The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-06-13
From the Minnesota (st. CLOUDY Advertiser.l

From the Minnesota (st CLOUDY Advertiser.l
The BOundary--NOrth and South Line.
There is some division of opinion relative
to the boundary of the proposed new State
of Minnesota. An east and west line is IA
vored by portion of the citizens of south
ern Minnesota, while those in the central and
north I'm part of the territory appear unani-
nous in favor of north and south liDe.-
An east and west line, we are informed, is
advocated on different grounds. Some for
political reasons, hoping thereby to secure a
decisive party majority; some for local in
terest, thinking that town here or there
may become capital and some, doubtless,
for more general and cOmmendable objects
To unbiased and candid citizen those who
are not disposed to put town sites above the
general welfare of the State-we propose to
submit few reasons in behalf of the north
and south boundary.
In the first place we consider the subject
within the jurisdiction of Congress- Boun-
DIARIES of States affect different States, and
have no analogy to the settlement of domes-
tic Institutions. The subject belongs to
Congress as much as the regulation of mails,
gress reserves the right to create new states
out of the territory and consequently the
right to establish boundary lines. 1t is Of
course proper for new state to express it's
opinion in regard to its boundary and its
opinion would of course have great weight
In the act enabling Minnesota to organize
State Constitution Congr SIS adopted north
and south boundary, running along the Red
River of the North, through the centre af
Big Stone Lake and thence in straight line
to the State of Iowa. The Senate and House
Committees on territories, Of different poll
tics, unanimously concurred in a north and
south line. They looked at the subject un-
influenced by local interests. and with de-
sire To promote the good Of Minnesota and
the common country alike. Is it not the in
terest as well as the duty of Minnesotians
to concur with Congress
A reasonable regard should be paid to the
interests of the territory left outside of Min
nesota. 1t would be equally unpatriotic
and unstatesmanlike to entirely disregard
those circumstances which would contribute
to the development and the population of
the adjoining territory. There is no con-
siderable art of the northwest which as a
state could not take care of itself; but there
are localities which from their remotene S,
and tardy agricultural resources would not
prosper SO we'll alone as if embraced in a
State already we'll started. Such section
we think is the extreme northern portion of
Minnesota.
The advocates of an east and west line
tell us that theirs (the southern) portion of
the territory is not to be equaed IN fertility
and other elements of physical growth ;
that they have fine harbors on the Misss-
sppi, and rich agricultural expanse wa
tered by thousand beautiful streams that
if the boundary can run east and west, they
will extend on to Missouri and embrace as a
State the most arabic portion of the present
territory. Something of this we cordially
admit. And there is so much the more rea-
son why Southern Minnesota should have
the magnanimity to yield part of her rich
es to the new territory of Dacotah.
We think, however, that it will be for
the advantage Of Southern Mlnnesota-and
when we say Southern Minnesota we mean
the people, not the spectators in few of
her rromin, mt towns-to have north and
south line. Suppose that to be the line
There is generally a greater emigration in
to new territories than into States. If the
territory which on the west will be contig-
ious to South IN Minnesota, is as inviting as
it is represented, there will be a constant
stream ofnew settlers passing on to its Dor
ders. They will 90 through the southern
part of the State and the consequence will
be that vast numbers will conclude to STOP
there, just as thousands of farmers who start
ed for Kam as settled down in Missouri
Such will be the case and southern Mime.
sofa will thereby profit more by having a
new territory where the north and south
line creates it, than if the State should ex-
tend to the Missouri river.
But they say we must have port on the
Missouri. And for what reason? 1t will
be 800 miles from its month and it is q
river the most difficult to navigate. Proba
blv freight would be brought from its neigh
borhood to the Mississippi. Yet if it was
needed could it not be used without includ
ing it within our State limts2 Instead o.
that we give you the entire upper Mississippi
navigabe for two hundred miles above Grow
Wing; We give you port on the great in
land sea of Superior, and bring you as neal
the east as is Chicago; we give you the
abundant fisheries and the rich minerals O
our northern lakes; we will supply you will
timber from the vast pineries which shrouf
the banks of the Crow Wing and the Mis-
sissppi; we give you four hundred miles O
navigation on the Red River of the North
and hall of its rich alluvial valley; we Civ,
you another St. Anthony in the Great Falls
and the splendid water power of Pokagima
Bnt, after all, the question of resources il
not the only one to be considered. II one
part of the country has surplus of certain
products it is for its interests to supply /;
market hat is deficient. There are no Chi
nese walls between the different States. Ii
trade, in communication, we have no i'm
passible barriers. "There are no longer an,
Pyrenees," exclaimed Louis XIV. when BIZ
grandson assembled the Spanish THRONE
And such is the community of interest ant
the freedom of trade between the States (tht
great blessings of the Union) that commerce
and business, and the interests of civliZa
ton, all march on as unrestrained as if there
were no State lines. Our very natural boun
diaries, our rivers and lakes. are as bands t.
bind US closer together Even with Canad;
since the conclusion of the reciprocity treaty
our intercourse hardly knows a boundary
line. We shall have our resources; Other
States will have theirs. There is the South
with its rich plantations of cotton there i:
the North with its busy manufactures; there
Is the seaboard with its opulent commerce
here is the West with its harvest homes anc
and its abundant granaries.
Affairs are so ordered that States and
communities are in some degree dependent
upon each other, and it is folly to seek tC
carve out State whose products will supply
every demand.
In conclusion we submit that spirit Of
justice requires this question to be decided
with a due regard to the interests Of the
neghboring territory. We should adopt
boundary which will secure us generous re-
sources and support large and prosperous
population, not greedily clutch at what ma
turally belongs to another and sister State
G. G. A.
Climate of Minnesota.
The editor of the Sank Rapid' Frontier.
man takes a right view of our country and
its climate. Read this:
If any prefer a southern climate with its
agues, fevers, and other diseases innumera