The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-12-29

each other, and in the hearing of all the in
habitants of this greatsnation, from the At
lantic to the Pacific-ffom the frozen region
of the north to the sunny dimes of the fa,
south. Let their voice be heard in ever,
mansion, and in every cottage; let their lone
peals ring out above the hum of busy cities
bidding man to worship God. Let thei,
prolonged tones roll along the meuntain's
side and echo, softened and mellowed. owe,
fertile wales waving with the fruits of i.
dustry. And we shall in this music. h,..e
pledge of national prosperity, and the ner.
petuity of all that is good in the laws and
institutions of our country.
But the occasion that calls us tonether
requires that we should speak in more gene
raj terms of the blessings of the past wear
We would not forget on this day that we are
citizens of a great nation. We are citizens
of the United States-a nation vet in its in.
fancy, but already the greatest nation in the
world. Upon this nation, God has during
the past year showsrel down abundant
blessings. AS a nation, he has given us
has been abundantly blessed in his labor
The earth has yielded her increase in large
measures. That God, upon whose faithful
ness we plough and SOW, has sent the early
and the latter rain; he has caused his sun to
rise upon the evil and the good, and sent his
rain upon the just and upon the unjust
The barns of the husbandman are full, and
an immense surplus of the products of the
soil is being purchased for less favored ma
tions over the waters. The increasing wealth
of our people has advanced public and pri-
vate improvements. The we'll paid skill of
the mechanic has been abundantly called in
to requisition, and has added lasting monu-
ments of greatness and comfort to every por-
tion of our vast domain. Thousands of new
tenements on the praires and in the wilder
ness speak of the rapid growth of the ma
ton. Cities expanding their limits and fill
ing up their unoccupied spaces, tell of in
creasing wealth. New lines of Railroads and
the increasing number of ships and steamers
are the indices of national advancement-
New schools, Academies, Colleges, and
Churches, impart confidence in the founda-
ton of our Government.
No enlightened citizen who loves his coun-
try, can be Indifferent to those great events
that affect whole nation. We as nation,
have been SO little disturbed by war, for a
long time, that we have no just appreciation
of the great blessing of peace Were our
country to become involved in a war which
would call forth all its resources-were every
fifth man in the nation called to the field of
battle, we would then feel something of the
curse Of war. What with the support of an
army and the separation of husbands and
wives, parents, and children, and the sad
news of the killed that would come up from
every field of battle. filling the land with
mourners from one end of it to the other,
we might then appreciate the blessing cf
peace. While other nations are involved in
dreadful war, at which the world stands
aghast-while their soldiers are falling by
thousands, peaceful habitations demolished,
helpless mothers and children hurried home
less from their burning dwelling, and NATIONS
oppressed and impoverished, God has given to
our country peace; our people are left to
prosecute their own individual interests, and
to sit down in safety under their own vine
and their own fig tree-none making them
afraid. We are left to cultivate the arts OF
peace, to increase in national and individual
wealth. No besieging army sits down be-
fore our strong holds of commerce. No news
of murdered thousands of our fellow citizens
fills the mind with horror. This nation is
blessed with peace and her treasury groans
with the burden of increasing wealth. In
view of our national blessings, our day of
thanksgiving should be national jubilee, on
which all our States and Territories should
lift up their gratitude to God.
What grand spectacle it would be to see
this great nation-from one ocean to the
other, and from the extreme north to the
extreme south-united in zone great day of
Thanksgiving to the God of Heaven.
But as this is the day Of thanksgiving II,
Minnesota, it becomes us to consider more
particularly the goodness of God to us as a
people. This is our chosen home, we came
to it strangers, we left dear friends and long
cherished associations, to form new friend
ships, and new associations, and to help b.:ild
up here new State for ourselves and for
those who shall come after us. We have
learned to love our new home-we have not
come here to find fault with this fair portion
of the west, and to sigh.for our old homes
in the east; but we have come as pioneers,
to live and die here. We have identified
ourselves with all our powers and influence
with Minnesota, already its soil is dear to us
because mingled with the dust of our loved
and departed ones. 1t is then but right that
we should rejoice in the prosperity of Min
nesota, and that we should give all our best
interests and best endeavors to build up her
institutions in Righteousness, and to plant
deep in her soil the institutions of people
whose God is the Lord. We have then good
reason to thank God for what he has done
for this Territory during the past year.
| Religion is not to be separated from bust
ness-Christianit only fits man to be a
better citizen. The more wealth, influence
and greatness acquired by State, the more
her people will be enabled to do for the glory
of God, if that wealth, influence and great.
ness be sanctifed to his use. We have rea-
son first to thank God for the large accession
to our population. The season that has Just
closed has witnessed an unprecedented
growth in this respect-perhaps not less than
thirty thousand souls have been added to
the population of Minnesota within the last
year These have helped to swell every town
and village in the Territory, and have sprin-
kled our farming lands all over with an in
dustrious and thriving population. To say
nothing of the increase of wealth brought in
by these people, they have contributed to
the wealth and convenience of all who were
here before them. The lone pioneer who
first claimed portion of the soil on some
vast prairie, or in the openings, and was at
times oppressed with a sense of his utter
loneliness, now finds himself surrounded by
pleasant and intelligent neighbors. Where
there could be no school, and no prospect o.
open the district school. Where the Sabbath
was silent, now we have the Sunday School
and new neighbors become acquainted al
they unite in instructingeach others children
Where the gospel could not be preached fol