St. Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1861-01-11


thereby make the bonds in some degree
subserve the building of roads, you would
again find the completed roads and the emf
hanced valuation that ever follows there-
from, aiding and subscribing the psymentof
the bonds. This mutual assistance you
should secure, by requiring of any CON-
pany receiving State lands, or general
bonds in lieu of special railroad bonds sur
rendered, to pay into the State Treasury
five per cent. Of the gross earnings of their
road.
In this connection, the importance OF a
railroad communication between the navi-
gable waters of the Mississippi and tie
head Of Lake Superior, induces me again
to recur to it, There is an evident turn
ing of attention thither on the part Of capi-
talists, and so far as favorable legislation
without pesuniary involvement on the part.
of the State, can assist, the work should
be aided. r...y
The great capacity Of the State for the
production of the cereals, and its remote.
inland position, require the creation and
improvement Of every means of exit The
easy and comparatively cheap transporta-
ton which the northern lahss afford
to the immense crops soon to be the
product OF cur soil and industry, it
is wise to endeavor to secure. I'm
less all avenues are opened to our trade,
it is not difficult to see that occasionally .
giut must occur which will reduce the
market prices Of grain to a rulnous figure.
Suppose that in three years the wheat sur
plus of Northern Minnesota should amount
TO three million bushels, would it not be
better for the farmer of the Southern coun-
ties that this grain should find an, outlet
| by way of the great lakes directly to New
York, than that it should come in compe-
tition with his grain in the markets OF
Milwaukee, Chicago and st. Louis. ,a 81
The importance of this lake connection
and the continuous navigation thence to the
Eastern sea coastis greatly increased in the
minds OF thinking men, by the national
events now transpiring. .a .s1f7 >, .
Should the precipitate madness of sec
tional excitement lead to any attempt to
| deny to the Northwestern States the free,
navigation of the Mississippi to its
mouth, and the strife be long which should
retake that right, these lakes would be-
! come our only mea us of water transport to
the ocean. While, as some suggest, the
State might donate the swamp lands along
| the line Of road to that. connection, IN
consideration of the uncertainty and delay
in relation to any other land grant for such
| construction, would be far from advising
it, if it might become precedent which
should divert the remainder of these lands
fron other and more legitimate purposes.
"a - fAa oil t<F,
gress, the following grants of public lands
and other property have been made to
| this State in trust for special purposes:
/. Sections l6 and SO Of every Town
ship Of the public lands, for the support OF
Common Schools ., ..-...
| z. Seventy two sections Of land for the
support of University. .-. ..l .o5
3. Tea lec:ions of land for the compile
ton or erection Of public buildings at the
seat Of Government. .s. 81. ., .al4...A !
4. Twelve salt springs with six sec
tions of land adjacent to each, or seventy
two sections in all, for the general use Of
the State. ..s.... ~. a.. ........4 !
| 6 Five per centum of the proceeds of
all the public lands lying within the State,
which shall be sold by Congress after the
admission OF the State into the Union for
the purpose of internal improvements.
G. BY the act of Congress, of March
3, 1857, for the purpose of aiding in the
construction of certain lines of Railroad
| therein descrlbed--eyery alternate or odd
numbered section within six miles on each
side of said Railroad lines, amounting in
all to about 4,399,l4l acres.S .a. .a4u
| rs IF No 10
1860, all the swamp or over1owed lands
within the State are conferred upon the
State, for the purpose of reclaiming and
draining the same. .a.a- g.ad. a.
TIE following is summary of these
grants OF lands: s, .5ls .... Dsogt
| For Schools about. .... 2,SSS, 600 acres
| " University ............. -46.0oQ 80
/ g completing the public build ..-.;t
the General saline lands 4s $50
use Of the I swamp lands ...- .....,...
State, t(estimated.1 }. 5000, 900 g.
| Railroad purposes. ..-..-,. 4, 399, 14l 4"
| Total. Observation-Disclosures. 12,3s5,7Ol
Sub,racting from this total the Railroad
lands which must pass in the ordinary
course to the management of private cor
porations, we have, then, at the disposal
of the Legislature for the promotion of
Education, internal Improvements, and
eleemosynary purposes, nearly eight mil
lions of acres of public lands,-more thas
oeseventh OF the whole area of. the
State iusperiums IN imperio, equal in
its aggregate extent to the kingdoms
Of Holland or lgium, while it exceeds
the combined area Of the States of Mass
achusetts and Connecticut.
or this magnificent grant, the great gift
| Of the nation to a the millions who are
to inhabit the soil of Minnesota, you are
stewards in their behalf. and it devolves
upon you to see that the sacred trusts in-
volved are faithfully executed. a.l.
In asking you to consider the expedien-
cy of inaugurating the practical supervi-
sion of this vast landed interest, ! feel
deeply solicitous that your legislation upon
the subject may be honorably distinguish
ed from that of neighboring States, by an
adequate appreciation of the momentous
| interests involved. .-....... .... ...
The precedent which you shall estab.
lish, will 60 far to shape the future policy
of the State in this regard, and therefore
upon you will depend in great measure,
whether these vast estates consecrated to
the noblest aspirations of free people,
to Education, which is the root of liberty,
and to Charity, which is its fruit,-shali
be husbanded with a awise and statenan-
like economy, or Squandered with a blind
mprovidence, whether the institutions to
be built upon these ample foundations shall
be forecast to the broad measure of our
destiny, or stuDted in their germ by sell
fish eagerness for premature results. :.
Consider the prodigious capabilities
which lie enveloped in these eight million
acres of fertile lands.
| There are nearly three million acres of
School Lands alone. In fifty years from
now this should yield en- annual revenue
which, with a total relief from taxation
should raise our educational system above
the level of that ofany State in the Union.
There are estimated to be FIVE million
acres of Swamp Lands, three-ffths of
which are probably available to agricul-
ture. There are, besides, the University,
| Capitol and Salt Spring Lands, and the
| five per cent fund. The product of these
rich reserves, even if it did not exceed sew
en- million dollars, should complete a broad
and liberal system OF public charities, asy-
lums, hospitals, and prisons, for all the objects
| Of civil guardianship or conmiseration. 1t
should pay off our public debt, encourage
public works, erect public buildings, amply
endow our University and Normal Schools,
and so perfect the social apparatus of
Government, without the burdens and
sacrifices which it has cost otbnr 2tator tr,