The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-01-09

they can never be replaced-and in view
of the immense value which in. future
years will attach to them, and the incon-
vcnicnce, injury, and fraud which their
loss might occasion, too much prudence
cannot be exercised for their preserya-
ton.
commend to the fostering care Of the
Legislature, the agricultural interests of
the Territory. Agriculture, whether con-
sidercd in reference to the number OF
persons to whom it gives subsistence,
the value Of its annual exports, the
amount Of capital which it employs, and
its necessity for the support of all other
pursuits, may well be regarded as the
paramount interest of the country, the
basis of it's wealth, the source of it's
commerce, andthe muscle il d sinew ofits
power. Until we become essentially an
agricultural community we shall never
be an opulcnt and prosperous one and
experience has demonstrated that be-
yond all doubt we can produce from the
soil in its natural state III every part of
Minnesota in which the test has been
made, wheat, oats, potatoes and corn, in
quality equal to that produced in any Of
the States of the Union, and in quantity
that astonishes even those who have been
familiar with the fertile bottom lands of
Indiana and Illinois. 1t happened to me
during the last summer, to witness upon
the banks Of northern lakes, under the
forty-cighth degree of latitude, fields Df
corn and wheat, In state of most lux
uriant growth, and from the settlements
of the Red River of the North | have
received specimens of spring wheat equal
in weight to any winter wheat raised in
the middle States of the Union. With
these results, in connection with the in-
comparable salubrity of our climate, the
remunerating prices of produce, the GER
tainty and proximity of market, the
abundance and cheapness of land, and
the hidden treasures Of its unworn fer
tility, who can doubt that the future has
in store for us a career of manly vi gor,
and succession of prosperous days !!
Our soil teens with vegetative power,
and is equally adapted to the growth Of
wheat, the raising of cattle, and the pro-
duction of wool and without being pre-
pared to advise or indicate any special
legislation in the premises, there is I'M
questionably much in your action which
can indirectly promote and encourage
this leading industrial interest, and de-
velope the agricultural resources Of Min
nesota.
The subject of education, will undoubt-
edly receive, as it most certainly de-
serves, your attentive and deliberate con-
sideration. Simply as a security against
immortality and crime, it is wise and
liberal system of police, which holds that
property, besides supporting the burdens
which all governments require, is holden
to another great public use the sup
I, port of schools. The principle that So
ciety is bound to provide for its MEM
bers education, as well as protection, is
one of the most important that belongs to
modern philosophy. This indeed lies at
the foundation, and constitutes the plat
form of our republican system. Ifthere
be any feature more distinct, more prom
inent. and more observable in the social
structure of this great nation, than any
other, it is the imperative obligation
which rests on every community, to pro-
vide free elementary instruction for all
its youth. 1t is not to be expected that
in our new state of society, in the scat.
tered condition Of our population over an
immense region of country, the same
completeness in any system can be at
tanned, as in older and more densely in
habited States but we can at least lay
the structure of a system, which, with
slight notifications, will adapt itself
to the varying conditions to which AN
increasing population will subject US.
To insure method and uniformity: |
would suggest the creation of the off ice
of Superintendent of Schools. This
officer could collect statistics, super;n-
tend the introduction of proper and
uniform series of text books, supervise
the organic alton of schools, and annually
report to the Legislature the result OF
each years operation. This would Sc
cure degree of perfection in sch Dol sx-
periencc, which would be of incacula-
bic advantage. when upon our admission
as q sovereign State, we should have
authority and ability to give UTMOST
efficiency to all means of education, by
availing ourselves of the magnificent 40
nation Of Congress, to school purposes,
of one eighteenth part of the lands
of the Territory, into the full enjoy
ment of which, as the Legislative AS
sembly is aware, we cannot enter un-
til our admission into the Union as a
State.
In the meantime, in order that the
generations Of youth, which are now
growing up to manhood, may receive
benefit from this liberal provision of the
organic act, it might be well tomemorial-
ize Congress for permission to rent these
lands upon long leases; and as the en-
dowment of University will also nat
urally, in this connection, attract your
attention, it might be proper farther to
memorialize Congress for grant of one
hundred thousand acres Of land, APP
plcable and available, at future day,
for this most desirable object The
| nronrietv Of urginp at this time the