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


provided for by Congress.
To the adjutant-general's report beg
leave to refer you for information in re-
gard to the condition Of the militia of the
Territory. The act of Congress of April
%, 1908, appropriates the annual sum of
two hundred thousand dollars, for the
) purpose of providing arms and military
equi ipments for the whole body of the
militia of the United States and requires
the issue to be made "in proportion to the
number of effective militia in each state
and territory" Any advances Of arms
or equipments, not due, are prohibited by
, regulation. There is no authority but
this law for issuing arms and accoutre-
, ments to the states and territories by the
; general government; and the quantity of
arms 10 which the new states and terri
/ tories are entitled under it, is so small
, as to be Of no practical advantage. In
view Of the insufiiciency of the provision
/ for arming the militia Of new territories,
which have not participated in the issues
heretofore made, the Secretary Of War,
in his annual report Of 1851, brought the
subject to the attention Of Congress, and
recommended that authority be given the
Department to increase their supply, or
l at all events to issue in advance their
quota for several years. The recommen-
dation has not yet been acted upon; and
| as the public arms which are lying idle in
/ the depots, are much needed to encour-
t age the formation of local militia upon
our exposed frontier, it would be we'll for
the Legislative Assembly, by memorial
, TO Congress, to second the recommended
ton of the Secretary. The importance
, to lis Of well-organized and well-equipp-
, ed militia force is obvious and hope it
will be the pleasure of the Legislature
to afford every facility and encouragement
to the perfection of this arm of service.
: The report of the superintendent of
=. common schools will detail the practical
0 operations of our school system, and will
: probably suggest some amendments to be
: made TO the existing school laws. doubt
o not that they will be such as will COM
: mend themselves to your consideration.
p The interests of our common and pub
!, lie schools are especially entrusted to the
Legislature, and among the various duties
/ which devolve upon you, no one more
: Justly demands your attention and foster
= ing care. The Importance of a general
e system of public instruction, all-searching
n and pervading, is daily attested in the
lives of men, whom education has lifted
/, from obscurity-from turning the sods of
the valley to become the ornament OF let
G tiers, the pride Of science, the defence of
e religion, and the pillars of state. Intelli-
: gence generally diffused is the very basis
e of our form Of government, and the school
: house is the ark Of our safety. The mu-
nifcent gift by Congress Of two sections
i Of land in each township for the support
Of schools, if properly husbanded and ju-
e diciously managed, will place the schools
of Minnesota upon a most liberal and firm
o foundation.
The report Of the librarian will exhibit
the state Of the Territorial library. In
: cluding duplicates, some three hundred
volumes have been added during the past
j year to the collection of books. The
narrow accommodations furnished by the
: building temporarily rented for the libra
ry, render the early completion of the
$ capitol, in which more spacious room will
be provided, highly desirable.
n l renew the recommendation made in a
: former message, for the appropriation an
: nually of moderate sum to be expended
: in the purchase of books, and to keep up
r the series Of United States and State re-
ports. The Territory, also, has an inter-
n esting collection of maps and charts, and
4 may be expected each year to receive
: many more. These require to be placed
n in shape to be easy of examination and
: reference.
The expediency of providing for the
o. more general circulation, by sale or other
!. wise, of the Revised Statutes and Annual
Session Laws, is submitted to your con-
n sideration. At present provision is only
# made for the distribution of these volumes
O among certain civil officers.
n A modification is also much needed oil
= that feature of the criminal code, which
. requires that persons convicted of capital
. crime shall be kept in solitary confine-
ment for the period Of one year after con-
o. viction. When the several counties oil
. 3 the Territory shall possess secure places
n of confinement, it may be well to recur to
a this provision but at present it is unsafe
inconvenient and expensive.
Complaints are frequent Of the INSULT
: cheney of the compensation allowed by
# law to assessors in the unorganized coun.
v ties. If, upon examination, these com.
IS plants shall appear to be well founded,
Ie recommend that further provision be made
; for the recompense of these officers.
). 1t is represented that the day desig'
mated by law for holding general cleo
tions in the several precincts Of the Ter.
Ak ritory, is fixed at season Of the yea,
81 highly inconvenient to the citizens Of
j! Pembina county. As the inhabitants o.
ss ss this county are mostly absent in the au.
50 tumn upon their annual buffalo hunts, il
II would seem lust, so far as they are con-