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Probably no election ever occurred in Minnesota that excited so much interest as the one known as the "Five Million Loan Election." It was not a party measure, as the leading men of both parties favored it; although the Republicans endeavored to make a little capital out of it at a later period. The only paper of any prominence that opposed the passage of the amendment was the Minnesotian, edited by Dr. Thomas Foster. That paper was very violent in its abuse of every one who favored the passage of the law, and its opposition probably had an opposite effect from what was intended by the redoubtable doctor. The great panic of 1857 had had a very depressing effect on business of every description and it was contended that the passage of this measure would give employment to thousands of people; that the rumbling of the locomotive would soon be heard in every corner of the state, and that the dealer in town lots and broad acres would again be able to complacently inform the newcomer the exact locality where a few dollars would soon bring to the investor returns unheard of by any ordinary methods of speculation. The campaign was short and the amendment carried by an immense majority. So nearly unanimous was the sentiment of the community in favor of the measure that it was extremely hazardous for any one to express sentiments In opposition to it. The city of St. Paul, with a population of about 10,000, gave a majority of over 4,000 for the law. There was no Australian law at that time, and one could vote early and often without fear of molestation. One of the amusing features of the campaign, and in opposition to the measure, was a cartoon drawn by R.O. Sweeney, now a resident of Duluth. It was lithographed and widely circulated. The newspapers had no facilities for printing cartoons at that time. They had to be printed on a hand press and folded into the papers. It was proposed, by the terms of this amendment to the constitution, to donate to four different railroad companies $10,000 per mile for every mile of road graded and ready to iron. Work Was commenced soon after the passage of the law, and in a short time a demand was made by the railroad companies upon Gov. Sibley for the issuance of the bonds, in accordance with their idea of the terms of the contract made by the state. Gov. Sibley declined to issue the bonds until the rights of the state had been fully protected. The railroad companies would not accept the restrictions placed upon them by the governor, and they obtained a peremptory writ from the supreme court directing that they be issued. The governor held that the supreme court had no authority to coerce the executive branch of the state government, but on the advice of the attorney general, and rather than have any friction between the two branches of the government, he, in accordance with the mandate of the court, reluctantly signed the bonds. Judge Flandrau dissented from the opinion of his colleagues, and had his ideas prevailed the state's financial reputation would have been vastly improved. Dr. Foster did not believe Gov. Sibley was sincere in his efforts to protect the interests of the state, and denounced him with the same persistence he had during the campaign of the previous fall. The doctor would never acknowledge that Gov. Sibley was the legal governor of Minnesota, and Tie contended that he had no right to sign the bonds: that their issuance was illegal, and that neither the principal nor the interest would ever be paid. The Minnesotian carried at the head of its columns the words "Official Paper of the City," and it was feared that its malignant attacks upon the state officials, denouncing the issuance of the bonds as fraudulent and illegal, would be construed abroad as reflecting the sentiment of the majority of the people in the the community in which it was printed, and would have a bad effect in the East when the time came to negotiate the bonds. An effort was made to induce the city council to deprive that paper of its official patronage, but that body could not see its way clear to abrogate its contract. Threats were made to throw the office into the river, but they did not materialize. When Gov. Sibley endeavored to place these bonds on the New York market he was confronted with conditions not anticipated, and suffered disappointment and humiliation in consequence of the failure of the attempt. The bonds could not be negotiated. The whole railway construction scheme suddenly collapsed, the railroad companies defaulted, the credit of the state was compromised, "and enterprise of great pith and moment had turned their currents awry." The evil forbodings of the Minnesotian became literally true, and for more than twenty years the repudiated bonds of Minnesota were a blot on the pages of her otherwise spotless record. Nearly 250 miles of road were graded, on which the state foreclosed and a few years later donated the same to new organizations. During the administration of Gov. Pillsbury the state compromised with the holders of these securities and paid 50 per cent of their nominal value. Will she ever pay the rest?
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In the latter part of May, 1858, a battle was fought near Shakopee between the Sioux and the Chippewas. A party of Chippewa warriors, under the command of the famous Chief Hole-in-the-day, surprised a body of Sioux on the river bottoms near Shakopee and mercilessly opened fire on them, killing and wounding fifteen or twenty. Eight or ten Chippewas were killed during the engagement. The daily papers sent reporters to the scene of the conflict and they remained in that vicinity several days on the lookout for further engagements. Among the reporters was John W. Sickels, a fresh young man from one of the Eastern cities. He was attached to the Times' editorial staff and furnished that paper with a very graphic description of the events of the preceding days, and closed his report by saying that he was unable to find out the "origin of the difficulty." As the Sioux and Chippewas were hereditary enemies, his closing announcement afforded considerable amusement to the old inhabitants.
