The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-01-15

: same year covered s., 900 acres.
During the year 1851, 3,494 acre!
, have been entered, of which Is, 72e acre:
we're located by military land warrants
= Claims under the pre-emption law have
been made during said year, to SO, 20t
acres.
OF the subjects upon which the two
preceding Legislatures have memorial
zed Congress, some have been delinitive-
ly acted uPon--others, left unfinished
but partly matured, will recur to your
attention without needing renewal oi
notice from me.
There are 50 many considerations con-
nected with the policy, proprety and
constitutional obligation Of Congress
granting aid and succor, in the prosecu-
t'on ofworks Of general Importance, that
were to enter upon them all they would
carry me far beyond what is necessary
to be stated on the present OCCASION
Without then adverting in detail to those
contemplated improvements in which
Minnesota may be considered more i'm
medlatcly interested, merely remark on
the subject generally, that every i'm
provemcnt which cheapens transporta-
ton, correspondingly adds to the value
! oi our exports and lessons the cost OF
our imports. Every new facility of in
tcrcourse, diminishes the difficulty and
expense of immigration to the Territory
increases the Western tide both Of peo-
pie and property, and by the rehow OF
this property into the Treasury through
the land Offices, augments the public
revenue, and at the same time promotes
our own growth and prosperity
1t is entirely reasonable that this gov
ernment, being the great landholder in
the West and in all the new Territories,
should sustain portion of the expense
IN making the principal primary roads.
The owners of the soil, whose property
Is supposed to be increased in value by
roads when made, are taxed for their
construction; and why should the gov
ernment be exempt from its fair propor-
> tlon of the assessment? To me, the du-
ty of Congress in the premises seems
perfectly clear. No gloss, no ingenuity,
no specious Interpretation. much less, no
process Of fair or just reasoning can rec
onclle the abandonment Of plain pow
CT conferred by the constitution, with an
honest Interpretation of the instrument,
Or TO the satisfaction of the common
sense OF mankind The case is still
stronger IN relation to rivers, which the
federal authorities declare to be public
highways, assume Jurisdiction of, exclude
r,I lr,a,
from becoming private property of the
citizens, or the property of the States
through which they flow. In this in
stance, the power of improvement seems
Inseparably connected with ownership
and jurisdiction.
it is to be hoped that the present Con
grcss, cOnCurring with the wise recon-
nendation Of the President, will give to
this sub ject the attention it deserves; and
that public Improvements IN which Min
neSota has an essential and vital inter
est, may receive the lust and liberal con-
sideration to which they are entitled.
/ 10 avoid iteration, simply refer the
Legislature to what have urged in for
mer messages, in regard to the proprie-
ty Of Congress granting TO settlers, upon
unsurveyed lands, the same privileges as
If the lands had been surveyed. | be-
lieve the passage Of such measure to
be of the highest importance TO the peo-
pie of Minnesota, and in itself strictly
just. If the treaties negotiated with the
Sioux and Chippewas during the past
year, shall receive the appreciation OF
the President and the Senate, the neces-
sity of such an enactment will become
significantly manifest
1t becomes you, gentlemen, in the most
solemn manner, to protest against the
grievons wrong that would be done our
own, in common with the other Terrific
lies of the United States, should pro-
ijcct, which was brought before Congress
at its last session, become a law. | al
Iude to bill for parceiling the public
lands among the several States of the
Union. am not we'll informed as to
the details of the bill, but understand
thai the effect of its enactment would be
to break up the present admirable sys-
tenn Of surveying and disposing of the
public domain, and leave to each State
the management and disposition Of such
parcel of the public Territory as might
fall to its share-thus Introducing per
plexity and confusion, where now is sim
plicity and system; and retarding the
settlement Of the public lands, by the
.annoyances incident to thirty or more
Independent and conflicting jurisdic-
tioBs.
AS to the disposition which may be
made Of the proceeds Of the public lands,
we have, in our political relations, no
voice; but if a concerted effort is to be
made for the division of these lands
among the States, it would seem that all
the objects contemplated might be attain
ed by distribution Of their proceeds,
leaving the present system Of survey and
sale undisturbcd.
To the people of Minnesota the most
interesting political event. that has oc-
currod cipCp rho nrua piza tion of fhc Tor