Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-02-06
B fn aras4e Correspondence of the Times.
VIRGINIA AND MINNESOTA. sss
'ob BRucEroN Mills, PRESTON Co., I
Z y - VIRGINIA. Jan. 18th. 1855.

e-.so, VIRGINIA AND MINNESOTA. sfss ia,
~ 7a.ob BRucEToN Mills, PRESTON Co.,
sus a2nH He9 VIRGINIA, Jan. 10th, 1855.
81 MEssRs. EDiroRs According to a former pro-
mise, embrace a few leisure moments to write
you something from the Old Dominion, and give
you some faint idea of the opinion formed by the
great mass of the people of Virginia, relative to
your young though growing territory. In order
to make myself understood, will relate in SUBJ
stance, dialogue between myself and quite a
number of friends collected to hear what thought
of the West, after my return from trip through
your territory the past fall:
"Well, friend B glad to see you safe at home
after SO long trip and having passed through SO
many scenes of interest, romances and adventur-
es necessary in making long tour out in the
Far West. Tell us where you were and what you
saw different from the Hills and Valleys Of the
Old Dominion, and which of the many places you
saw did you like best ?'' oa- ,bDa. Aliiaar4
B. Indeed, it would afford me much pleasure
to give you all the information could, but were
/ to tell you the half l saw in the way Of enter
prize, industry, and the general blessings result
ing from free labor, free schools, and free inst-
not miss it ar,) and know you would not like so
to think of one of your citizens whom you have
entrusted with Offices of trust and profit. 'h' t.
ssIndeed, friend B. we are anxious you should
tell us plainly what you think, for you promised
before you went West that on your return you
would report faithfully what you saw and how
you liked the appearance of things in gencral.''
B. True enough, but know full well that
had either of you made the trip that did, and
saw what have seen, and heard all heard, and
come back and related the plain truth, you would
have been thought visionary; for living in as slow
State as this, it is impossible to Judge of the
thrift, prosperity and happiness of country even
no better in natural advantages than ours, yet
consecrated to Freedom, but l assure you that
SO. soon as can sell my property and settle up
my business, shall go to Minnesota Territory,
and make it my future home. .sfa.., f.d .
a els i: possible Your are jesting! Surely
you will not part with the blessings of civilized
life ;-the benefit of friends,-the association of
early years, and emigrate to that frontier settle
ment; run the risk Of the scalping- knife and
tomahawk of relentless .savages, and be Injured to
all the privatiQns belonging to new country r.
and most of all, to go to that Frozen Region
where you can raise no corn-where winter occu-
pies nearly all the year ? Look at its latitude,
(getting the map.) The. country cannot be but
cold, dreary looking place, and the people cor
responding with the country in every respect
A hundred similar question were asked and
answered by inquiring friends, and thus you may
rest assured, Mcssrs. Editors, / have a fue time
with some of our farmers, whose ideas of the
Mighty West and especially of your highly favor
ed North West, is somewhat restricted. They
really think they would be unable even to travel
that far from home. They imagine that your
smiling Valleys and beautiful Plains are mighty
wastes, fit habitations for the Red Man, and the
Wild Beasts Of the Forest. They think too, there
is no schools, no churches, nor scarcely any of
the blessings of civilized life. When Uniformed
them that these things existed, besides hotels,
stores &c., even the most intelligent class to
think it almost impossible, and when decribed
the Falls Of st. Anthony, with the improvements
around and about them with the delightful pros
pect, that opened on the West side of the River,
including the Embryo City of Minneapolis, and
the beautiful Valley of the Minnesota River, (not
surpassed in any country,) they seem to say these
things are strange, and doubt to their real ex-
istenc,; in fact, avoid publicly expressing my
opinion Of the resources, Importance and destiny
of Minnesota; for am SO delighted with the
country, fear that if they would go and sec, they
might differ with me in their judgment, and thus
cause much dissatisfaction and perhaps be the
cause Of their murmuring at me in time to come.
i would be much obliged to you if you would
give the numb,r of inhabitants in your young
City; number of stores, hotels, &c. &c., if in your
possession, as well asthe number of inhabitants in
Ramsey County. ! wish, it merely for the edifca-
ton of some OF those Old Fogies who think that
our peculiar institutions tend to promote prosper
ity and happiness. If the people of Virginia were
free, here would be glad to spend my days,
but as she is cursed with slavery and consequently
must move forward with a slow pace, and her
laws in their operation tend to make the Rich
Richer and the Poor Poorer, I have made up my
mind to emigfate to free soil, where the boon, of
Freedom is enjoyed by all, and where the &c FIRST
Families" are all commingle ed with the mass, and
consequently all are happy. Hoping you will ex-
cuse my blundering, oH-hand manner of writing,
and with my warmcst wishes that you may be
sustained in disseminating knowledge to your in
FAINT territory, and with my best wishes for the
rapid growth of your young City, bid you for
the present adieu. You may hear from me again.
Yours Truly, B.
P. S.-Publish in note in your paper the
number of papers published in your City, Weekly
and Daily, and the number in the territory as
near us you know. Our County, although settled
during or soon after the Revolution, has not
single paper published in it. %
cV The number of inhabitants in the city is
between five and six thousand the number in the
County is between 10000 and L, GOO the num- M
Der Of stores between sixty and seventy the num-
Der Of hotels ten the number of papers IN the city,
nine-four dailies and FIVE wccklies; the num-
Der in the territory is eleven, without the dailies
and fifteen with the dailies.-Ed.
b.GT According to the Liverpool Albion the
population of Russia is not oyer5 ,0O0, 900, while
that of England and France is estimated at 81, :
ooo,ooO: gssasg sdl O. aa6i ssga1f sa3 Of ysTel
T DR.. Ray prophesies that in 1870 Gaiena
will have 5000 inhabitants. The Dubuque peo-
ple don't like it. edf agiss q ssso7szs 1si 55s8
~ Quite number Of newspapers published
in Ohio adopted the advance pay system on the
Hvs& st.:L;rc o0