Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-05-23
THE TERRITORY OF Minnesota.


present time, general description OF the country
by one who has visited goojly portion Of it ii
person, may not be- embarrassing to the readers o
| the intelligencer:-.Nat.I ateiiiycacer.
According To the final provisions Uf the bill which
has transferred this extensive wilderness into q
Territory ofthe United States, i, is bounded on
| The north by the British possessions, the east by
Lake Superior aud The Stale OF Wisconsin, on tho
south by the State ~ Iowa, and the west by the
Missouri river and the extensive POSSE ssions of tho
| Indians. The surface Of the country is generally
level, and it has been estimated that at least two
thirds of this consists Of prairie land she
mainder being forest. Much Of the soil is fertile,
and easy of cultivation. 1t is wacred by no less
than six of the most superb rivers ON the face of
the eaTth--the Mississippi and Missouri, River Au
jacques, the ST, Peters, the Red river, empiying
into Hudson's Bay, and the ST. Louis, emptyiug IN
10 Lake Superior. Were il not for the Fails OF ST.
Mary, Ga canal having been built around those of
Niagata,) a vessel sailing from the city of New
YORK, by the ST. Lawrence and the great Lakes,
might deposit her merchandise almost within its
very heart; while it is 4 well known fact that
New Orleans steamer may, by the Mississippi and
missouri rivers, transport the products OF the South
10 lis more remote eXtIemities. The two facts, that
Minnesota is aved by the waters of the largest lake
III The world, and that i'm its very centre are located
at least thousand lesser lakes, which constitute
The fountain head of The Father of Waters, are in
themselves sufficient TO give il worldwide repu-
talion In addition to all this, the climate of this
Territory is all that could be desired. The winters
are Indeed somewhat long and cold, but they
regular; and, as To the summers, we have never
witnessed any that were 10 US SO bracng and de-
lghiiul.' The dreaded ague is Stranger in this
'egon, and the very night-airs seem 10 increase
the strength OF the voyagers and Indian traders,
who Tor the most part, are the only civilized inbab
lians OF the domain. Game is found in the great
est abundance, from the buffalo 10 the deer aud tho
grouse, and there is no region in the world where
can be found greater variety of fresh water fish,
The Indian population is by far the most extern
slve now existing within its limits, but the nations
are only two in number, the Chippeways and this
Sioux. The wrongs which these unfortunate chill
dren of the wilderness have for many years past
endured from the more unprncip'ed traders are
among the blacklist crimes Of the white man, and
is to be most sincerely hoped that order VI
things will now be brought about, which may in
some slight degree atone for those wrongs. To US,
who have been devoted lover of the Red man,
even from childhood, the fact that the is LITERAL
ly whitening from the land of their fathers is indeed
depressing and sickening. With all his faults,
dearly love the poor neglected and deeply wronged
Indian, and verify believe that beloved coun-
try never prosper, as it might until we have
done something to atone for the unnumbered ou:-
RACES committed against the race by
worthy citizens. But we are wandering.
With regard to the towns or villages existing at
the present time in Minnesota, offer but lit
tie. 30 far cs we now remember, they consist Of
only three Fond du Lac, on tho ST. Louis mere
trading post St. Peters, at the mouth of the river
OF that name, distinguished the site of Fort Smell
ling, and as being within five or six miles of the
Fails Of st. Anthony, and at the head of steamboat
navigat ion; ard the hamlet Of ST. Paul, which is
on the west side Of the Mississippi, only about six
miles below the mouth of the ST. Peters. The
fact that the last named place has been selected as
The seat OF government of the new Territory reH-
deIs it of some interest. Ii is situated bluT
which rises some fifty feet above The Mississippi,
and, though ii IS flanked by hinly-wcoded, or ra-
lher prairie country, the soil is fertile, aud lie
merry both up and down the Mississippi is exceed
insly beautiful Unlike that portion running south
oi the Missouri, this portion vi the great river ia
invariably translucent, and Tor many is in
teIesting to an uncommon degree. Steamboats,
drawing only few inches OF water navigate this
| portion Of the river during The whole summer
| When we visited st. Paul (lS46) the majority Vi
lis dwellings,, IT not all, Numbering not more than
halt a dozen,) were built of logs, and though very
comfortable, were not particularly snowy. AT that
time, too, the only business carried on there was
that Of trading with the Indians. Our most vivid
recoltctionS Uf the place associated with SUP
per that we enjoyed IN the cabin of the principal
trader We had lost ourselves in travelling by land
from AXE ST. Croix to the village, and for many
hours before our arrival we had been in pariicn-
| larly hungry mood. We entered ST. Paul lust as
the sun was setting, and ii SO happened that on the
very outskirts of the place, we CHANGED 10 kill a
couple of young CONS. A portion of one of these
animals fried III lis own fat with dish of tea con
sttued our supper, and more truly satisfactory
supper we have hardly ever enjoyed, albeit we have
been quite an extensive traveller in the wilderness
If the citizens of St. Paul will only welcome their
newly appointed Governor by giving him coon
supper, feel confident that he will be well pleas
ed with the reception
With regard to the agricultural products we can
not speak with much confidence Wild rice wa
know, grows IN great abundance, and is the siaple
article of food with the Indians For corn the eli
mate is considered rather cold but potatoes and the
mOre- common vegetables grow 10 perfection. In
many parts the maple tree predominates and fine
sugar is produced in considerable quantities. This
principal trnbers pine and dwarfish oak. TIE
only Alpine region of Minnesota is that which lies
upon Lake superior, and the beautiful mountains
which here kiss the blue of heaven are invariably
covered with u miscellaneous forest and ifhalf the
stories we have heard are true, they must abound
in the valuable minerals of copper and silver.
Those Of our readers who may desire further in
formation in regard 10 the Territory of Minnesota
would do well TO consult the following authorities
viz. Gen. Pike, who travelled through the region in
1906; Henry Il. Schoolcralt's travels both in 1920
and 1872; MAJOR Long, who visited Lecch Lake
F; in 1928 and NJ. FicUlet, whose map Of the region
/ is exceedingly valuable; occasional item Ut in
formation may also be obtained from a little work
entitled "a Summer in the Wilderness" published
in 1876
! A GOOD STORY, WITH DETrsR ILLUSTRATION.
/ The Louisville Journal says that democrat
named Burman, went to Washington City to get
an office from Mr. Polk, just before the Presidential
election Mr.. Polk designated an Indifferent office
which he could give the applicant then, but told
hm that if he could wait till after the 18th of March