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The celebration in St. Paul in honor of the successful laying of the Atlantic cable, which took place on the first day of September, 1858, was one of the first as well as one of the most elaborate celebrations that ever occurred in the city. The announcement of the completion of the enterprise, which occurred on the 5th of the previous month, did not reach St. Paul until two or three days later, as there was no telegraphic communication to the city at that time. As soon as messages had been exchanged between Queen Victoria and President Buchanan it was considered safe to make preparations for a grand celebration. Most of the cities throughout the United States were making preparations to celebrate on that day, and St. Paul did not propose to be outdone. The city council appropriated several hundred dollars to assist in the grand jubilation and illumination. An elaborate program was prepared and a procession that would do credit to the city at the present time marched through the principal streets, to the edification of thousands of spectators from the city and surrounding country. To show that a procession in the olden time was very similar to one of the up-to-date affairs, the following order of procession is appended:
THE PROCESSION.
Escort of Light Cavalry.
Band.
Pioneer Guard.
City Guard.
City Battery.
Floral procession with escort of Mounted Cadets,
representing Queen Victoria, President Buchanan,
the different States of the Union, and
other devices.
The Governor and State Officers in carriages.
The Judges of the State in carriages.
The Clergy.
Officers of the Army.
Officers of the Navy.
The Municipal Authorities of Neighboring Cities.
The Board of Education in Carriages.
The Mayor and City Council.
Knights Templars on Horseback.
Band.
Odd Fellows.
Druids.
Typographical Corps.
Band.
Officers and Crews of Vessels in Port.
Turners.
German Reading Society.
German Singing Society.
Attaches of Postoffice Department.
Citizens in Carriages.
Citizens on Horseback.
Brewers on Horseback.
Butchers on Horseback.
Col. AC Jones, adjutant general of the state, was marshal-in-chief, and he was assisted by a large number of aides. The Pioneer Guards, the oldest military company in the state, had the right of line. They had just received their Minie rifles and bayonets, and, with the drum-major headgear worn by military companies in those days, presented a very imposing appearance. The Pioneer Guards were followed by the City Guards, under Capt. John O'Gorman. A detachment of cavalry and the City Battery completed the military part of the affair. The fire department, under the superintendence of the late Charles H. Williams, consisting of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder company, Minnehaha Engine company, Hope Engine company and the Rotary Mill company was the next in order. One of the most attractive features of the occasion was the contribution of the Pioneer Printing company. In a large car drawn by six black horses an attempt was made to give an idea of printers and printing in the days of Franklin, and also several epochs in the life of the great philosopher. In the car with the representatives of the art preservative was Miss Azelene Allen, a beautiful and popular young actress connected with the People's theater, bearing in her hand a cap of liberty on a spear. She represented the Goddess of Liberty. The car was ornamented with flowers and the horses were decorated with the inscriptions "Franklin," "Morse," "Field." The Pioneer book bindery was also represented in one of the floats, and workmen, both male and female, were employed in different branches of the business. These beautiful floats were artistically designed by George H. Colgrave, who is still in the service of the Pioneer Press company. One of the unique features of the parade, and one that attracted great attention, was a light brigade, consisting of a number of school children mounted, and they acted as a guard of honor to the president and queen. In an open barouche drawn by four horses were seated two juvenile representatives of President Buchanan and Queen Victoria. The representative of British royalty was Miss Rosa Larpenteur, daughter of A.L. Larpenteur, and the first child born of white parents in St. Paul. James Buchanan was represented by George Folsom, also a product of the city. Col. R.E.J. Miles and Miss Emily Dow, the stars at the People's theater, were in the line of march on two handsomely caparisoned horses, dressed in Continental costume, representing George and Martha Washington. The colonel looked like the veritable Father of His Country. There were a number of other floats, and nearly all the secret societies of the city were in line. The procession was nearly two miles in length and they marched three and one-half hours before reaching their destination. To show the difference between a line of march at that time and one at the present day, the following is given: