Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-08
For the 1,n.s

What an astonishing 66aaee has been wrought
inthe Grsat WEST in the spursaof q few years.
A short the 80 these beiutif prairies and ma
jestis forests wsre the busting grounds of the red
man; and where now the seStely dwellings Of the
white man reass its a6owy fronts, giving good
evidence that the stranger and the way farer Of
whatever name or nation will always find hos
pitable welcome, there the smoke of their wig
vans arose. Their children INDUCED their sports,
where institutions of learning are now erected
to ct the youth Of our beloved country to fill it's
highest and most honored stations; yes, and these
very youths, reared as they are in the midst Of
western life, and learned to depend upon them
selves and their own exertions for fortune, are
the arms that viii eventually hold thsdestines of
nations in their control. But to return, 'tis but
a few short years ago that our own beloved Min
nesota was unknown, or at best it was thought of
only as a country on the extreme verge of civili-
cation, where naught but wild and ferocious.
beasts and the native children Of the forest, al
most as wild and untutored as the wolves and.
panthers by which they were surrounded, were to.
be found. Imagine, if you please, Minnesota as
it was ten years ago, and Minnesota it is to-day
Ten years ago and even the name was unknown;
its crystal lakes and rudest meadows, If they were
known at all, it was only as the resort of herds
of Buffaloes who roamed through the thick soft
grass by day, and as evening approached, sought.
the CLASSY surface of the lakes to cool their parch-
ing tongues and assuage their burning thirst. But
Minnesota has been settled and its natural
beauties duly appreciated, until it has already
become the resort of wealth, beauty and intelli-
gence. What it will be ten years from now, even
the widest and most extravaganza fancy cannot
with certainty determine. Have not the inhabi-
tants of this territory to feel that their home
is the most favored spot on earth? Is not Min
nesota with its lovely praires, crystal lakes and
its fertile soil, worth all the praise we have be-
slowed upOnit Oh, could those persons that
are yielding up their youth and strength, sacri-
fees to the fashionable frivoties and designations
in which they SO recklessly indulge, and who at
times feel that it were blessing to lay them down
in the cold and silent grave and be at rest could
they stand on the messy banks of the father of
waters, as it goes foaming and roaring over its
rocky bed, losing itself in a column of spray, be-
the reverberating and deep toned thunder, is
sounding in their ears, or explore the intermina-
BILE resources of our caves, or when the sun the.
glorious orb of day, is deluging the trees and hill
tops in food of light, let them vault into the
saddle, and free the wind, gallop DER mountain
and plain, and then when they return with body
and mind invigorated and refreshed with the ride,
would life then appear SO tiresome to them2
would not they be thankful to the kind Provi-
dence that led them to seek more rational meth
Cd of enjoyment than that they have hitherto.
sought ? and while the rose tint of health CLOVIS
on that pale cheek, and the wan and sunken eye.
lights up with beam of pleasure, then their lips
would be eloquent in praise of Minnesota. Let
invalids. instead of wearing their life in search Of
health at Saratoga, Newport, and other fashiona-
BILE watering places, come up here and enjoy the
cool bracing breeze, and drink of the health-giv
ing springs, and then while the flush of returning
health and strength pervades the system, will
they not rejoice that the Great West has been re-
deemed from a wilderness till it now blossoms as
the roso.
But while nature with lavish hand
has bestowed many blessings upon US, moral evils
are casting their whitening blight around. In
temperance with its fearful train of attendant
evils is sweeping over the land, dcluging it with
grief and woe, while orphans tears and widows
signs and groans are hourly ascending into the
ear Of the Almighty. Oh when will this fearful
evil be arrested? when will mankind learn that
true happiness consists in virtue? Parents,
would you that idolized son, that bids fair to
become respectable member of society and q
blessing to the world, and whom you had fondly
hoped would smoothe your pathway down the rug
ged declivity of life, and prove staff to you in
your old age?-would you see him going the
downward road to ruin, the light of his intellect
extinguished in the ruby wine, and himself be-
come an object of pity and compassion? You
answer, God forbid. Then as you value your
own peace and the value of society, will you not
use your influence to arrest the tide of Intemper-
ance which is sweeping on with an overwhelming
force? Brothers, would you see that beautiful
sister, reared she has been, in the midst of af
Auence and plenty, doomed to suffer want, priva-
ton and misery-her fair cheek grow wan and
pale, and her eye dim, with the midnight vigils
she keeps for the erring, though still loved one,
while her children cry for bread she in vain
strives to procure for them? You turn in agony
from the picture. If, then, the thought is SO
fearful, will you not by your example endeavor
to win back those who have wandered from the
path of virtue, but who, by few kind words 6tly
spoken, might become an ornament to society and
blessing to the world? Sister, If that noble
brother, with whom your childish sports were
shared, and on whose noble arm you have ever
found projection, were to fall victim to the en-
ticing glare of the wine cup, would you not feel
that although he had sinned, still to you was CIV
en- the blessed privilege of pouring into his ear
words of entrcaty and supplication, and them
when the tear Of repentance fills his eye, and he
resolves in the strength of his manhood to be free
from the chains of. the tempter, would you not
feel that you had sweeter reward than the
praise of man can bestow? All, yes, woman's
mission is holy one, one on which the angels
look down with delight. t .4-,..,
Let all then who have any influence (and who is
there that has not) exert it unitedly IN favor Of
temperance, virtue and religion; then the happy
t me will have arrived when ell shall be free
from sin and the world shall become bliss
full paradise, where all shall dwell in peace
and harmony. If Ihave spoken warmly it Is be-
cause feel deeply on the subject-because my
best wishes are enlisted for the good of nv adop-