The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-02-06

ISninent, ne pauSeS moment TO view
the scene, before setting foot on shore
to mingle in the promiscuous multitude
A variety ofpersons attract his attention
Merchants in search Of newly arrived
goods; editors, anxious for the latest
news; citizens, receiving their long ex-
Pectcd friends from the East or South
carmen and coachmen with their teams,
all indeed Join in the tumultuous strife
and enjoy the excitement. 4 little re-
moved from the crowd may be seen an
other class, which by the way is too nu-
merous, for SO small a community as
that of St. Paul. This is composed of a
host of lawyers, politicians, oifice-hold
ers and Oflice-seekers, whom we may
perhaps call refugees from other States,
though actuated by the hope Of gaining
some honorable position and share OF
the public spoils. They are discussing
very boldly, perhaps, "a subject pertain
ing to the Territorial Government, or
the late doings of the long Congress.
Amid the busy crowd may be seen the
courteous and sociable Governor Ram
sey, conversing freely with his fellow
citizens, or politely receiving General
A. Colonel b. or some other distinguish
ed parsonage just arrived. Close by
the side of his Excellency a Dakota,
Winnebago or Chippewa warrior strides
along as boldly and quite as independent
as the greatest monarch on earth. He
is attircd in red or white blanket; with
his leggins and mocassins Enthusiastically
ornamented with ribons, feathers, beads,
Sc, while his long braided hair is
adorned with u number of ribbons aud
quills, his face is painted with a variety
of coIors, giving hun most frightlul ap-
lpearance. In his hands he carries a
gun, hatchet and pipe. AS the noble
fellow moves along, so erect, so tall and
athletic in his form. feeling of admira-
ton involuntarly fills the stranger 5
mind. He pronounces the Indian war
rior the hon of the multitude, and is force
to respect his savage nature. The
eye follows him along till he joins, per-
haps, a company Of his own tribe, some
of whom are quietly regaling themselves
at the end Of q long Tchandahoopah, ..
others gazing at the whiteman's big ca
noe. Now the astonished gazer bcholds
a group of dark-eyed s0uaws, some car
rying their heavy burdens, others with
ipapooscs on their backs, with their bare
heads sticking above dirty blanket
The little things may be sleeping and
as the. mother walks carelessly along
their heads dangle about as though their
necks would break at every step. They
sleep on, however, nor heed the scorch-
ing rays of the sun shining in their
faces.
The stranger having become satisfied
with the contemplation of such and simi-
lar scenes, at length concludes to de-
bark, and soon he too becomes one OF
the promiscuous multitude. He soon
forgets the oddities that so much excl
ted his curiosity among us. Though he
finds great multitude of French halt
breeds and Dakotas; yet the character
is decidedly Eastern. The Redmen who
are now SO numerous, will ere long flee
away before the influence of civi!iza-
ton, while tho native French, half breeds
&c, will be absorbed by an Eastern So
ciety. In short. every thing is fast par
taking Of Yankee spirit, and yielding
before the influence Of Yankee enter
prize.
Improvements are going on in Sain,
Paul with an astonishing rapidity. A
great change is noticeable every month
but the greatest change that has taken
place Of late is with regard to churches
Three months ago, all the houses OF
puplic worship to be seen here were the
Methodist house,a very commodiOus
brick building, besides an old Catholic
church built of logs. Now we have in
addition to these, a Presbyterian house
which would not compare uniavorable
with those Of Chicago; the Baptist and
Episcopalian, all Of which are ready for
public services. They occupy the most
prominent points in the embryo city and
can be seen from a great distance in
approaching the town from the South
East. We consider the building Of so
many churches, in so short time, a
good enterprise, indeed, for place two
years old, and containing only twelve or
fifteen hundred inhatants.
The restraining influence Of the
churches here is already felt to a great
extent, notwithstanding the number OF
each denomination is small. The Meth
odists, who organized church in De-
cember, ls4s, and built the first Protes'
tant Meeting house in Minnesota, have
now about fifty members, being the lar
gest of any denomination in Saint
Paul.
The Presbyterans and Baptists organ
lied churches nearly al the same time
last season. They have, for the mos,
part, held their meeting in school houses
+ and other inconvenient places. Their
new houses being nearly completed,
they hope soon to exchange their pia-
ces of worship for these that are large
and more convenient
f AS yet we have no very good schools
| in Saint Paul, owing to the mixed state
of society, and newness of the place
The prospects, however, are very en-
couraging, as we have free schoo
law, and a community anxious to carry
it into effect. The district schools arr
/ <h