The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-06-19
The sage Of !. c, s.eens hin.

Geo. Washington had his Mt. Vernon. T'hos.
Jefferson his Monticello, Andrew jackson bis
Hermitage, Martin Van Bursn biz Lindenwaid !;
and James s. Norris, has his sCrescent HILL
There is something 30 feudal, nay ducal, nay al
most regal, in the name Of this distinguished
Councillors manor, barony, or estate, that we
are led at once to reflect on the probable magnif-
icence Of the estate, the imposing style Of its
chtectura decorations, its lawns, terraces, foun-
tains, parks and the vulgar mind is lifted up to
contemplation Of the undoubted antiquity and
dignity of the Norris family. Crescent Hill -
Think Of that The whole world is presumed
to know where Crescent Hill is. In the grim
halls Of Crescent Hill, we fancy that we sec
hanging a long line of the Norris ancestry, done
in canvass. A novus homo, or mere pIebian, GER
tainly could never rise TO the patrician em:nence
of "Crescent HILL" There il dignity and an
tiquity in the very name. 1t is redolent Of ven
cradle Latin-it hath in it smack of the old iron
Roman. "Crescent" has for its root, the latin
verb cresco, to arise from which we are to in
fer that Crescent Hill, is not only pretty weH up
in the world, but that when named, it was " on
the rise - and was probably named when its
towering apex FIRST began to rise above the sub
siding waters Of Noah's food at which time, it
is presumabls it was selected by the Norris fami-
ly, as their country residence. will, their cattle
and herds, the Norrises. then being eminent shep-
herds and herdsmen. Why does nothing Of this,
appear in the laborious annals Of the Minnesota
Historical Society! sa
But our present purpose, is to glance at the
mastery and statesmanlike letter Of the Sage Of
Crescent HiII,' addressed to the conve ntiou Of
the :" Winnebago Democracy of Ramsey coun-
ty; which appears in the Democrat Of last week,
which letter is dated
CRESCENT HILL, June 4, 1851.
This letter, which was designed to annihiiate
Henry II. Sibley, and all the school of minor
politicians, who have ventured 10 look for polti-
cal lights, elsewhere than to Crescent Hill, and
want faith in :" Ohier" democracy and the swim
nebago Fur Company" was sent, because the
proprietor of Crescent Hill was " under such en-
gagements, unfortunately" that he could not at
tend the Convention in person and annihiate his
political enemies with speech. But now let US
make quotation two from the lucid letter of
the Sage of Crescent Hill just to see how easy
it is for great man to lay down principles. to
build political platform, to define democracy, in
short, from the heights of Crescent Hill. he axes
90 raful ohsor of tha ,x;da nc ,.l.,:>.
and who SO competent as he. to make politica
chart See how easily he disposes Of and har-
monizes the conflicting political sentiments Of our
democratic party, on the question Of protection to
the iron interests of Pennsylvania, the question
of the Wilmot proviso in New York, the question
Of the Fugitive Slave law which has sundered
our party in Missouri, in New York, every where
throughout the Union See how broad plat
form he lays down. and rivets together with Cos
pei spikes, on which H. F. Masterson, ]. w.
North, and all the Benton Free Sellers, can stand
with Henry II. sibley, Socrates Nelson, VIM. d.
Phillips, Henry N. Selzer. and all those demo-
Gratis, who desire to render up honestly to the
South, their fugitive slaves. and live manfully up
TO the compromises Of the Constitution, without
disturbing their rights and their peace , Camp
bell discovered, that there was no need Of sects
and creeds in religion /; because the Bible ough,
to be the creed Of all Christians but it rema ined
Tor the Sage of Crescent Hill to apply the same
great truth to politcs-to democracy, the prnci-
pies Of which he says, are as immutabe as the
principles Of the Christian religion. "He who
knows what Jefferson called democracy, knows
what democracy is now.'' That is, democracy
is-why democracy democracy is democracy;
that is the true definition of democracy. Oh
logic most cogent Oh. subtlety and me,aphys.
les most profound Where now is your econ.
stitution as l understand it % Where is YOU,
democracy as l understand it The Sage O.
Crescent Hill has spoken. He defines the Con
stitution. He defines democracy. Oh, if the
Sage Of Lindenwald and Old Bullion, and Stepher
A. Douglass, and James Buchanan, and all thess
secondary politicians, would come and sleep al
night at Crescent Hill together, and listen to the
sage political wisdom Of James s. Norris, how
soon would the North and the South kiss and
make friends What political millennium of the
party, the Sage " Crescent Hill would be the
harbinger of The roaring slave owner and the
sheepish abolhonist would lie down together, the
high tariff-men and the free-trader would sleer
in the same trundle-bed, your peaceful conser.
vative and your bloody Misunderstanding IMAM,
would shake hands together, your strict construc-
ZIONIST and your internal improvement democrat,
would hug each her, all affectiona,ciy elnbrac.
ing each other, upon the noble democratic plat.
form of the Sage Of Crescent Hill This le,te,
Of the Sage Of Crescent Hill, must be printed or
satin, and copies Of it must be sent to al ,be
democrats Of the Union, in time to harmcnize IN,
next Democratic Presidential Convention. 4, will;
produce sensation at washington-a grea, sen.
satlon. Copies Of il ought to be sen, promptly t.
the Calhoun democracy Of South Carolina
Who knows but it might quell party viOleuo.
there unite the democracy aud save the Union
Immortal Sage Of Crescent Hill! How il is &c
be regretted, that Presiden. Of the Uaited State,
Is never selected from Territory,