The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-03-10

oe'eioiag the resources Of the West, and in addin,
TO tn; aggregate wealth OF the nation The vauab,,
fisheries ot Lake Superior would be increasrd in
teniod ratio, IT market was thus opened the South
The pineries oi Minnesota and w isconsin would send
forth, annually, their nexhaustibe supply Of building
materials to the valley below. The iron salt and Goa
o! Missouri, and the COPPER and + al of " iscopsn
Iowa and Minnesota. could be thereby exchanged
with advantage, for the products of the "rch and
sunny south" The immense tracts OF public lana
Tor scores OF miles each side OF this proposed rai
road, now without purchaser because # their rc-
mote position from the watercourscs, would r taken
up at by industrious an, entcrprisng class Of
seitlers, admirably calculated the whole of that rc.
gion Is, for the support Of u dense o!ula,ion.
There are other considerations involved Mr. Chair.
man, IN favor Of the speedy completion of this con-
ieippiated work. The magnificent Mississirpi ard
rs principal western tributaries, TO be depcn
ded on tor purpose. o CATION ;hTorg gho the yrnr
AT the north, dugins the winter months we are ice.
bound, while in the summer, EXCEPT in extraofdina,v
seasons, the low stage Of water cmbauasses ouy
intercourse with the southern Hississppl States
! he obstiuctiOus in the Mississippi river nlgirc
tfoii the nggady policy OF the past, are not likely
10 be removed for many years come. The tax Az
nuay levied upon the people oi the States and Terri.
tory living above the raI ids in the share Of extr.
freight for the transportation of goods and provisions
over them, already enormous, and acts serious
dsaWnck upon the prosrerit, o! .aat region so much
/ so, that unless remed, is applied. the Upper Ms
s,ssppi valley must abandon the present natural chan.
/
It's products.
! The ayeage distance of the proposed northern ard
southern railroad f.om the Mississippi, Is probably
somewhat mo,e than one hundred miles. care liz.
tie where the northern terminus MAY be designated.
whether at Pemhina, sCm" other point. fixed
upon that place my b because its location is let
'er known than any other spot on that Tait of tho
boundary # 49,, and because At IN the valley f he
Red river Of ihe Moth. which s more favorable for
a iahcad than anv Other line in that region The
f,rt the e fha
Falls oi st. Anthony, viii deIcnd ul.on tain con-
unsencIcS one Of which is the adoption Of the lasai-
lei Of 46a' for a Pacific raiiHay, the exredency of
4 which have ahcadv advcitcd 10. Sui. rs the
whole # that county il RON comprised wI,bin the
public domain, If giant Is to be made it fhouId b.
Tor tue entire length, that may be rendered avai,a-
bic when required. You nave now an extensive In-
dian frontier. who: you ao obliged 10 defend at
vast annual oxrer-e II the longitudinal line Of com-
municatlon aog thai border pen trcttd ty means
Of railway, the Government might contioi the saw
aye trbcs with mu' n greater iaCi'itv than can uoy
be done, and with less t.an hal he force pres
ent requisite ior that purpose Troops could "a
transported rapidly TO any point that mt naced.
The same mIght be mgcd as If the necfs-
sary preparations against lae cccmcacc of ioregp
know that many rec,;d tha; almost in,pos-
siii event. am not on e that number, for can
well imagine that may hc io,ced rso, TO thai,
much To- te dcp Ccdcd, abcina,ivc, an; time To
d ieni he honor Or the rights Of the nation G,ave
Senators have assmed Us that foreign relations
in delicate position; aud am bound to believe
that ihcy not aatmists, actuaied by any vain
suirt Of boasting, when they make that dpclarstion
in favor oi Gibuste'ing expeditions, but 10
that the high position Of tins Republic will he
sustained and Vindica,cd, and the Monroe doctrine
strictly adhered to- even al the hazard oI n with
France, England any other Eower. And feel as
sired that the incoming ACininisti alton will enforce
his cardinal policy OF the Democratic patty, indeed
might say, Of the whole American people. Should
hosuiities follow, We ought TO be prepared 10 TeTsi
the intrusion npon our soil OF an enemy foIce with
the whole power Of the country. II the pr lected
railway from North To South completed, ii oud
cnaLe The Go, ernnenl concentrate Ia very few
DAYS, thousands Of the best marksmen IN The world,
/ at any point southern coast that might he
threatened 10y a foreign Toe.
