Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul: A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer PressMoore, Frank
History
Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul: A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer Press
Moore, Frank
Frontier and pioneer life -- Minnesota; Saint Paul (Minn.) -- History
On the following day there was an immense barbecue at Minnehaha
Falls, when the visitors were feasted with an ox roasted whole. This
organization kept on increasing in membership, until in an evil hour
one of the members had succeeded in inducing the Rev. John Penman
to consent to become one of its members. Mr. Penman was so highly
Indignant at the manner in which he had been handled during the
initiation that he immediately wrote an expose of the secret work,
with numerous illustrations, and had it published in Harper's Weekly.
The exposition acted like a bombshell in the camp of the Philistines,
and ever after Empire hall, the headquarters of the order, presented
a dark and gloomy appearance. The reverend gentleman was judge of
probate of Ramsey county at the time, but his popularity suddenly
diminished and when his term of office expired he found it to his
advantage to locate in a more congenial atmosphere.
* * * * *
The Minnesotian and Times, although both Republican papers, never
cherished much love for each other. The ravings of the Eatanswill
Gazette were mild in comparison to the epithets used by these little
papers in describing the shortcomings of their "vile and reptile
contemporary." After the election in 1859, as soon as it was known
that the Republicans had secured a majority in the legislature, the
managers of these rival Republican offices instituted a very lively
campaign for the office of state printer. Both papers had worked hard
for the success of the Republican ticket and they had equal claims
on the party for recognition. Both offices were badly in need of
financial assistance, and had the Republican party not been successful
one of them, and perhaps both, would have been compelled to suspend.
How to divide the patronage satisfactorily to both papers was the
problem that confronted the legislature about to assemble. The war of
words between Foster and Newson continued with unabated ferocity. The
editor of the Minnesotian would refer to the editor of the Times
as "Mr. Timothy Muggins Newson"--his right name being Thomas M.
Newson--and the Times would frequently mention Dr. Foster as the
"red-nosed, goggle-eyed editor of the Minnesotian." To effect a
reconciliation between these two editors required the best diplomatic
talent of the party leaders. After frequent consultations between the
leading men of the party and the managers of the two offices, it was
arranged that the papers should be consolidated and the name of the
paper should be the Minnesotian and Times. It can readily be seen
that a marriage contracted under these peculiar circumstances was
not likely to produce a prolonged state of connubial felicity. The
relations between Foster and Newson were no more cordial under one
management than had hitherto existed when the offices were separate.
This unhappy situation continued until about the time the legislature
adjourned, when the partnership was dissolved. Dr. Foster assumed
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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