of the legislature adjourned on the first of November. Among other proceed¬ ings of interest, was the creation of the following counties: Itasca, Wapashaw, Dahkotah, Wahnahtah, Mahkahto, Pembina. Washington, Ram¬ sey and Benton. The three latter counties com¬ prised the country that up to that time hud been ceded by the Indians on the east side of the Mis¬ sissippi, Stillwater was declared the county seat of Washington, Saint Paul, of Ramsey, and *- the seat of justice of the county of Benton was to be within one-quarter of a mile of a point on the east side of the Mississippi, directly opposite the mouth of Sauk river."

By the active exertions of the secretary of the territory, C. K. Smith, Esq., the Historical Society of Minnesota was incorporated at the first session of the legislature. The opening an¬ nual address was delivered in the then Methodist (now Swedenborgian) church at Saint Paul, on the first of January, 1850.

The following account of the proceedings is from the Chronicle and Register. "The first public exercises of the Minnesota Historical Society, took place at the Methodist church, Saint Paul, on the first inst., and passed off highly creditable to all concerned. The day was pleasant and the attendance large. At the appointed hour, the President and both Vice-Presidents of the society being absent ; on motion of Hon. C. K. Smith, Hon. Chief Justice Goodrich was called to the chair. The same gentleman then moved that a committee, consisting of Messrs. Parsons K. Johnson, John A. Wakefield, and B. W. Brunson, be appointed to wait upon the Orator of the day, Rev. Mr. Neill, and inform him that the audience was waiting to hear his address.

"Mr. Neill was shortly conducted to the pulpit; and after an eloquent and approriate prayer by the Rev. Mr. Parsons, and music by the hand, he proceeded to deliver his discourse upon the early French missionaries and Voyageurs into Minne¬ sota. We hope the society will provide for its publication at an early day.

Hobart, upon the objects and ends of history, the ceremonies were concluded with a prayer by that gentleman. The audience dispersed highly delighted with all that occurred.'- At this early period the Minnesota Pioneer issued a Carrier's New Year's Address, which was amusing doggerel. The reference to the future greatness and ignoble origin of the capital of Minnesota was as follows : -

On the evening of New Year's day, at Fort Snelling, there was an assemblage which is only_ seen on the outposts of civilization. In one of the stone edifices, outside of the wall, belonging to the United States, there resided a gentleman who had dwelt in Minnesota since the year 1819, ami for many years had been in the employ of the government, as Indian interpreter. In youth he had been a meml>er of the Columbia Fur Com¬ pany, and conforming to the habits of traders, luul purchased a Dahkotali wife who was wholly ignorant of the English language. As a family of children gathered around him he recognised the relation of husband and father, and consci¬ entiously discharged his duties as a parent. ' His daughter ait a projier aige was sent to a boarding school of some celebrity, and on the night re¬ ferred to was married to an intelligent young American fanner. Among the guests present were the olllcers of the garrison in full uniform, with their wives, the United States Agent for the Dahkolahs, and family, the bois brules of the neighborhood, and the Indian relatives of the mother. The mother did not make her api»earance, but, as the minister proceeded with the ceremony, the Dahkotali relatives, wrapped in their blankets, gathered in the hall and looked in through the door.

The marriage feast was worthy of the occa¬ sion. In consequence of the numbers, the officers and those of European extraction partook first ; then the bois brules of Ojibway and I)ahkotah descent; and, finally, the native Ameri¬ cans, who did ample justice to the plentiful sup¬ ply spread before them.

Governor Ramsey, Horn II. II. Sibley, and the delegate to Congress devised at Washington, this winter, the territorial seal. The design was Falls of St. Anthony in the distance. An immigrant ploughing the land on the borders of the Indian country, full of hope, and looking forward to the IKisscssion of the hunting'grounds beyond. An Indian, amazed at the sight of the plough, and fleeing on horseback towards the setting sun.

The motto of the Earl of Dunraven, "Qua sursum volo videre". (I wish to see what is above) was most appropriately selected by1 Mr. Sibley, but by the blunder of an engraver it appeared on the territorial seal, "Quo sursum volo videre," which no scholar could translate. At length was substituted, "L' Etoile du Nord," "Star of the North,'' while the device of the setting sun remained, and this is objectionable, as the State of Maine had already placed the North Star on her escutcheon, with the motto "Dirigo," "I guide." Perhaps some future legislature may

Scalp Dance In Stillwater

In the montn of April, there was a renewal of hostilities between the Dahkotahs and Ojibways, on lands that had been ceded to the United States. A war prophet at lied Wing, dreamed that he ought to raise a war party. , Announcing the fact, a number expressed their willingness to go on such an expedition. Several from the Kaposia village also joined the party, under the leadership of a worthless Indian, who had been confined in the guard-house at Fort Snelling, the year previous, for scalping his wife.

Passing up the valley of the St Croix, a lew miles above Stillwater the party discovered on the snow the marks of a keg and footprints. These told them that a man and woman of the Ojibways had l>een to some whisky dealer's, and were re¬ turning. Following their trail, they found on Apple river, al>out twenty miles from Stillwater, aband of Ojibways encamped in one lodge. Wait¬ ing till daybreak of Wednesday, April second, the Dahkotahs commenced firing on the unsuspecting inmates, some of whom were drinking from the contents of the whisky keg. The camp was comixwed of fifteen, and all were murdered and scalp¬ ed, with the exception of a lad, who was made a captive.

On Thursday, the victors came to Stillwater, and danced the scalp dance around the captive lx>y, in the heat of excitement, striking him in the face with the scarcely cold and bloody scalps of his relatives. The child was then taken to Ka¬ posia, and .adopted by the chief. Governor llamsey immediately took measures to send the boy to his friends. At a conference held at the Gov¬ ernor's mansion, the ln>y was delivered up, and, on being led out to the kitchen by a little son of the Governor, since deceased, to receive refresh¬ ments, he cried bitterly, seemingly more alarmed at being left with the whites than he had been while a captive at Kaposia.

From the liist of April the waters of the Mis¬ sissippi began to rise, and on the thirteenth, the lower floor of the warehouse, then occupied by William Constans, at the foot of Jackson street, St Paul, was submerged. Taking advantage of the freshet, the steamboat Anthony Wayne, for a purse of two hundred dollars, ventured through the swift current above Fort Snelling, and reached the Falls of St. Anthony. The boat loft the fort after dinner, with Governor Ramsey and other guests, also the band of the Sixth Regiment on board, and reached the falls between three and four o'clock In the afternoon. The whole town, men, women and children, lined the shore as the boat approached, and welcomed this first arrival, with shouts and waving handkerchiefs.'

On the afternoon of May fifteenth, there might have been seen, hurrying through the streets of Saint Paul, a number of naked and painted braves of the Kaposia band of Dahkotahs, ornamented with all the attire of war, and panting for the scalps of their enemies. A few hours before, the warlike head chief of the Ojibways, young Ilolein-the-Day, having secreted his canoe in the retired gorge which leads to the cave in the upper sub¬ urbs, with two or three associates had crossed the river, and, almost in sight of the citizens of the town, had attacked a small jiarty of Dahkotahs, and murdered and scalped one man. On receipt of the news, Governor Ramsey granted a parole to the thirteen Dahkotahs confined In Fort Snell¬ ing, for participating in the Apple river massacre.

On the morning of the sixteenth of May, the first Protestant church edifice completed in the white settlements, a small frame building, built for the Presbyterian church, at Saint Paul, was destroyed by fire, it lieing the first conflagration that had occurred since the organization of the territory.

One of the most interesting events of the year 1850, was the Indian council, at Fort Snelling. Governor Ramsey had sent runners to the differ¬ ent bands of the Ojibways and Dahkotahs, to meet him at the fort, for the purpose of en¬ deavouring to adjust their difficulties.

On Wednesday, the twelfth of June, after much talking, as is customary at Indian councils, the two tribes agreed as they had frequently done before, to be friendly, and Governor Ramsey presenting to each party an ox. the council was dissolved.

On Thursday, the Ojibways visited St Paul for the first time, young Hole-in-the-Day being dressed in a coat of a captain of United States infantry, which had been presented to him at the fort On Friday, they left in the steamer Gov¬ ernor Ramsey, which had been built at St. An¬ thony, and just commeuced running betweeu

The summer of 1850 was the commencement of the navigation of the Minnesota River by steamboats. With the exception of a steamer that made a pleasure excursion as far asShokpay, in 1841, no large vessels had ever disturbed the waters of this stream. In June, the "Anthony Wayne," which a few weeks before had ascended to the Falls of St. Anthony, made a trip. On the eighteenth of July she made a second trip, going almost to Mahkahto. The " Nominee " also navigated, the stream for some distance.

