The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-02-14
The Democrat NAV as well cease whin-

AhO ASAAoCioI Aio 10 WIZ NS>ASO "AAAAA
ing about this matter. The Pembina
court will be established, and those who
vote for the bill will, aside from the abb
solute requirements in the premises, find
ample justification in the opinion of Judge
Thompson, of Pennsylvania, and the
views OF other leading Democrats in Con-
gress at the time the organic act was
framed, who decided the legality of the
matter long before the editor of the Dem
ocrat knew such place as Pembina ex-
listed.
Almost any one, of common intellectu-
al capacity, may acquire the habit of a
correct and forcible style of composition,
by mere acquaintance with the rules of
grammar, and constant practice in writing.
No person knows, except those Of expe-
rience, to what degree "practice makes
perfect" in this as well as in all other oc-
equations. Persons who write constant
ly will find a daily Improvement in their
command of language, and the mode Of
expressing their IDEAS clearly and forci-
bly,. We will take the young people Of
St. Paul, just as we meet them of even
ings at any social gathering at which we
may happen, and by one years close
study and practice, two-thirds of them,
of either sex, will become better writers
than two-thirds of the country editors in
almost any State of the Union We do
not suppose many places elsewhere could
begin to furnish SO large proportion Of
raw literary material /; but we are certain
as to St. Paul. And, we are pleased TO
know, many of our young ladies and gen.
tlemen are disposed to cultivate and i'm
prove these intellectual qualities. A So
ciety,-or an institution we suppose
we may call it-has been in operation du-
ring the current winter. the members Of
which meet once week to hear the read
ing of original sketches, essays, sc. We
have had the privilege Of looking owe,
some of these productions. Many are
not deficient Of more than ordinary merit
although the worldwide ambition Of
young writers to become poets displays
itself rather prominently. Those seeking
fame in this hazardous path, should al
ways bear in mind, that the number Of
acknowledged poets in our language, since
the days of Shakespeare, will not average
twenty to century.
A bill has passed the Legislature to in
corporate the Cottage Grove Academy d
although, it is said, Cottage Grove has
never yet had common school taught
within its sylvan borders. However true
this may be, we feel confident in asserting
that the people of this, the oldest settled
':rural district in Minnesota, are not Of
that class who will neglect the moral and
intellectual training of their offspring
They may be mistaken in starting them of
in the higher branches" too early but
they intend to have them educated at all
events. The ladies of the neighborhood
have literary society, similar to the one
we have referred to in St. Paul, except
that it is confined to the ladies alone. They
hold literary reunions, and discuss the
merits of each others intellectual produc-
tons, instead of the merits of each others
character and mode of life. A great i'm
provement upon the old style Of tea-table
amusement!
According to our almanac, and we sup
pose every body else's, this is the 18th of
February-st. Valentines Day-the day
when not only all "true lowers" COM
municate to each other their vows Of ten
derness, on scraps Of paper bordered off
with gingerbread fancy-work, but accor-
ding to old tradition, the little birds, and
even the "rabbits and hares" are wont to
go in pairs" We might have forgotten
all this, had we not, on Wednesday, re-
ceived note through the post-office, from
a young friend, 1--WE suppose) requesting
us to write Valentine for him Cor her. }
Although our days of that style of writ
ing are "among the things that were, -
we don't know but we might have essay
ed to accommodate him, Cor her) provi-
ded he Cor she) had not adopted the usu-
al custom of persons who write to editors,
by Withholding his Cor her) name and adj
dress. Besides, we don't know what is
the present fashion Of Valentines, so long
has it been since we took any interest in
the matter; and we might get into worse
I