Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-09-27
MONDAY, SEPT. 90, 1856.
The state Que stit,n.


JOHN E. WARREN, Eso.,-SirI: Your letter t.
me in the Pioneer of the 10Th oft August, relativ
to the immediate admission Of Minnesota into th
Union as a State, has been duly perused, but i'll
health and absence from the city. have preyente,
an early reply. embrace, however, the first op
portunty to set forth, briefly, SOME of the objcc
tions have to the proposed moylement, and while
| appreciate the compliment yo, pay me as vel
as the compliments you pay tht editors of St
Paul in general, trust that shall be able to treat
the subject under discussion with le same courtesy
as characterized your article. object to making
Minnesota State Immediately or within two
years from this time, for the fol lowing reasons:
L. No territory on this cont nent at the present
moment stands fairer before t be world than the
Territory of Minnesota. 1t is increasing in pop
ulation, IN reputation and in W saith. All branches
! OF business are in healthy endition, and while
such state of things exists, say let well enough
| alone. l cannot conceive etter state of things
| should Minnesota become tate, but can con-
ceivs much worse.
! 2. The admission of MINI esota as State
will IN measure retard emIy alton, simply for
the reason that it is the gener,.l opinion of emf
grants that where there is Stat there are greater
burthens to be borne, and hence you will find
thousands leaving the prolific soil of Ohio, fndi-
ana, Illinois, Wisconsin, aud even Iowa, for the
fair plains and valleys of MINI esota, because nd
simply because we are territory. Here the eL9-
igranr can come,-locate upon one hundred an
, sixty acres Of land, and employ the means he has
accumulated in the cultivation of his farm. Were
we State the means he would employ to secure
him home would be devoted to paying for his
land, and he would be left as poor as when in the
States. This fact is we'll known to emigrants, or
| those who propose to make the West their homes,
and just the moment Minnesota becomes State
just that moment hundreds who have decided to
| come here, will either abandon the idea or push
further on to populate new Territory. This is
not fancy sketch, but we'll attested fact in the
experience of Wisconsin and Iowa. Let us tuke
warning.
3 object to the immediate admission of Min.
nesota into the Union, because it will increase
taration. Let me illustrate Now the emigrant
can come into the Territory, select for himself
given number of acres, build him a comfortable
residence and with the means lie has laid by, by
dint of hard toll, he can stock his farm, and
plant his seed. 1t may be he is located where a
road should be made in order that he can get to
market. Government builds this road, and with
the exception of slight tax, perhaps for school
or county purposes, he can continue 10 raise suf-
fcient off his farm, unmolested by heavy taxes,
| to enable him in few years to pay for his land
and to be in a condition to meet his proportion
Of the amount necessary to defray the expenses
of State Government. Suppose now that we
become State, and then take the same man for
an illustration. The cry of the Capitalist and
Speculator would be-"BrinS the land into mar
ket." The man would be obliged to pay for his
land, to pay School and County taxes, to furnish
his necessary proportion to build the road, to aid
in supporting the Legislative and judicial branch
of the State, and thus disgustcd with an n-
creased taxation which he could not bear. he
would make the fact known to his Eastern friends,
sell out, and start for the Territory beyond.
hazarC, the assertion that ninetenths of the set
tiers in this Territory would be in the precise
condition OF the man allude to, should Minnesota
seek for an immediate admission into the Union.
knowledge of this increase of taxation conse.
quent on our becoming State, would prevent
many from coming here, and would induce many
already here to seek homes elsephere. What
propose is this-to defer State organization
until the settlers are prepared to pay for their
land, until th<4 have about them comfortable
home, until they can be able to meet the expenses
of State Government without materially affect
ing their prosperity. Go to the old States and
see where taxation has left mildew on almost
every farm house-mark how it has affected
ahole toUns and then learn q lesson from de.
pressing the agricultural community by taxation.
care not if it takes fve years to bring about the
desired result,-it would be far better for us to
remain a Territory that length of time, and then
behold large, thrifty and prosperous farming
community, than to run headlong into taxation
and witness in a less number Of years dilapida.
ted farms and ragged, dspirited, discouraged
farmers, and all for the sake Of gratifying few
ambitious politicians. fae
4. Another objection l raise against the i'm.
mediate admission of Minnesota into the Union
is, that it would cut off all further appropriations
from Government. Let the facs once become
known at Washington that We are anxious to be-
come a State, and the intimation will be thrown
out as it has already been, that the General Gov
ernment will not assist US, but let it be known
that our people are opposed to a State Govern
ment and there will be no further difficulty about
procuring appropriations. Let the General Gov
ernment withdraw its annual appropriation of
$780, or its $3.50, 900, or even its 100000,
and what would be the result? Who would be
obliged to pay for our Legislative and Judicial
expenses ?-the construction of new roads and
bridges? THE PEOPLE! Is not this then m
| additional taxation that could be and ought to
be avoided? But my friend says, "Congress
will not give US any more moneys Ave wait
moment. Don't forestall Congress don't put
into the mouth of Congress words you would be
glad to have that body utter. Wait until the
edict has gone forth, and then it will be time
enough for Minnesota to propose to come into the
Union as a State. This one obj ction of itself
should have and no doubt will hare great weight
with the people. Our appropri ations gone, IN
creased and heavy taxation will be the result.
Do the PEOPLE ask this ?---should they be obliged
! to bear it?
5. Still another objection to the immediate
admission Of Minnesota as State is, that it
soould tend to injure every nsu tos0r in the Ter
ritory. Take away our appropria tons and who
would build the roads leading to new town sites
The settlers could not, for many Of them are poor
Who then9 And what would become Of thsse
new towns? Why not wait for year or two
until these towns have got under way and can