On the twenty-second of July the ollicers of the "Yankee," taking advantage of the high water, determined to navigate the stream as far as possible. The boat ascended to near the Cottouwood river.

As the time for the general election in Septeml>er approached, considerable excitement was manifested. As there were no political issues before tire people, parties were formed based on ]>ersonal preferences. Among those nominated for delegate to Congress, by various meetings, , were II. II. Sibley, the former delegate to Con¬ gress, David Olmsted, at that time engaged in the Indian trade, and A. M. Mitchell, the United States marshal. Mr. Olmsted withdrew his name before election day, and the contest was Itetween those interested in Sibley and Mitchell. The friends of each betrayed the greatest zeal, and neither pains nor money were spared to in¬ sure success. Mr. Sibley was elected by a small majority. For the lirst time in the territory, soldiers at the garrisons voted at this election, and there was considerable discussion as to the propriety of such a course.

During November, the Dahkotah Tawaxitku Kin, or the Dahkotah Friend, a monthly paper, was commenced, one-half in the Dahkotah and one-half in the English language. Its editor was the Rev. Gideon II. Pond, a Presbyterian mis¬ sionary, and its place of publication at Saint Paul.

It was published for nearly two years, and, though it failed to attract the attention of the Indian mind, it conveyed to the English reader much '

On the tenth of December, a new ]>ui>er, owned and edited by Danjel A. Robertson, late United States marshal, of Ohio, and called the Minne¬ sota Democrat, made its apitearance.

During the summer there had been changes in the editorial supervision of the "Chronicle and Register." For a brief i>eriod it was edited by L. A. llalicock, Esq., who was succeeded by W. G. Le Due.

Aland the time of the issuing of the Demo¬ crat, 0. J. Ueuniss, formerly reporter for the United States Gazelle, Philadelphia, became the editor of the Chronicle.

The lirst proclamation for a thanksgiving day was issued in 1850 by the governor, and the twenty-sixth of Deceml»er was the time appointed and it was generally observed.

On Wednesday, January lirst, 1851, the second legislative Assembly assembled in a three-story brick building, since destroyed by lire, that stood on St. Anthony street, between Washington and Franklin. D. 11. Loomis was chosen Speaker of the Council, and M. E. Ames Speaker of the House. This assembly was characterized by more bitterness of feeling than any that has since convened. The preceding delegate election had been based on i>ersonal preferences, and cliques and factions manifested themselves at an early period of the session.

The locating of the ]>enitentiary at Stillwater, and the capitol building at St. Paul gave some dissatisfaction. By the efforts of J. W. North, Eaq., a bill creating the University of Minnesota at or near the Falls of St. Anthony, was passed, and signed by the Governor. This institution, by the State Constitution, is now the State Uni¬ versity.

About the middle of May, a war jiarty of Dahkotahs discovered near Swan River, an Ojibway with a keg of whisky. The latter escaped, with the loss of his keg. The war party, drinking the contents, became intoxicated, and, tiring upon some tcamrters they met driving their wagons with goods to the Indian Agency, killed one of them, Andrew Swartz, a resident of St. Paul. The news was conveyed to Fort Ripley, and a party of soldiers, with Uole-in-tlie-Hay as a guide, started in pursuit of the murderers, but did not succeed in capturing them. Through the influ¬ ence of Little Six the Dahkolali cliief, whose vil¬ lage was at (and named after him) Shokpay, five of the oflienders were arrested and placed in the guard-house at Fort Snelling. On Monday, June ninth, they left the fort in a wagon, guarded by twenty-five dragoons, destined for Sauk Rapids for trial. As they departed they all sang their death song, and the coarse soldiers amused themselves by making signs that they were going to be hung. On the first evening of the journey the five culprits encamped with the twenty-five dragoons. Handcuffed, they were placed in the tent, mid yet at midnight they all escaped, only one being wounded by the guard. What was more remarkable, the wounded man was the first to bring the news to St. Paul. Pro¬ ceeding to Kaposia, his wound was examined by the missionary mid physician, l)r. Williamson ; and then, fearing an arrest, he took a canoe and paddled up the Minnesota. The excuse offered by the dragoons was, that all the guard but one fell asleep.

The first paper published in Minnesota, beyond the capital, was the St. Anthony Express, which made its appearance during the last week of April or May.

