Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-02-13
Congressional.

|. AH"' oe"9 So"' AOtus~-~~-SENAfE.- Nl J.
Breese from the committee on Public
Lands, reported bill for the compensa-
ton Of the Registers and Receivers Of the
different land offices in the United States
read twice.
The Bill for the organization Of the
Territory Of Minnesota coming up in or
der, it was discussed for short time and
postponed until to morrow. ~--
Bill for the relief Of Pierre Chateau
Il Co., which has created much discussion
in Congress, was passed.
This bill grants compensation to the
company for certain goods furnished the
Shawnee Indians, who engaged in the wal
against the Seminoles.
HousE.-The Civil and Diplomatic bill
being under consideration, an amendnen,
was adopted, making ali appropriation Of
$92,5o0 for Clerks in the offices of The
Surveyor Generals to be apportioned tc
them according 10 the exigencies Of the
public service, and, if necessary, to be
employed in transscribing field notes OF
surveys, for the purpose Of preserving
them at the seat of Government ~
Also an appropriation Of $4,000 for
refurnishing The Presidents house after
the Sd Of March next.
TERRITORY OF Minnesota.
Friday, January l9th.-SENArE.-Mr
Douglas moved that the Senate proceed
to the consideration Of the bill TO es1ab.
lish the Territorial government of Nine
sofa; which motion was agreed to.
The question being upon the cngross-
ment Of the bill
Mr. King. should like to ask the no.
norable senator who reported this bill q
question. | have not myself examined
the case sufficiently to determine what
number of citizens Of the United States
reside within the limits Of the Territory
Of Minnesota.
| Mr.. Douglas. cannot answer the ques
ton definitely, sir. My impression is
that there are now somewhere between
5000 and 10000 people scattered in diff.
ferent parts Of the Territory. Most of
them are in one settlement, and then it
is several hundred miles before YOU come
to many more. Immigrants are pouring
in with great rapidity; and there are al
ready more than the number usual for
the establishment Of Territorial gov
erDment.
Mr.. King. I do not intend to throw a .
ny obstacle in the way Of extnnding the
laws Of the United States over ali our
people, wherever they be, provided that
they are SO congregated that the laws
can operate upon them. But if they are
but few individuals, scattered over an
immense territory, the senator will at
once perceive that it is utterly useless to
attempt it. ] do not see any positive ne
cessity for it in such case, and it seems to
me utterly impossible to enforce such a
government.
Mr.. Douglas. Perhaps my remarks
conveyed to the senator wrong impress
sion in regard to the settlement Of Mine.
sofa, and had meaning which was not
intended. meant to say that there are
settlements in different portions Of this
Territory, each compact, but separated
from the others by a long distance. The
great body of the people live in the val
ley of the St. Croix, and the country ad-
jacent, and are tolerabI y dense and COM
pact. Several hundred miles below there
are other settlements, all being tolerablv
dense in themselves, hn. at the same time
detached from each other. They are in
such condition that the laws can apply
TO them without difficulty; but at the same
time they are not adjoining.
A SENATOR. Where are they?
Mr.. Douglas. have not a map he re,
and cannot conveniently be more definite.
The committee have passed upon this
subject two or three times.
Mr. Westcott. | would state to the
senator from Alabama that a short time
since | had very interesting conference
with the delegate from Minnesota. who
has just been admitted to seat in the
House Of Representatives. | understand
that there are about 5000 people in the
space Of 100 square miles, in one settle
ment; about 1900 votes were given at
this delegates election. There are three
other settlements in the territory, silua-
ted as the honorable senator from Illinois
has just stated. This conversation i'm
pressed upon me the great necessity Of
having territorial government there,
for a variety Of reasons; and l fully a.
greed with this gentleman upon that point
The rapid immigration, the crowding in,
the building Of dwellings, and mills, the
Improvements upon the river, are most
extraordinary. They have expended Sc
veral hundred thousand dollars in these
Improvements across the river, &c and
there is no law to restrain the malicious
or wanton acts Of individuals in this re-
spect. Since Wisconsin has been admit
ted as a State, they have been without
any law. There are forty lawyers in
that country. Though do not like this
bill in all respects, am perfectly satisi.
ed that there ought TO be a territorial CO.
vernment there, and that it is absolutely
necessary that it should be Immediately
organised. - s~s -
Mr.. Dodge, of Iowa, said the establish
ment Of a Territorial government for the
people Of Minnesota was a measure in
which the State that he in part represen
ted felt the deepest interest Every con.
sideration Of justice and public policy de.