524 



MINNESOTA. 



FIFTH DISTRICT. Votes. Plurality. 



George W . Webber, Bepublican 22,824 11,389 



Leonard H. Randall. Democrat 11,435 



John C. Blanchard, National-Greenback. . . 9,506 



Scattering 18 



SIXTH DISTRICT. 



Oliver L. Spaulding, Eepublican 28,551 5,316 



Edwin B. Winans, Democrat 18,235 



James W. Begole, National-Greenback 5,690 



Scattering 92 



SEVENTH DISTRICT. 



Omer D. Conger, Republican 17,490 3,684 



Cyrenius P. Black, Democrat 13,806 



John J. Watkins, National-Greenback 1,428 



Scattering 18 



EIGHTH DISTRICT. 



Eoswell G. Horr, Eepublican 21,224 2,367 



Timothy E. Tarsney, Democrat 18,857 



William Smith, National-Greenback 3,829 



Scattering 4 



NINTH DISTRICT. 



J. A. Hubbell, Eepublican 23,437 8,795 



Edwin S. Pratt, Democrat 14,642 



George Purmelee, National-Greenback 800 



Scattering 121 



The Legislature chosen at the same election 

 may be classified politically : Senate Repub- 

 licans, 30 ; Democrats, 2. House Republi- 

 cans, 86; Democrats, 13; Fusionist, 1. 



But a meager vote was polled on the con- 

 stitutional amendment authorizing the city of 

 Detroit to vote an appropriation in aid of a 

 tunnel or bridge across the Detroit River. 

 The vote was : for the amendment, 37,340 ; 

 against it, 58,040. 



MINNESOTA. The Treasury accounts of 

 the State of Minnesota cover a fiscal period 

 of two years. On the 1st of December, 1878, 

 there was a balance on hand of $48,499.20. 

 The receipts of the twelve months following 

 were $1,427,174.40, and the expenditures $1,- 

 343,644.17; the receipts of the year ending 

 November 30, 1880, were $1,563,026.45, and 

 the expenditures $1,420,903.89. This left an 

 unexpended balance, at the latter date, of 

 $264,151.99, of which $78,644.33 belonged to 

 trust-funds liable to investment in bonds. The 

 recognized debt of the State, at the begin- 

 ning of the fiscal period, was $500,000, of 

 which $210,000 were paid during the two 

 years, leaving $290,000 still due. There re- 

 main unprovided for, and, thus far, dishon- 

 ored, the bonds issued in 1858 in aid of rail- 

 roads. The Constitution authorized a loan ot 

 $5,000,000 for this purpose, and $2,275,000 of 

 the bonds were issued, bearing seven per cent, 

 interest, and payable in twenty - five years. 

 The principal and accumulated interest at the 

 beginning of 1881 amounted to $5,850,000. 

 The Governor, in his message to the Legisla- 

 ture, made a strong appeal for the recognition 

 and payment of this old debt. He said : 



The fact that the principal of these bonds will be- 

 comc_ due so soon after the next regular session that 

 too little time thereafter will be left to provide for 

 meeting them, invests the subject at this time with 

 new importance, and renders the prompt and final 

 adjustment of this long-standing indebtedness a mat- 

 ter of solemn and imperative duty. However good 

 citizens may honestly differ as to the nature and force 

 of the obligation represented by these bonds, the ab- 

 solute necessity that some kind of disposition should 



be made of outstanding paper bearing the sovereign 



E ledge and attestation of our State, will be conceded 

 y all. Without questioning the sincerity of those 

 who oppose full payment of the dcbt ; it is difficult to 

 see why there should be serious differences among 

 honorable parties where the essential conditions of the 

 contract are undeniable. 



That the original proposition was amply discussed, 

 deliberately adopted, and overwhelmingly endorsed by 

 the people, is a matter of record. That the railroad com- 

 panies faithfully performed their part of the contract 

 so far as to entitle them to the bonds conditioned upon 

 such performance, is attested by the sworn statements 

 of official inspectors, as well as by the high charactt 

 of the faithful executive by whom full compliance W 

 exacted. That the taking possession of the proper 

 and franchises of the companies obliges the State 

 pay the bonds is beyond question, since she acquin 

 such property and franchises upon that sole condi- 

 tion j while the sole ^justification and purpose of such 

 acquisition was reimbursement to the State, for pay- 

 ment by the State. These, it seems clear to me, in- 

 clude all the considerations that need be embraced for 

 an honorable settlement upon the legal aspects of the 

 question. When to these is added the unquestionable 

 fact that our magnificent railroad system of to-day is 

 largely due to the early labor performed upon the 

 trunk lines for which these bonds were issued, there 

 can be little need of more words to establish the jus- 

 tice of this claim upon the State. . . . 



The State haying chosen foreclosure as her remedy, 

 and disposed of the property thus acquired uncondi- 

 tionally as her own, the conclusion seems to me irre- 

 sistible that she assumed the payment of the debt res 

 ing upon such property, by every principle of law ar 

 equity. The liability having been voluntarily ir 

 currcd, whether it was wisely created or no, is foreig 

 to the present question. It is certain that the oblij 

 tions were fairly given, for which consideration 

 fairly received ; and the State having seized the rail- 

 road property and franchises to indemnify her for pay- 

 ment of the bonds, it is difficult to see what possible 

 justification there can be for her refusal to make such 

 payment. . . . 



The discharge of this debt is demanded as a simple 

 act of justice, which would be none the less impera- 

 tive were it to involve serious sacrifices. But these 

 are not required. The task is plain and easy and 

 level to the simplest comprehension. The half-mill- 

 ion acres of lands, which cost us nothing and came 

 opportunely to hand, as if Fortune would lure us from 

 dishonor, can be so advantageously employed in this 

 direction that scarcely an appreciable increase of taxa- 

 tion would be required to liquidate the debt. Indeed, 

 the exhibit of the State Auditor shows thatj with a 

 wise use of these lands, this can be accomplished at 

 the present rate of taxation without any increase of 

 taxation. There would thus seem to be every incen- 

 tive to favorable action, and none for shrinking from a 

 duty so clear and imperative. . . . 



Minnesota has, in most respects, a proud place among 

 the States of the Union. She has evinced her patri- 

 otism in war and her wisdom in peace. She has shown 

 more financial sagacity and concern for the national 

 credit than older and wealthier States of which more 

 was expected. She has been permitted to grow in 

 prosperity and power. There are everywhere within 

 her broad limits, progress, order, thrift^ and content- 

 ment. All industries prosper, and all interests point 

 to a glorious future. Only this dishonored debt dims 

 the bright promise of her proud career. But it meets 

 her at every turn. In every civilized community her 

 citizens are shamed with the scathing taunt of repudi- 

 ation. 



The total amount of land under cultivation 

 in the State during the year was 4,503,716 

 acres, of which 2,963,325 acres were devoted 

 to wheat. The wheat-crop of 1879 yielded 

 31,218,634 bushels from 2,762,527 acres. That 