The most important event of the year 1851 was the treaty with the Hahkotahs, by which the west side of the Mississippi and the valley of the Minnesota River were opened to the hardy immi¬ grant. The commissioners on the part of the United States were Luke Lea, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and Governor Ramsey. Tlio place of meeting for the upper bauds was Trav¬ erse des Sioux. The commission arrived there on the last of June, but were obliged to wait many days for the assembling of the various bands of Hahkotahs.

On the eighteenth of July, all those expected having arrived, the Sissetoans and Wahpaytoan Hahkotahs assembled in grand council with the United States commissioners. After the usual feastings and speeches, a treaty was concluded on Wednesday, July twenty-third. The pipe having been smoked by the commissioners, Lea and Ramsey, it was passed to the chiefs. The paper containing the treaty was then read in English and translated into the Bahkotah by the Rev. S. R. Riggs, Presbyterian Missionary among this people. This finished, the chiefs came up to the secretary's table and touched the pen; the white men present then witnessed the document, and nothing remained but the ratification of the United States Senate to open that vast country for the residence of the hardy immigrant

During* the first week in August, a treaty was also concluded beneath an oak bower, on Pilot Knob, Mendota, with the M'dewakantomvan and Wahpaykootay bands of Hahkotahs. About sixty of the chiefs and principal men touched the pen, and Little Crow, who had been in the missionschool at Lac qui Parle, signed his own name. Before they separated, Colonel Lea and Governor Ramsey gave them a few words of advice on various subjects connected with their future well¬ being, but particularly on the subject of educa¬ tion and temperance. The treaty was interpret¬ ed to them by the Rev. G. II. Pond, a gentleman who was conceded to be a most correct speaker of the Hahkotah tongue.

The day after the treaty these lower bands received thirty thousand dollars, which, by the treaty of 1837, was set apart for education ; but, by the misrepresentations of interested halfbreeds, the Indians were made to believe that it ought to be given to them to be employed as they pleased.

On the seventeenth of September, a new paper was commenced in St. Paul, under the auspices of the " Whigs," and John P. Owens became editor, which relation he sustained until the fall of 1857.

The election for members of the legislature and comity oflicers occurred on the fourteenth of October ; and, for the first time, a regular Hemocratic ticket was placed before the people. The parties called themselves Democratic and Anti¬ organization, or Coalition.

In the month of November Jerome Fuller ar¬ rived, and took the place of Judge Goodrich as Chief Justice of Minnesota, who was removed; and, about the same time, Alexander Wilkin was

The third Legislative Assembly commenced its sessions in one of the edifices on Third below Jackson street, which became a portion of the Merchants' Hotel, on the seventh of January, 1852.

This session, compared with the previous, formed a contrast as great as that between a boisterous day in March and a calm June morn¬ ing. The minds of the population were more deeply interested in the ratification of the treaties made with the Dahkotahs, than in political dis¬ cussions. Among other legislation of interest was the creation of Hennepin county.

On Saturday, the fourteenth of February, a dog-train arrived at St. l'aul from the north, with the distinguished Arctic explorer, Dr. Rae. He had been in search of the long-missing Sir John Franklin, by way of the Mackenzie river, and was now on his way to Europe.

On the fourteenth of May, an interesting lusus naturae occurred at Stillwater. On the prairies, beyond the elevated bluffs which encircle the business portion of the town, there is a lake which discharges its waters through a ravine, and sup¬ plied McKusick's mill. Owing to heavy rains, the hills became saturated with water, and the lake very full. Before daylight the citizens heard the " voice of many waters," and looking out, saw rushing down through the ravine, trees, gravel and diluvium. Nothing impeded its course, and as it issued from the ravine it spread over the town site, covering up barns and small tenements, and, continuing to the lake shore, it materially improved the landing, by a deposit of many tons of earth. One of the editors of the day, alluding to the fact, quaintly remarked, that "it was a very extraordinary movement of real estate."

During the summer, Elijah Terry, a young man. who had left St. Paul the previous March, and went to Pembina, to act as teacher to the mixed bloods in that vicinity, was murdered un¬ der distressing circumstances. With a bois brule he had started to the woods on the morning of his death, to hew timber. While there he was fired upon by a small party of Dahkotahs ; a ball broke his arm, and he was pierced with arrows. His scalp was wrenched from his head, and was afterwards seen among Sisseton Dahkotahs, near Big Stone Lake.

