The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-20
land to actual settlers. to push forward her


tablished, and pre- emption of unsurveyed pub
lie lands. Therefore, supposing that half the
population of Oregon and Washington Terrific
rles avail themselves of the bounty of the gov
ernment it will give from six to ten millions
OF acres to Oregon, and one third that amount
TO Washington Territory. If we estimate the
number OF acres of land at six millions, occu-
pied IN Oregon under this bounty of the gov
eminent at 20 cents per acre, (the actual cost
to the Government) it makes the sum of one
million t,co hundred thousand dollars of which
she has been the BENEFICIARY. If we estimate
them at Sl.25 per acre. it would give her sew
en- millions five hundred thousand dollars
and to estimate that two million acres will be
occupied at the close of the present year in
Washington Territory, it would give her four
hundred thousand dollars at 20 cents per acre.
and two million five hundred thousand dollars
at S1.25 per acre. By the act Of 22d July,
1854, New-Nexico received bounty to actual
settlers of 160 acres, and presumption on I'M
surveyed lands, surveyor general, &c, which.
if it only covers one million acres, will amount
to two hundred thousand dollars at 20 cents
per acre, being forty thousand dollars more
than is asked by Minnesota for the purpose of
a railroad and if estimated at S1.25, it would
amount to 81, 100000 Kansas and Nebraska
have been provided for by the usual appropria-
tons, and have been allowed surveyor gen.
eral and presumption of unsurveyed lands,
while they are in a more temperate latitude,
with navigable streams open nearly the whole
year, together with the Hannibal and St. Jo-
seph Railroad coming to the borders of Kansas
to aid in the construction of which the govern
ment gave over one million acres of land, and
the projected railroad from Davenport, by way
ofIowa City and Fort Des Moines, to Council
Bluffs, while the central portion of Minnesota
is locked up,-250 miles by land and 800 miles
by water, from Dubuque, our most convenient
point of introduction to the uninterrupted
channels of communication.
Again, it is not inappropriate to remark that
grants of this kind to Territories are not new
or novel, nor is Minnesota the first to ask or
receive it. By an act of 9Th August, 1916. al
ternate sections of land were granted to the
Territory of Iowa. to improve the navigation
of the Desmoines river, worth millions of dol
lars. Also, by an act approved 9Th August,
1916, alternate sections of land were granted
to the Territory of Wisconsin, for the improve
ment of the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, and con-
Meeting them by canal. Similar grants to
States are numerous and need not be particu-
larly enumerated. Such, indeed, have been
the advantages given for the settlement of Or
egon, that last year her overland emigration
alone was estimated at seven thousand souls.
and she is now preparing the way to be admit
sofa was organized about the same time
Another serious obstacle to our business in the
winter, is the irregularity of the mail facilities
During at least four or five months in the year.
a weekly mail is all we usually get, and it
must be borne in mind, that until we receive
the aid of the government in the way of grant
of lands, this state of things must continue for
some years, owing to natural obstacles, which
can be but partially removed by the increase
of population. Again, objections are urged
that the proceeds ofsalcs of the public lands are
pledged specifically for the redemption and
payment of the United States stock, issued by
virtue of the act approved 2Sth January, 1S47
and that it would be bad faith to donate these
lands to the States of Territories. TO this
there are two sufficient and satisfactory an
swers: LIST. 1t is the proceeds Of the sales of
public lands that are thus pledged, and as the
lands remaining along the line of these grants
are required to sell for $3.50 per acre, no de-
felt is thereby created in the Treasury, End.
The whole of the soil lately granted to US on
the west side of the Mississippi river for the
dian Territory, and the Indian title not extin-
guished and therefore l think not chargea-
BILE with the incumbrance of the public debt
If formidable objections do exist to granting
land for Railroad purposes,within the States, it
is believed that there is none such existing
against grants to Territories. If SO, they couldbe
urged with fifty fold more propriety against ap-
propriating money directly out of the Trea-
sury, for the construction of roads under the
control and direction of the general govern
ment, as is done every year without the least
question as to the existence Of the constitution
al power. Territories are under the quasi
guardianship of the general government, and
what is given to a Territory is virtually given
to the government, or, in other words, it is vir
tually the Government giving to herself, under
express authority in the Constitution to make
all needful rules and regulations respecting the
Territory and other property of the United
States, and to dispose of the same. So far, then,
as the government may give land or money to
her Territories for roads or other like improve
ments, it is not unlike land-holder opening a
road through his farm to facilitate his taking
care ofits products. The general government
could have no Territory here, if the people
could not get here ; nor can she expect soon to
be relieved from territorial appropriations out
of her Treasury, if she leaves us locked up for
four months in each year. If our climate would
allow the great Father of Waters to remain
open and unobstructed all the year, this ur-
gent appeal would come with far less force
but other Territories have twelve months in
which to invite immigration, Minnesota has
scarcely eight. Thus the national pride and
HdtIOHdl nOuOr is FOkeu 10 alu as none
others can make the same plea for help.
1t will be among your most important du-
ties to guard with vigilance the interests of
this young Territory against the insdious en-
croachments of capital and extravagant spec
ulatien. Your legislative aid may be invoked
to charter corporations for banking purposes,
under the spacious pretence of keeping out the
currency of other States. 1t will only require
a glance at the subject to satisfy disinterested
persons that Bank in the Territory would
produce no such results. Ifa bank in st. Paul,
issue bills on the most approved banking basis,
tho great demand for gold and silver to enter
land, during the next five or ten years in this
Territory, wonld cause such drafts upon its me-
tallic basis, as to either ruin its credit, or de-
stroy its profits, either of which would soon
cause such an institution to close it's business |
to avoid this, bank would and |
must resort to the policy of pushing out its
bills from home, and to this end evidently
would make arrangements with some distant
banks or bankers to circulate its bills abroad, |
and receive and circulate those of other banks
in turn, so that each would only be required
to redeem in currency, and not in coin. Thus
it must be evident that no bank can produce |
the result desired in the Territory under the |
years to come. Such an institution, in nv
judgement would prove in the end whitening
blight upon the country. The present derange.
ment of the currency is giving us q salutary !
lesson not soon to be forgotten, and should
warn the people to beware of the specious and
and seductive reasoning in favor of banks of
Dur own to keep out the paper of other banks
abroad
By existing laws, our Territorial elections
AXE place annually on the second Tuesday in
October. You will not fail to observe that i'm