Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-01-12
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT

GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.,
MINNESOTA TERRITORY.
Genfleme,t Of the Council and House OF Rep
reseatdiiues
You have appeared at this Capitol as the peo-
Plies representatives for the seventh session of the
Legislature of Minnesota. At no former period
has there been sormuch cause to be thankful to
the Giver of all Good, for all his blessings. On
every side the signs of increased prosperity
in every branch of business. The soil has yield
ed abundant crops. commerce and the mechanic
arts have tourished, and morality and education
have kept pace with the other elements Of great
ness and success. Every section Of the Territory
has increased in population, general improvement
and wealth, to such an extent as TO give us the
fullest confidence that our country is rapidly be-
coming the attracting point for the heavy body of
immigration from nearly all the older States of the
Union, and for the Industrious and enterprising
portion of the foreign-born citizens.
The salubrity of the climate of Minnesota is
now being understood and appreciated almost ev-
cry. where. No epedimcs have ever prevailed
here to an extent causing the least check to bust
ness, or alarm to the citizens. Every section of
the Territory has enjoyed comparative uninter-
rupted good health.
am aware that.it is more usual in annual mes
sages of this kind, to speak of the prosperity of
the country, and place it in a more conspicuous
light, than to record events less agreeable to the
people. Yet, this is not the light in which truth
and justice demand it shall be viewed in this COM
municaton. When it shall be written, that the
the people of this Territory are blessed with good
health, and the physical man nvigorated and
bracad up to n wonderful capacity of endurance,
the citizens of other parts of the country are to
understand it as fact demonstrated by the ex-
pcrience of our whole population. In my last an
ual communication to the Legislature, it gave me
great pleasure TO record the rapid growth of eve
ry part of our favored Northwest. Then, our
hopes and expectations of the future were seem
lngly wrought up to n very extravaganza degree,
but the most sangune among did not antici-
pare more than half that the truth has realized. 1t
was then stated that the population about thr-
ty-hve thousand. One year has passed since that
estimate, based upon statistics then in my posses
sion and our population during that period, has
more than doubled. We know from a census TAX
en- the past season, in pursuance of law, and from
st uistcs gathered from other reliable sources,
that Minnesota this day contains fully seventy five
thousand souls-an increase in 1855 of forty thou
| sand, beng more than one hundred and fourteen
per cent. Should this ratio Of increase continue
for two years longer the population of the Terrific
ry or State will be over three hundred and forty.
three thousand and should such a result contin-
ue Tor three years, our population would reach
the astounding number of seven hundred and
thlrty-hv thousand souls. Such an increase would
| astonish the whole country as much as it would
you and myself, and therefore we are incredulous
OF what our p,st experience warrants US in ex-
pectng Tor the future. AID yet this result is not
TO be rejected without calculating the circum-
stances which arc combining each year to stimu-
late immigration to new homes in the Wes:.-
when we reflect that the organization of new
States ard Territories is attracting the atten-
ton of the whole American mind, each political
contest relating thereto serving as an advertise
ment OF our Western empire to the citizens of
each State, and bringing before the rising gene
ration new world of enterprise and tempting op-
portuniies to wealth and healthy speculation, we
must not be too hasty in fixing the same standard
for the future, which has governed us in the past
IL must he borne in mind that the soil Of the old
thirteen Colonies or States has been, in most
part, under cultivation for nearly three-quarters
of century, and the excess Of their population,
ward, each We making greater and more strin-
gent the necessity for their seeking new avenues
to support, comfort and wealth.
The vast amount of rich soil not vet occupied in
our Territory; the unsurpassed water power for
propeliing machinery of every kind; the extern
sive pineries for supplying lumber; the inexhaus-
tible copper mines of Lake Superior; the inyal-
liable commerce of the Mississippi, Minnesota and
st. Croix rivers all combine in an eminent de-
gree t. invite population, capital and wealth, and
itrequires no excess Of credulity to anticipate the
most wonderful progress in the next FIVE years.
trust shall be pardoned, if, in this connection,
suggest the propriety and public policy of our
remaining Territory for a few years, without
manifesting too much eagsrness to assume the
mantle OF State sovereignty. Our progress is
rapid, but healthy and permanent, and we can af-
ford to be called political infants, while we are
enlarging and developing the bone and muscle
which are to give US energy, rigor, and power,
when We arrive at manhood.
1t is a source of satisfaction to be able to saw.
that, while the Indian tribes of many of our
neighboring Territories are showing signs of hos
tility, and in several instances, of actual and
open war upon the white population, we are Sc
cure from such dangers. The three tribes within
our borders are now, and ever have been. peace
full and quiet. The location Of one tribe does
not seem to be satisfactory to highly respecta-
BILE portion of our people. Yet the Government
at Washington, after having fully considered
written communication in the nature of n remon-
STRANGE from myself against the location of the
VIM bagO Indians on the Blue Earth river; have
instructed me that no change can be made that
the policy of pushing these children of nature
further west will have to be abandoned; that
the people should be advised to reconcile them
selves to the existing state of things and eucour-
age the Indians to settle down to such industrial
pursuits as will best comport with speedy civil
zatlou of their race. | have endeavored faith
fully to encourage the whole Of the tribes within
this SUPPLEMENTARY to abandon their warfare
against each other; to impress upon them the
nsnnest necessity of their adopting the habits of
cIvliszed citizens: and il has been INV constant
effort, with the active and full cooperation of the
Agents, to restrain them from ANNOYING the vbite
settlers with their presence and petty depreda-