, 1859-03-04

lnsO obliged 10 transport passengers over
the route at certain rates of speed, to.wit.
at eight miles an hour in winter. six md
two-thirds in summer and FIVE and ana.
third in the full (0ur Minnesota timo
tables show the same proportions at differ.
ent seasons
The time required to carry the mails from
Moscow to Irkoutsk, is twenty-five to tbir.
ty days a distance on the average of IIs
to 1871 miles per day, while the government
courers 60 over the route in fifteen to twsn-
ty days, or at an average Of III to 2o0
miles per day. The mail route is between
the fifty-second and ffty-eight parallels
and the thermometer in winter on q lorqo
portion of it is habitually below zero. A.
Moscow, the western terminus of the routa
the average of the thermometer is Is de-,
grees, and at Tobolsk, II degrees abovo
zero, while at Tomsk, it is 8 degrees. and
at Irkoutsk, degree below zero. The
average Temperatures for January 1857
for the three latter places, were respective,
lily 8, 5, and degrees below zero. Mr..
Collins himself, Travelled over this entire,
route in winter and early spring, makinr
such rates of speed as, from Vercheosdinsk
to Chetah, 800 miles in forty.fye hours
and from Irkoutsk to Kiachta, 367 miles. in
forty eight hours But be mentions anoth-
er fact more significant still On this dis.
tance of 3, ,426 miles, between the parallels
of fifty-two and ffty.eght degrees, the ther.
lmometer on large portion of it through
the winter being below zero, he found Eve
hundred cities, towns and villages, showing
conclusively that the extremely cold pre-
sented no difficulty in the way Of the occu-
patton Of the country,
| In the face Of such q statement, will
| Congress hesitate 10 establish across the
American continent, a postal communca.
tion in the temperate climate Of the forty.
seventh parallel of latitude-a parallel, il
extended across the Atlantic, which tray
erses southern France, northern Italy and
the Crime0, and if extended beyond the
Pacific, which is central TO the Japanese
empire aud the magnificent valley Of tho
Amoor Such a girdle of the globe is
SOUTH not north of the heart of Christen-
dom and civilization.
The memoriasts close with the express
sion of their confidence that there will be
no denial or delay by Congress, in making
provision for seni-wcekly Overland Mail
Service from tho northwestern states to
the valley Of the Columbia and the shores
Of Puget Sound.
Gov. Ramsey then read the following
resolutions as the remainder Of the report
of the committee
ResOlred, That the distribution of popu-
lation, and the development Of commerce
in the zone, bounded on the north by tho
international line OF As deg, and on the
south by the AID parallel Of lat, embrac.
ing as well the valleys Of the Great Lakes.
the upper Mississippi and the transmontane
slopes Of Washington and Oregon, reach.
ing to the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound,
creates a necessity for immediate action by
the national goVernment,to 10 open postal com.
munication, at least semi-weekly, through
this immense region the necessity being
the more immediate and pressing, inasmuch
as British enterprise, through the aid of its
government, is about to establish q north
ern communication with the Pacific, and
make our people dependent upon them for
the mail facilities they are entitled to at
the hands of their governmental govern
ment which has already manifested its lib.
erality towards such enterprises, by the
annual expenditure Of a million and q half
of dollars for the extension Of postal facili.
ties between the Mississippi and the Pacific
south Of the 40th deg. Of north latitude.
Re0lred, That we, the people of Min
nesota. many of US long resident in this re-
gion of country, and entirely familiar with
lit barfkny hnor q, Nlo f,of
that northern stage route to Puget Sound,
conveying passengers and the United States
mail, is eminently practicable, and would
not he interrupted by winters cold or depth
of snow, nor by any difficulty incident to
climate or latitude.
RsSOlrsd, That we hereby tender the
thanks Of the people Of Mnnesota to SEN
ator Rice and the Hon. L. b. c. Wash
burne, Of Illinois, for their promptitude in
calling the attention Of Congress to this inl-
portant enterprise, aud we ask the friends
Of Minnesota, and the Northwest, and es
pecially our Senators and Representatives
in Congress, to aid us in tho construction
of this great work so essential to the
growth and commerce of the country be,
tween the Lakes and the Pacific.
Resolved, That as the best means of car
rying out the purpose of this meeting, we
respectfully urge upon the Board Of Trade
to take charge of this work. and invite the
co-Operation of other similar bodies to Sc
cure its early ccnsummation.
ResOlrsd, That committee Of seven be
appointed by the chair to take charge Of
the enterprise, and solicit the attention Of
Congress and arouse the country gsnerally
to its Importance
ResOlred, That the papers of this city
and of the state be requested to publish
the proceedings, and that copies be for
warded to each of our Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress, and to the Presi
dent and the Postmaster General.
Col d. A. Robertson was then called
nnon and enoke for n faw minntes eorneat,