Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-11-07
90 MlMllTyIO NAgEl@NSo
Letter No. 3. m g
ST.. PAUL. Oct. Is. 1848.


Mr.. Ep1roR-In two preceding letters
have endeavored to give your readers a
slight descriptive sketch Of the face Of
the country, the settlements, and the re-
sources Of what now constitutes the Ter
ritory Of Wisconsin. These subjects |
have by no means exhausted. have said
nothing Of the rich and fertile country
lying on Lake st. Croix, between Still
water and Point Douglass, at the conAu-
ence Of the St. Croix river with the Mis-
sissippi, nor Of the highly int resting re-
glon on the last named river, between the
Falls of St. Anthony and Crow Wing. 1t
yet remains to describe the fantastic num-
merry Of an Indian Dance, and the cere-
monies of q payment-a Sioux offering to
the Great Manitou, and an Indian Whis-
key Orgie; nor have touched on the
geology, botany, or zoology Of this north
ern region. All these, and much more,
must be reserved for future communica-
tons. The present letter | mean TO de-
vote to sketch Of our present political
position.
By the act Of Congress admitting the
State Of Wisconsin into the Union, her
northwestern boundary was fixed to pass
from the mouth Of the 81. Louis river up
the main channel thereof, to the frst rap
ids in the same; thence due south to the
main branch of the river St. Croix: thence
down the main channel Of said river to
the Mississippi.' This boundary line d.
vided, though by nc means equally, the
county Of St. Croix, leaving the southern
and by far the smaller portion in the
State of Wisconsin, and the larger and
much more thickly settled portion beyond
the limits Of The State" The county OF
St. Croix was organized by an act passed
Feb. 10th. 1847, and the county of La
pointe was attached to it for judicial pur-
poses. Nearly all the last named county
lies north Of the State line. The county
seat for these two counties was located at
Saltwater on Lake St. Croix; county Of
fcers were elected and qualified, and a
term or terms Of the District Court were
held there by Judge Dunn.
The question arises, "does the admis-
sion Of a State, from portion Of Terri
tory, annihilate the Government Of the
remainder? Had Congress in its wisdom
seen fit to fix Rock River as the western
boundary Of the State Of Wisconsin, and
the people had agreed to it, would there
be any question in any reasonable mind,
whether the remaining portion Of the
Territory including the seat Of Govern
ment' had a political existence? Did the
Northwest Territory cease to exist, on
the admission Of the State Of Ohio? So
far from this, after the latter State was
admitted, the delegate from the N. w.
Territory, though residing within the
limits Of the new State, was allowed 10 re-
tain his seat in the House of Representa-
tives Of the U. S.
Nor, according to the laws Of nations,
as your readers learned in the law, can
see by referring to Vattle, is it competent
for a government to cast off and disfran-
chise portion Of its Territory which has
once been under the protection Of its
Jaws? Government is mutual compact,
and TIC right to withdraw protection OH
the one hand, 2'ust imply light to with
IRA" from IL OH llit o."Si'
1t is not my lntentlo:' however on this
occasion TO argue point on which there
is but one opinion here among a ronu'a
ton Of over six thousand intelligent cl,i-.
zcns. We claim that the country which
we inhabit, which formed large portion
Of the Territory Of Wisconsin from which
the Stale Of Wisconsin has resentIy been
cut off, is still the Territory Of Wiscon-
sin, subject 20 the old Territorial laws,
and governed for the present by such of
the former officers appointed by the Gov
eminent Of the U. S. who may choose TO
take up their residence within its limits,
as have not vacated their Offices by resig-
nation or acceptance Of other Federal APP
pontments.
The great desire Of our population
however is, to procure as soon as possible
the full and permanent organization Of
the Territory Of Minnesota, including a
a large tract Of country on the West side
Of the Mississippi River. With view to
further this object, a Convention was held
at Saltwater on the 26th day Of August
last, attended by more than sixty dele
gates from ali portions Of the Territory
some Of them coming a distance Of more
than two hundred miles,-at which me.
MORALS to the President Of the U. S. and
to Congress were unanimously adopted,
representing the condition Of the Terrific
ry, and praying an early organization.
A Delegate to represent at Washington
the interests Of the people of Minnesota,
q. e. Of both sides of The Mississippi) was
also elected by the Convention.
Meanwhile, the people believing that
they still had rights, laws, and officers as
citizens Of the Territory Of Wisconsin,
held meetings at various points in the
Territory, whereat they unanimously
passed resolutions requesting their dele,
gate, the Hon. John. w. Tweedy 20 re-
sign his seat in Congress, and inviting
the Hon. John Catlin, Secretary Of Wis
consin Territory, and (by the election Of
His Excellency Henry Dodge to the U. S
Senate from the State of Wisconsin) Elk
odicio acting Governor Of the Territory,
to come within it's limits and issue pro