At the November Term of the United States District Court, of Itamsey county, a Dahkotah, named Yu-lia-zee, was tried for the murder of a Gorman woman. With others she was travel¬ ing above Shokpay, when a party of Indians, of whom the prisoner was one, met them; and, gathering about the wagon, were much excited. The prisoner punched the woman first with his gun, and, being threatened by one of the party, loaded and fired, killing the woman and wound¬ ing one of the men.

On the day of his trial he was escorted from FortSnelling by a company of mounted dragoons in full dress. It was an impressive scene to witness the poor Indian half hid in his blanket, in a buggy with the civil oillcer, surrounded with all the pomp and circumstance of war. The jury found him guilty. On being asked if he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed, he replied, through the interpreter, that the band to which he belonged would remit their annuities if he could be released. To this Judge Hayner, the successor of Judge Fuller, replied, that he had no authority to release him; and, ordering him to rise, after some appropriate and impressive remarks, lie pro¬ nounced the first sentence of death ever pro¬ nounced by a judicial officer in Minnesota. The prisoner trembled while the judge spoke, and was a piteous spectacle. By the statute of Min¬ nesota, then, one convicted of murder could not be executed until twelve months had elapsed, and he was confined until the governor of the terorrity should by warrant order his execution.

The fourth Legislative Assembly convened on the fifth of January, 1853, in the two story brick edifice at the corner of Third and Minnesota streets.. The Council chose Martin McLeod as presiding officer, and the House Dr. David Day,

Indian Fiqut In 8Trbe18 Of 8T. Paul

The Baldwin school, now known as Macalester College, was incorporated at this session of the legislature, and was opened the following June.

On the ninth of April, a party of Ojibways killed a Dahkotah, at the village of Shokpay. A war party, from Kaposia, then proceeded up the valley of the St. Croix, and killed an Ojibway. On the morning of the twenty-seventh, a band of Ojibway warriors, naked, decked, and fiercely gesticulating, might have been seen in the busiest street of the capital, in search of their enemies. Just at that time a small party of women, and one man, who had lost a leg in the battle of Still¬ water, arrived in a canoe from Kaposia, at the Jackson street landing. Perceiving the Ojib¬ ways, they retreated to the building then known as the " Pioneer " office, and the Ojibways dis¬ charging a volley through the windows, wounded a Dahkotah woman who soon died. For a short time, the infant capital presented a sight similar to that witnessed in ancient days in Hadley or Deerfield, the then frontier towns of Massachusetts. Messengers were despatched to Fort Snelling for the dragoons, and a party of cili/.ens mounted on horseback, were quickly in pursuit of those who with so much boldness had sought the streets of St. Paul, as a place to avenge their wrongs. The dragoons soon fol¬ lowed, with Indian guides scenting the track of the Ojibways, like bloodhounds. The next day they discovered the transgressors, near the Falls of St. Croix. The Ojibways manifesting wliat was supposed to be an insolent spirit, the order was given by the lieutenant in command, to fire, and he whose scalp was afterwards daguerreo

During the summer, the passenger, as he stood on the hurricane deck of any of the steamboats, might have seen, on a scaffold on the bluffs in the rear of Kaposia, a square box covered with a coarsely fringed red cloth. Above it was sus¬ pended a piece of the Ojibway's scalp, whose death had caused the affray in the streets of St. Paul. Within, was the body of the woman who had been shot in the " Pioneer " building, while seeking refuge. A scalp suspended over the corpse is supposed to be a consolation to the soul, and a great protection in the journey to the spirit land.

On the accession of Pierce to the presidency of the United States, the officers appointed under the Taylor and Fillmore administrations were removed, and the following gentlemen substitu¬ ted : Governor, W. A. Gorman, of Indiana; Sec¬ retary, J. T. Rosser, of Virginia; Chief Justice. W. II. Welch, of Minnesota ; Associates, Moses Sherburne, of Maine, and A. G. Chatfield, of Wisconsin. One of the first official acts of the second Governor, was the making of a treaty with the Winnebago Indians at Watab, Benton county, for an exchange of country.

On the twenty-ninth of June, D. A. Robertson, who by his enthusiasm and earnest advocacy of its principles had done much to organize the Democratic party of Minnesota, retired from the editorial chair and was succeeded by David Olm¬ sted.

At the election held in October, Henry M. Rice and Alexander Wilkin were candidates for deligate to Congress. The former was elect¬ ed by a decisive majority.