Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-09-18
From the Superior Chronicle


On Wednesday, the 18th day of Angus
last, the Delegates representing the Uppe
Peninsula of Michigan, Northern Wisconsin
and the lake counties Of Minnesota, met il
convention at Fireman's Hall, OntonagOn
and organized by electing A. Coburn of On
tonagon, President, and James Edwards o.
Superior, and j. y. Hubbard of OntOnagon
Secretaries.
The following gentlemen were then chosen
Vlce-Presidenis Peter Dean, of Superior
WIS; George G. Jones of OntOnagon A. A.
Parker, of Minnesota Simon Mendlebaum
Eagle River; j. Prindal, Marquette, and
Henry Selby, Ontonagon.
The President stated the object of the Con.
ventiOn to be to test the feelings of the inhab-
itants of the Upper Peninsula Of Michigan,
and also the Northern counties of Wisconsin
and Minnesota, as to the proposed formation
of new Territory comprised of the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan, that portion of the
State of Wisconsin designated by the joint
resolution of the Legislature of that State. at
its session in 1853, and that portion of Min
nesota bordering on the North shore of Lake
Superior.
Hon. A. Sherman, Messrs. Jay A. Hub
bell, Peter Dean, VIM. w. Spaulding, Geo
c. Jones, and j. w. Grocer, add, essed the
Convention, giving their views on the sub
ject.
On motion, the following gentlemen were
appointed committee to draft an address to
the Legislatures of the States of Michigan,
Wisconsin and Minnesota urging upon them
the propriety and necessity ola grant by them
to the general Government, of their territory
bordering on Lake Superior, for the purpose
of enabling the inhabitants thereof to form a
new Territory: Henry Selby, Ontonagon
VIM. Macaboy La Pointe Wis; NJ. d. Sen
ter HOughton; j. P. Pendall, Marquette; Z.
Warner, Chip, ava j. A. Wendell, Mackin-
&C; Samuel Clark, St. Louis county, MINI
d. Shaw, SUI erior, is.
On further motion it was resolved that said
committee report their proceedings to this
Convention on the 18th day of September at
4 o'clock p. NJ
On motion of VIM. W. Spaulding, COM
mittee of three, consisting of Geo. G. Jones,
A. Sherman, and A. A. Parker, were appoint
ed to draft resolutions expressive Of the sense
of the Convention
On motion, it was resolved that said COM
mtt report their action to this Convention
on Thursday, August Goth, at o'clock.
PM.
On motion, the Convention adjourned, to
meet on Thursday, August Goth, at o'clock
p. M.
A. COBURN, President
JAS. EDWARDS Secre airy.
j. A. HUBBrLL, Asst Secretary.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
Your committee appointed Tor that purpose,
beg leave to submit for your consideration
the following report:
Your committee appointed to DIR # resou-
tons expressive of the views of tie meeting
in relation to the formation of new Terrtoi V
from that portion of Michigan known as the
Upper Peninsula, that portion of Wisconsin
which was proposed to be retroceeded by the
Legislature of that State, during the past
winter, for the formation OF new State, and
those counties in Minnesota bordering on
Lake Superior, preparatory to its ultimate adj
mission into the Union as a st Re. Therefor,
Resolved, That the interests 81 the count Y
embraced within the proposed Territory, are
so separated from those of the remaining por-
ton of the respective States to which we be-
long, as to render it exceedingly desirable
that we shonld be set off and organized into
separate Territory.
Resoloed, That the great distance each of
the counties and districts in question are sit
uated from their respective State captols.
renders it almost impossible for he inhabi-
tants of those districts to communicate with
their seats of government for more than one
holf the year, and that in consequence of this
difficulty they are almost invariably disfran-
chised at then Presidential and Congression-
al elections
Resotved, That the remote position of the
Territory precudes an intimate knowledge
OF its condition and requirements by the great
body of the Legislators-distant as we are,
hundreds of miles from them and the densely
settled portions of our States, and almost in
accessible, save for few months in summer.
and from these causes, a large majority of
those who enact laws for our government
must ever remain ignorant and unacqualnted
with our wants and interests.
Resolced, That the principal occupation of
this district and country bordering on Lake
Superior, must ever be that of Mining, while
that of those of other portions of our respec-
tive States must necessarily be that of Agri-
culture and that we deem it impossible for
Agricultural Legislators to legislate under,
standingly for the wants and interests of a
mining population.
ResOlyed, That the present population OF
the proposed Territory, which is rapidly in
increasing, exceeds twenty thousand, and that
from it's compact geographical form, its seat
of government might be so located as to rem
der the distance to travel to it by the great
masses of the people less than two hundred
miles, while their present capitals and LNgis-
1o<, ho fIo
of the year when our Legislatures usually
hold their sessions, by a journey Of less than
a thousand miles, made at the NEST incemcnt
season of the year.
Resotced, That the terms of Colleges and
other institutions Of learning in the respec-
tive States to which we belong, are chiefly
held in those portions of our States, and at
those seasons of the year, when we cannot
have access to them, and although we form
integral parts of the State in question, we DO
not derive the most distant benefit from their
institutions OF learning.
Resolyed. That the proceeds Of the grants
of lands, and the money donated by the gen
eral government to our respective States, for
internal improvements, have been invariably
expended in the southern portions of these
States, and that we have been compelled to
make our own internal Improvements, and
support our own educational institutions
without any material assistance from either
the General or State Governments.
ResoLoed, That the Indebtedness of the diff
ferent States of which we at present form a
part, has been contracted, and the amount
thereby raised, exclusively expended for the
benefit of the southern portions of these
States, the districts we nhabit, having when
that debt was incurred, been wild and uncul-
tivated, but that notwithstanding this excln
sion from any benefits of these loans, we are
heavily taxed to meet the interest and differ
ent lnstallments which become due on those
debts.
Resolued, That the proposed separation in
place of inhicting any injury on the CONNER
cial and business interests of the remaining
portions of our different States, viii, like the
separation of England aud America, mmeas-
uraahly benefit both as the rand inrreaS Sc