The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-01-12
NO. XXXIX.

}
, important to Western interests, The
} great power of this Union is now in the
T West; its great agricultural resources
are here in the valley Of the Mississippi,
The conservative principle on almost
every question of great National impor-
tance is in the West; and it is no longer
the fancy of the poet, that says:
"Westward the star Of empire takes i;s way
1t is now a stern reality, that no pow-
er can resist The South have their
peculiar institutions and the North their
preJudccs of education, but it is here.
IN the great West, where we "know no
North, no South, nothing hat the Union,''
and the laws of progress.
BY an act of last Congress. appropri=
atoms were made to prosecute surveys
and explorations of the different routes
! for railroad to the Pacific. These
have been commenced. and by this time
mostly completed Information of re~
liable character has been received from
Governor Stevens, giving the most satis-
factory report upon the practlcability OF
the Northern route. a most extraordl-
nary natural pass has been found in the
mountains for road, thereby obylating
all anticipated difficulty,
1t has been objected TO the Northern
route, that the winter SHOWS present an
obstacle which is supposed to embarrass
it, but the Government need only to be
properly informed to dispe!l this un-
founded objection. This objection is
made without reason, aud against the
experience of the people Of equally high
Northern latitudes, where railroads are
now in full and successful operation,
without obstacle or Inconvenience.
If Congress should grant public lands
to aid in the construction of this great
work Of the 18th century, it would seem
unjust not to give that portion of the
Union fair consideration, from which
these lands will have to be chiefly
taken.
The country from the Mississippi, to
far beyond the limits of Minnesota, and
to near Fort Union, is level, and pos
sesses timber. water, and fertile soil.
In word, no country in the Union for
the same distance has so few and so
slight obstacles to the speedy and cheap
construction of a railroad, and such we
are assured, will be the views Of Cow
ernor Stevens in his official report to the
Government. Ii, therefore, would moi
be improper to have an official express
ion from you on this subject,
The question OF opening up our com.
munication with the South and East du~
ring the winter season. is one of great
concern among the people, Nothing is
so much needed as this. Indeed tins
barrier must not exist any longer than
it can be obviated and overcome.
To get out from here. during the wins
ter, to the most accessible point to req
u ar communication with the great marts
of commerce and trade, is far above and
beyond any other consideration to the
people of Minnesota. To accomplish
this, in my judgment. you must concen-
trate all the energies of the people to
one or two roads, AND NO MORE, for the
present. | have but little doubt that
Congress will grant us land sufficient to
unlock our ice-bound home, if we COM
fine our request to one point. Our iu-
ternai resources are nov Of sufficient
Importance 20 command capital enough
for this purpose. If the Legislature, in
its wisdom, will lay aside ali local inter-
ests, and concentrate its whole energy
and power to this great point, they will
have done more than can by possibility
be accomplished, in many years to come,
by any other policy or course of action.
therefore earnestly recommend that
YOU single out the route which will give
us the quickest and most safe transit
from this Capitol to where the channels
of communication are uninterrupted,
and let the Congress Of the United
States be properly informed of this, your
united request, and it will be granted
beyond all reasonable doubt.
Your action will give the whole peo-
pie the initial point. and from that hour
ca apital will seek investment in the enter
prise.
Ii is to be hoped that the General
Government will take early steps to ex-
tineuish the Indian title to that portion
of the copper region lying within the
Territory Of Minnesota, on Lake Supe-
rior. Public attention is being attract
ed to the vast mines Of copper on tho
shores Of this Lake, and soon we may
look for strong tide OF immigration to
set in that direction. Indeed, to-day,
the region is attracting the attention Of
capitalists, and population is giving it
the germ of great Lake city
BY late act Of Congress, the militia
ry reserve attached to Fort Smelling has
been reduced to perhaps one fourth its
original size.
Before this limitation Of its bounda-
ries, many persors settled thereon, at
least by the sutferapce Of the Govern
ment, and now, in my judgment they
should not lose the result of their labor.
Some of their improvements are yalua=
BILE and extensive, and it seems to me
the Goyernmen: will, and surely ought,
to recognize their bona fide pre-emption
right. You are supposed to be familiar
with the circumstances, and it might not
Al,