The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-08-25

Mlanesela.
Wennd the following remarks concerning
our fair Territory in the, Philadelphia .Nortb I
American, which friend has kindly furnished
us ----- X - s- 3 .'. f1s.
A census OF the peaceful and Hourishinp Tor.
rftcry OF Minnesota has just been taken. and
enough returns have been received to warrant
me statement that its aggregate population at
this time is $4,000 souls This is not sufficient
to entitle the territory to- admission into the
Union as State, nor does it appear to be the
wish OF the Inhabitants to apply just yet. Hav-
ing the territorial expenses paid by the nation.
al government, they are not in hurry to as
sumo the responsibilities and burthens of an
independent State. Minnesota, owing to it's
location in the remote and frigid north, has new
er been bone OF contention with sectional po-
liticians, and hence it has been left to grow
quietly and undisturbed by the agitation in
separable from slavery. Minnesota contains
the last fragment of that northwest territory
from which the peculiar institution was prohib-
tied by the ordinance of 1857, but it also en-
braces vast quantity of other TERRITORY in
cluded between the Missouri Blue Earth and
Mississippi rivers and the northern boundary
of the republic. A large portion of the north
ern shore of Lake Super Tor is in this territory
and its whole surface is interspered SO thickly
best watercd portion of the Union. Its soil is
everywhere very fertile, and yields abundant
harvest to the farmer. Besides commanding
the terminus of the navigation of the great
lakes, it contains the head of navigation on the
Mississippi. borders for great distance on the
Missouri river, and has flowing through its heart
the Red river, whose waters empty into Hud-
sons Bay. All these consideration indicate
that Minnesota must some day become a
,irbf lions and H<,,,c II
resources are unsurpassed. Wisconsin, direct
ly by her side, has attained growth which is
truly surprising. So also have Michigan and
Maine, whose latitude is about the same as
that of Minnesota. From these facts it is appa-
rent that the high northern locat on of Mime
sofa is no draw back upon her prospects. These
regions are peculiarly adapted to the produc-
| ton of breadstuffs, and already Wisconsin and
Michigan are large growers thereof. On the
northern boundary of the territory are several
settlements founded by Lord Selklk k, a portion
of which are in Minnesota. They have success
! fully braved all the pcrils of that remote inte-
rior northern wilderness, and maintained their
communities on the banks of the Red river for
many years. When founded, they were all
supposed to he ON British territory; but when
the northern boundary of the United States
was adjusted the surveyors ascertained that a
portion of the settlements were on our ground
| Upon the organization of a territorial govern
ment in Minnesota they received attention, and
| their district became county, which is regu-
larly represented in the territorial legislature
The extension of settlements up the head wa
tiers of the Mississippi has been OF great value
to these isolated people, aifording them oppor-
tunities of obtaining supplies of goods more
easily. The success of their settlements is evil
dence that even the most northerly parts of the
territory can and will be used for settlement.
| Whether the Red River of the north will ev-
CT become of more than mere local use for nav
cation is problem yet to be solved. he
| settlements we have referred to as being loca
ted upon it. were established 10y vessels which
entered it from Hudson's Bay, after crossing
the Atlantic ocean. They passed from that
great bay into Nelson's river, thence through
| Lake Winnipeg. and so down into Rcd River
What WAS thus accomplished may be repeated:
| but we know so little of that vast interior re-
giOn of our continent that it is impossible to
speak of its capabilities. On the eastern CONT
nent, climates in the same latitute are believed
% be essentially milder, and settlements are
established even on the shores of the Arctic
ocean or its bays. Thus Archangcl one of the
principal ports of Russia, is on the White Sea,
which can only be entered from the Arct c
ocean. The latitude OF the city is G5 degrees
and the approach to it is much further north
while lIudSons Bay and its approaches ale far
south of that latitude. The Hudson's Bay
Company have five forts on the shores of the
bay, all above the LIST parallel one being in
! latitude 50. From their location on the shores
of the bay. VIC suppose that the Company use
them for their commerce in furs and pc try.
Whatever the capahility ofthis vast northern re
gion may be. its Development will bc hasten
| ed 10y the prodigions growth of the frontier
States of the Union. The progress of settle
men. along the Canadian shore of Lake Supe-
| riOr is an evidence of this. Minnesota is mid
way between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
BY the tive the Canadian settlements shall
have bordcrcd it, the British chain will have
reached half way the Pacific. Our own line OF
communications will be completed long before
tue British. as the territorial Jurisdictions of
Minnesota. Nebraska, Washington and Oregon
cover all the unsettled wilderness, and settlers
arc rapidly pouring into those regions.