Nj. Chairman, l have already passed too long
urnn the attention o, the House ard yet leE s in
duecnce while | bring leiorc It the other tairoad
project TO which ! have previously alluded, upon
which hope to secure ali affirmative v"ie o-day,---
There bill reported by the Committee cn Pub
lie Land, AT the lat ion, 10 gart 10 Minnesota
alternate sections Of lands for the construction of
;aiiwa, from the Falls oi ST. Louis river, On Lskc
Superior 1T. Paul, on the Mississippi, with branch
cs s.. Anthony and Saltwater. hat tii' IL n'w
on your calendar and wish state very briefly the
necessity that exists for its passage. The distance
between the ;eIInin is al out hundred ard sixty
miles, and much Of the country Though wbWii tho
road would pass is very favorable for settlement. The
great o iect rs, to open aCommunicat between the
waters of the St Lawrence and the Mis-. ssppi at
the c -ibe and proper points and IT rs one oi
immediate Interest State bordering upon Tho
iattcr river, and upon the lakes. Congress gained
hundred and Fifty thousand acres 20 the S;ate
Of Michigan, the last session, 10 enable II TO make
Il canal arou the Falls Of S. Mary, on the score
that it was not a local lsneht, hut IN which seve-
,al States would share, ard that was tue. EcjoIce
that the appropriation was made, esrec aliy as my
own Territory will necessarily profit by It. Complete
the measure Of Your lberaIity, and may ray of your
Justice by cont, t,ng the infant 'ut cEterprisng
N;u,e,.,a from your ample resources, your ptupor-
tion m the means necessary to build rai!wa. between
the northern and southern portions of our Ieitory,
through what is now Lut little better than uackcss
wilderness.
Minnesota Territory Comprises in it. limits ali the
northern shore of Lake Superior up 10 the British
line We have reliable information that COY per, In.
terspersed with silver sbounds in that region. have
a,ready mentioned 81 hshe res and r'"rres Of im
nepse value, and that they must necessarily consis
,,,. :, IA, oe item, in the commerce with the Lower
W;..;s,;rn; valley. We who live the waters Of
-, M;ssissippi are now absolutely cut of from COM
,r,c.,;ou " ith our own lake coast, for want Of 4
railroad To reach that Part OF our Territory, with
M, ,esortny to the primitive mode OF conveyance ~
ba,k canoes, and portage we must oesce"o 'ne ''s.
d, neal, Eur hundred mies 10 Ga'.n', thence
% Ch;caoo and through the whole rng'h Ct L"kes
W;cb;san and Superior and Il part oi Lake Hu'on'
In other words, musi taVei more 'han h''een
hundred miles TO vsi, portion of om OWN Territory
m r,o,c than two hundred and fifty miles distant IN
direct line H. the ansTo,iaiion OF troops Tor IRON
ncr cfnse, the Government is rut TO the sanc IN
convenience and expense. IL the aFoad was nmd''
ve,v small force of regular ,roors would suffice ior
keerng the rcace with the savaycs on that extensive
border as they could move with Ct iei'y 10 nny Place
,.he,o their pie,ence Nigh, b, required. For sup,
nlyinc Your garrsons and Indian agencies WIN re-
cessapy good. and provision. the road would be very
adyania seos, and incaiculby decrease the expena'
lures ot The Departments OF the Government 10 winch
they belong.
While these crca, benefits would accrue to the
Government by the openlrg Of a r'road 'ommun,-
a,;on Minnesota would thereby be enabled to devei'
an ;,s boundless resources with great rardiy. ihe
.oa,hen portion Of the Territory could then send
their agricultural productions to those OF onr citizens
naaaaJ !, the fisheries and in mining and numbering
ono s;oos and receive their commodities IN esrhangc:
NON as | have before stated, all coTmuncat'on ot
tba, character precuded by the iml afsabe na'ne
e Tho Intermediate country. 81. Paul - already an
,nno,tant commercial town, and is rapidly increasing
in population. II connection was i'lheu ~ ,sa
,harC Clac,s named teItnni pl thS