The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-03
Lecture to Encourage Emigration.
BY l0NATlUs DONNELLY, $50.

OnUer drepuOICdu form OF government what is every
body's business is nobody's business, and hence matters
Of the highest moment often lose themselves in mere
discussion, through the want Of some one to take hold
and III Ike them his own. In minrr aflirs this state OF
things is excusable, bat where circumstances arise thar
concern nearly the direct welfare Of the community, it
rs the p,rt Of every well.m"aniny citizen to contribute
his gotta Of thought and acti, ~ to its assistance.
There Is ne denying the fact that We are all looking
earnestly and hopefully to the cunning spring emigration
to a new indo,ding Of that tide IF life which has al
'tady redeemed US from tn willern rs. Aud as a gene.
al thing we all anticipate such a tide. There is u
universal belief thr'ugh.ut the Territory that we will
! ceive n 1t spring a larger immigration than has even
yet EN- ervd Min ics'ta in amy me year. This may b.
80; but there are certain signs in the horizon which, tn
,'me eyes, seem t." bet"k. u otherwise. There Is n"
Iu"ssioning the fact that thu utter d~isrupture of c"m
"ercial ties and public conf ieuce which ha occurred in
the f ,st, and the fearful rain of individual disaster
an>t quent upon it, will drive an immense number of
astern people Westward during the coming spring
This is a conclusion justified by the experience Of furmel
p,"cs, and by the information daily received from the
'ldrr parts Of the country. But this pint granted,
,rgues nothing for Minnesota. The emigration may be
# a degree unparalleled in the hist'ry "f the Uaited
States, aud yet it may be directed int" such cham. Is a.
will b. Of no advantage whatever to the people Of this
Territory. | think many Of my hearers will agree with
me when I say that it is evident there is now going on
through the columns OF Eastern newspapers, a deep laid
md systematic scheme to misrepresent and injure our
Territory. We can hardly pick up an Eastern Journal
without coming upon some horrible story Of RESTITUTION
mi suffering in Minnesota ; some accounts OF men.
women and children frog n by the dozen some ludian
outrage, or some incredible th,rmonetricaI statistics
showing a degree Of cold under which an E>qnimaux
would succumb These things would be amusing, could
we but lose sight Of their injuri Gus eff tots on our most
important interests; they w'u:d even br pard"nnbie
were it possible to ascri'e them to ignorance IN the pr
If those propagating them. We are forced. however.
<o. non<r.ry unn1,,.on TI,v .,o %o M. :k.rH an
roo continu JUS to be accilent.l They have u tangible
source within the Territory. nor any f.ast even Analogous
nn which to fud a basis. M,reover, tn. jmru .s per.
petrating them refuse to publish the correct,ous and
Contradictions afterwards set forth in our own press.
Do my hearers doubt that these causes have already
produced serious detrimental results? will quite al
extract from a letter lately addressed by 5. NJ Cook, OF
GRAVITY, Mass to ex.Gov Alex. Rimsey. After some
preparatory remarks, he goes on to say
Since my return tn Massachusetts, ffrom Minnesota)
I have become pretty thoroughly convinced that y large
emigration will push Westward another spring. and US
fully convinced that Minnesota will not receive her Iue
proportion thereof, unless a vigorous effort is male to
coun'eract some Of the causes that, just at this time, are
operating against her. | have already encountered the
agents of the Illinois Central r.. Il. Go who are INV
travrrsing the Eastern States for t. pup 'se of getting
settlers for their lands, and, as you are we'll aware,
Kansas has her recruiting "fi ;crs all through the Fast
>oy, sir under these circumstances, does il not behave
the friends Of Minnesota 10 enter the field to assert her
claims? M
II we need testimony to corroborate Mr.. Cook asser-
tons. we have but t. take up any leaIing Eastern JOUR:
MI, English. g .rn IN. French or Sw e lis !, and We will
fin some such paragraph as the following;
Iowa MoviNa.-The people Of Dubuque have just
got up a p.mphIet en-. tiled Y 'rthern lows, containing
hints and information to Emisrants,' which they are
arranging to scatter broadcast over the Eastern apI
Middle States
o. column or two devoted II the advertisements Of
the illinois c. atrial r.. r. c., setting forth the ut
tractive an healthful characteristics Ut Southern I'LL
nnis or perhaps a letter from some Industrious CORES
pondent in Nebraska or Kansas, detailing in golden
style the beauties Of those chosen regions; while an
editorial seuib in the side columns touches up the
6n .ncial condition Of St. Paul, or pictures our unhappy
people struggling through the horrors Of u Siberian
winter.
Can an, thing exceed in gross misrepresentation and
injustice, such items as the following;
'TnE WEATHER IN MINNESOTA The Prairie du
Chin Lr.oxr says:
I'VE learn that snow between l., Crosse and Winona.
last week, was fifteen inches deep; back Of WIN M II
was in drifts eight feet and more; at St. Paul two feet,
and in the piueries four feet in depth. Monday the
stage got lost back of Win"na, and passed the night in
the >n'w drifts. The passengers sun, red intensely,
We gather these facts fr.n cur town>man, Mr.. Robert
Scott, w4o returned Wednesday evening from the upper
c mutry.
Or this from one Of the principal p're1s Of the East !:
From Minnesota, we have st Paul advices to the
18th. The merc.,y marked y deg. below > ro, and
there had been good s.eigAing fr a fortnight. We need
,ardly say that the Mississippi Was only uav'gable "a