Paul, St. Anthony, Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls and other
settlements, which had sprung up in Wisconsin west of the St. Croix,
without any government. The inhabitants of these communities immediately
sought ways and means to extricate themselves from the dilemma in which
they were placed. There were a great many men among them of marked
ability and influence--Henry M. Rice, Henry H. Sibley, Morton S.
Wilkinson, Henry L. Moss, John McKusick, Joseph R. Brown, Martin McLeod,
Wm. R. Marshall and others. Differences of opinion existed as to whether
the remnant of Wisconsin on the west side of the St. Croix still
remained the Territory of Wisconsin or whether it was a kind of "no
man's land," without a government of any kind. Governor Dodge of the
territory had been elected to the senate of the United States for the
new state. The delegate to congress had resigned, and the government of
the territory had been cast upon the secretary, Mr. John Catlin, who
became governor ex-officio on the vacancy happening in the office of
governor. He lived in Madison, in the new state, and would have to move
over the line into the deserted section if he proposed to exercise the
functions of his office. A correspondence was opened with him, and he
was invited to come to Stillwater, and proclaim the existence of the
territory by calling an election for a delegate to congress from
Wisconsin Territory. He accepted the call, moved to Stillwater, and in
the month of September, 1848, issued his proclamation. An election was
held in November following, and Henry H. Sibley was chosen delegate from
Wisconsin Territory to the congress of the United States.

Sibley procured the passage of an act, on March 3, 1849, organizing the
Territory of Minnesota, and we have had regular elections ever since.

There is a little unwritten history connected with the transaction above
related. The principal citizens west of the St. Croix fixed things up
among the settlements in a manner entirely satisfactory to themselves.
They divided the prospective spoils about as follows: Sibley lived at
Mendota, and that place was to have the delegate to congress, St. Paul
was to have the capital, Stillwater the penitentiary, and St. Anthony
the university, which comprised all there was to divide. The program was
faithfully carried out, and has been maintained ever since, although
various attempts have been made to violate the treaty by the removal of
the capital from St.