The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-01-29
NUMBER 20.


in them already planned towns, built mills,
opened roads, commenced farms, the nu-
cleus of many happy home.
But it is, however, in their initiatorv
stages only, We can consider the pres
ent growth and advancement of our Ter
ritory in all the constituents of national
and individual prosperity. Our brief,
though energetic past foreshadows but
lalntiy the more glorious and brilliant
destiny IN store for us in the future; nor
is prophetic inspiration necessary to FORE
tell it. 1t is written so plainly that he
who runs may read it. 1t is written in
the advantages nature has so literally be-
slowed upon us; by beautiful country,
unqualified by the drawback of much
waste land, with an universally fertile
soil, where prairies, "that blossom as the
rose" with groves and woods are propor-
tionate!y in'ermingled; while doiting it
over, in refreshing profusion, are gem
like lakes, and intersecting its map, Ut
convenient distances, are crystal streams,
whose precipitous waters afford elements
out of which to create future Lowells
and Manchesters.
1t is written in our geographical posi-
ton, in the ceutcr of our continent, at
the head of the Mississippi valley, aud
enfolding either bank of the great river
with its very head springs, even as its
delta is embraced on both sides BY our
sister Louisiana. 1t is written in our
proximity to Superior's inland sea, and
the abundant mines of ricl, ores possessed
alike by IFS northern, as by its southern
shorcs-mines, whose workmen it will
be our inevitable lot TO feed and clothe,
and whose rough products our manufac-
turing skill will ultimately fit for the
markets of the world. 1t is written in
the fact that nearly half million of pco-
pie, from the old world and the elder por-
tion of the new, are every year seeking
homes in our broad West-a tide of mi
grafton that must speedily engross the fer
tile fields of Minnesota, invitingly spread
open to their possession, almost without
money and without price, And it is
written, likewise, on thousand features
of interest and advantage incident to our
Territory; in our extensive pineries, the
livelihood Of hardy lumbermcn, and fu-
ture chief resource for building purposes
ofthe people of the great valley below us
in the many opportunities for manufacture
ing establishments offered by our magnifi-
cent water powers, and the ease with
which the Mississippi enables us to pro-
cure the material, and export the products
of factory labor in our salubrious climate,
insuring healthy, hardy and numerous
population, and in the immediate adyan-
tage to our early growth and prosperity,
which follows the expenditure of a quar-.
ter of q million of dollars annually by the
national Government, for the benefit Of
the Indian tribes in our midst.
That which is written is written-the
life Of short generation will realize it.
In ten years State-in ten years more
half million Of people-are not ex-
travagant predictions. In our visions of
that coming time, rise up in magnificent
proportions, one or more capitals of the
North, Stockholms and St. Petersburgs,
with many a town besides ,only secondary
to these in their trade, wealth and enter
prise. Steam on the water and steam on
tie land, everywhere, fills the ear and
sight. Steamboats, crowd our waters,
and railroads, tersecting in every dircc-
ton, interlink remotest points within and
without our Territory. The blue waters
Of Lake Superior and the red-tineed
floods of the Mississippi are united by
iron bands, and southeastern line con-
meets St. Paul direct with Lake Michi-
gan. The great New Orleans and Min
nesota Railroad pours into its depot,
somewhere on the upper Minnesota riv-
er, passengers and products from the far
sunny South, to receive in return, for ul-
innate ocean transit perhaps, furs and
merchandise from the polar circle, which
steamboats, on the Red River Of the
North, or railroad on its banks have
just brought from Selkirk, or the plains
of distant Athabasca. Let none deem
: these visions improbable, or their FORE
shadowing impracticable. Man, in the
present age disdains the ancient limits 10
his career; and in this country, especial
ly, all precedcnts of human progress,
growth Of States, and march Of Empires,
are set aside by an impetuous originali-
ty Of action, which is at once both fact
and precedent. Doubtless an overrulinp
Providence, for inscrutable purposes,
has decreed to the American nation this
quicker transition from the wilder
ness Of nature to the maturity of So
cial enjoyments-this shorter probation
between the bud and green tree of en-
pire and it we'll becomes us, therefore,
in our gratulations upon present pros
perity, and in our speculations upon
greater power and happiness in the early
future, TO render humble, yet fervent
thanks "unto Him who holdeth nations
in the hollow of his hand" and shapes
out the destinies Of every people.
ALEX. RAMSEY.
j ST. PAUL, January 26, 1853.