The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-01-14

GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

most suitable measures TO he adopted for the
promotion of the general good Of the country.
Since your last meeting. q change in the ad-
mlnistration of the General Government, has
produced change in the Executive Depart
ment OF the Territory. And may be allowed
TO nope, that by your cooperation We may be
able to so direct the Legislation of the country,
that its varied resources NAV be devaorcd: and
new impetus given to tsprosperity. AUD al
low me TO congratulate the country upon the
| advent of q new national Administration, which
has inspired new hope in the people. that our
national homer will I've yindieatrd, our resour-
CAS- developed, our commerce extended. and our
constitutional obligations to the States faithful
ly kept.
During the year that has Just closed it has
pleased the Great Ruler Of the Universe to con-
tnue his blessings toward us individually and
collectively, and especially to protect us from
the ravages of such epidcmics as have scourged
other portions of the Union. The great cause
OF agriculture has been blessed and our farmers
have gathered an abundant harvest. The NOR
! al, social and political condition of the people
has been improved. population has poured into
the country with unparalleled rapidity. and cy.
cry branch OF Industry has been richly reward
ed.
The short time that have had the honor to
preside over the Territory, aud the unprccedcn-
ted amount of labor that has dcyo!ycd upon
me, from the day that landed on your shores,
mp to within few days before your meeting.
has prccluded my giving that attention to our
laws and institutions, which. under less press
ing duties. it would have been my pleasure to
have done. viii give you ample apology hope,
for my not going into more detailed review
OF the necessary future legislation.
The maxim that THAT government is best
which governs least has much wise adnon-
finn IN n Ctofn in it, infnn Tho iav- f,pt tbn
government of plain republican people,
should be few. simple, and with uniform appli-
cation to every section of country. and bearing
alike upon all, leaving to each individual the
largest liberty consistent with the good of the
whole. Capital always comes forward with the
largest demands upon the Legislator, whilst la
Dor smore humble in its pretcnsons. and stands
yet far more in need OF your fostering care. |
hope we may all profit ly an occasional recur-
renee to those great principles which lie at the
foundation Of all Legislation Therefore. should
it be your pleasure during the present session.
to incorporate companies for the development
of our resources, l recommend that they be so
guarded with restrictions to keep them con-
stantly under the control of the peoples rep
resentatives. Population and commerce will
command capital. and without the aid Of Leg
islative protection. that capital concentrated,
will commend power enough for all legitimate
purposes.
The resources of Minnesota are such, as to
give those who have seen them, ample cause
for congratulating themselves on 4 most hope
ful future. In June, 1si9 His Exccllency, Gov.
Ramsey, issued his proclamation for organiZa-
ton; then this beautiful city, now of near five
thousand souls. had scarcely emerged from the
dominion of the savage then but few small
houses composed the now tourishing city Of St.
Paul, and scarcely could white man be found
to the Indian trading posts IN the bosom OF an
uninhabted and comparatively uneXplorcu Will
dcrncss. Then from Prairie du Chem to Crow
Wing there was scarcely village to be found
| to dot the advance of civilization. Now Prai-
re la Crosse, Winona. Wabashaw, Rolling Stone
Red Wing, Point Prescott, Point Douglas, Has
tings. Kaposia. Rcd Rock, St. Paul, Mendoza,
st. Anthony, Manomin. Anoka. Itasca, Sauk
Rapids and Watab, are tOurishing points, and
mark the advance of commerce and civilization
on the Mississippi River. No less prosperous
are all the villages on the St. Croix and Mime
sofa, from the mouth of each to the Indian
country, and population is spreading into the
interior. upon our lakes and prairics. The fine
hourishing settlements on Lake Mnnetonka.
deserves especial notice. The lovely valley Of
the Minnesota is now fast filing up with a har-
dy and industrious population who are opening
farms and building villages with rapidity nm
ptl Ill tiIC -Ncl
| This fall. the Dakota or Sioux tribe of Indi-
ans have been permanently removed from their
old homes on the Mississippi and lower Mime
sofa Rivers, leaving that beautiful country free
| for settlement and cultivation. No event has
transprcd since your last meeting, that will
tend in higher degree to promote the pros
perty and growth of the Territory when the
fact is known to those who may desire to locate
within our borders. The laws for the protec-
! - 81, tofl
medies on these lately ceded lands may, and
probably will demand your attention.
| No doubt every member of this General AS
scmbly, will he animated with a sense of the
propricty Of asking, i'll a proper manner, of the
Congress of the United States, reasonable APP
preparation for the opening Of roads in the Ter
ritorv. An appropriation of this sort will re-
dound to the advantage of the general govern
ment equally as much as to our own.
| The President of the United States in his
MESA &c delivered to the present Congress, with
that high spirit of liberality and progress that
characterizes the man and his principles, has
wisely said that he regards our public domain
''as chiefly valuable to provide homes for the
industrious and enterprising," and fully con-
ours in the prOprety of appropriations for the
cons 'ruction of roads within the Territories
In a country like ours, just emerging from the
wilderness the new settler. as a matter OF prl-
! mary importance, must HFSt builu Capiu "
shelter himself and family, next must fence,
plow and plant the mechanic must build bis
shop, the merchant his store room. Every in
dividual coming to new country must attend
first to these primary wants before he can spare
the time to construct roads. Thus it is, we need
the fostering care of the parent government, to
assist the infant settlers. BY these approprla-
tions the general government invites the pop
ulation from which she derives a revenue from
the sale of her public lands. When without this
facility for travel and transportation, new
country must long struggle against the natural
impediments to prosperity. Your superior &C
quaintance with the geography Of the country
will enable you in your wisdom, to determine
what points to designate. 1t will give me plea
sure to cooperate with you in whatsoever ma.
be the result of your deliberations.
beg leave to call your attention to the con
dition of the settlers on the west side Of th'
Mississippiriver, on the lands cedcd to the Gov
ernment by the Sioux tribe Of Indians, by tn
treaties of 1851. 1t will be remembered tina
this fertile region. ever since the date OF thos
I, trootioc hos hoon fllinp m with a hardy, indus