40 THE AGRARIAN CRUSADE 



legal rate of interest and which made more humane 

 the process of foreclosure on mortgages. The out- 

 break of the Civil War gave him an opportunity to 

 demonstrate his executive ability as acting gover- 

 nor during Ramsey's frequent trips to Washington. 

 In this capacity he issued the first proclamation for 

 the raising of Minnesota troops in response to the 

 call of President Lincoln. Elected to Congress in 

 1862, he served three terms and usually supported 

 progressive legislation. 



Donnelly's growing popularity and his ambition 

 for promotion to the Senate soon became a mat- 

 ter of alarm to the friends of Senator Ramsey, 

 who controlled the Republican party in the State. 

 They determined to prevent Donnelly's renomi- 

 nation in 1868 and selected William D. Washburn 

 of Minneapolis to make the race against him. In 

 the spring of this year Donnelly engaged in a con- 

 troversy with Representative E. B. Washburn of 

 Illinois, a brother of W. D. Washburn, in the 

 course of which the Illinois congressman published 

 a letter in a St. Paul paper attacking Donnelly's 

 personal character. Believing this to be part of the 

 campaign against him, the choleric Minnesotan re- 

 plied in the house with a remarkable rhetorical 

 display which greatly entertained the members but 



