Minnesota weekly times., 1856-11-01
Correspondence Of the Times
The State Question,

question" Shall Minnesota be brought into the
Confederacy as State at an early day?" Your
late articles in Tue TINES on the subject have
examined with interest, and although you must
have the credit of speaking we'll and heartily for
what you deem the best interest of our Territory,
1 cannot arrive at the conclusion you do, viz
That Minnesota should not come in. as State
at present. Your argument that emigration
would be very much retarded by her admission
cannot assent to.
Spectators coming here to invest money may
choose to have US remain Territory, hoping
thereby to save little in the way of taxes. But
the bone and sinew of our population in whom
rests our future greatness, the Farmer, the Me-
chanic and active business man, they are not
troubled about taxes, provided they can have the
management of Governmental affairs. Our peo-
pie are eminently we'll qualified to manage all
these matters, and believe they had much rather
choose their own Governor and other officers and
pay them than to have Frank Pierce supply
them! True we expect the next Administration
to do much better in the way of appointments !;
yet, Col. Fremont cannot suit the people better
than they can suit themselves.
have passed over the route from Massachu-
setts here three times, and was continually each
time in company with people going West ;-some
were bound to the fertile Prairies of Illinois, in
spite of the =" shakes''-others we're going to
Iowa, notwithstanding three-quarters of it was
in the hands of speculators-oth still were 60
ing to Wisconsin, believing that she had superior
advantages for settlers-whie many others, lik Q
myself, "hove in for Minnesota" Why, be-
cause she was yet Territory, and had her bills
paid by Uncle Sam? Not bit of it 81 never
heard the thing spoken Of or alluded to! While
others preferred the States of Illinois, Iowa and
Wisconsin, l preferred the Territory of Minne-
sofa not by any means because she was Ter.
ritory, but because of her remarkably healthy
climate,-her pure air and water,-her wonder
fully quick, easy and productive soil-and the
greatness of her future! These were enough
for me, and doubt not that they will be enough
for the thousands who will yearly come to US
regardless of whether we are State or Terri
tory. But, Sir, there is another and much more
important view to take of this question; beside
which this dollar and cent view sinks into utter
and entire insgni6cance. l mean the bearing
our admission as State would have upon the
all-absorbing subject of our time, and which af-
fects so deeply our sister, poor down.trodden and
bleeding Kansas. What can be done for her in
this hour of her trial2 The Free States are con-
stituting material aid without stint or measure |!
This is well-but more must be done. A Presi-
dent and Congress must be made who will see
to it that Kansas shall have justice done her. We
cannot help to make President of the right
stamp ;.-but that is going to be done without our
help trust, but as State ce can help to make a
Congress Of the right stamp. Two Senators and
Representative good and true We can place in
the next Congress, if we will, to aid and support
the Administration with John Charles Fremont at
its head in doing what is needed for Kansas and
the whole country.
The House of Representatives in the next Con.
gress will doubtless be largely Republican and
our aid not so much needed, but in the Senate it
| will be different. There is yet and will be for
some time a good deal of old fogyism, and
perhaps some doughfacism, to contend within the
Free States, though doughfaces after the next
election will, think, be scarce. Enough men of
the right stamp must be sent to the Senate to
make clean and reliable majority. Minnesota
can help materially in this great and glorious
matter. Let us then be up and doing! Chris
sianisy, Humanity, all and everything good and
holy, demands of US that We should at once to
the work. Let US take the necessary steps to
come in as State at once. Let US put into the
Senate Alexander Ramsey, and another as wor-
thy, and our country's plaudiswill be "well done
noble and true Minnesota
Most truly yours,
| JARED Benson.
AxoNA, Oct. 90, 1856.