St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-04-04
CULTURE.
4 lecture delipered at Anoka, March 18Th, and at
= st. Cloud, March 18Th, 1861, ..'..''.

4 lecture dehvered at Anoka, March 18Th, and at
st. Cloud, March 18Th, 1851,
-'"'<;'4' BY g. 9. ANDREWS. ''
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN II wish to
speak of culture as it mainly affects our
material interests. I'll to-, ...sIina ..ura.; !
The outside world will Judge Of Mime
sofa by its harvests and its homes. Inso-
much as our homes are comfortable and ell
egant, aud our harvests abundant, will the
stranger who comes among us depart with
a favorable opinion Of the State. IF he
sees evidence of neatness, taste, and cul-
ture about our habitations, he will remem-
Der us with more pleasure, and in the opin-
ions he expresses about u.s., will inspire a
desire among many to come here and try
their fortunes. But he will excite the op-
posite feeling if he goes away with images
pictured on his mind of supineness, indo-
lence, rudeness and poverty. His friends
will then cxclaiu "What! new State
with such bracing air, and the people want
ing IN energy "a soil rich and easily cul-
tivated without plenty-scenery diversified
and beautiful and homes rude ard una
dorned. think I will not go there."-
Such indeed would be the opinion of the
kind of people we really want; but the in
dolent and. slothful mi ght have different
view. They might think it just the place
to suit them-that they would here find a
plenty of sympathizing company.
Suppose however our visitor should be
able to say that Minnesota is indeed no.
BILE and promising State. Her climate is
temperate and salubrious Her undevelop-
ed resources are capable of sustaining more
than twenty times her present population.
The native beauty and variety Of her seem
cry are constant an6 exquisite source of
delight. Her people are intelligent and
liberal in mind, and Independent and just
in action. Labor is 80 bestowed and ap-
portioned to different tasks that. it is
pleasure and not a burden. They are year
ly rewarded with certain. increase Of
wealth, because they are economical and
yet not avaricious. they regard time as
great treasure, and so measure and econo-
mize it that although the ey cultivate the
soil they do not neglect to cultivate them
selves. You will find upon the remotest
frontier many valuable musical instruments
and much skill in their use; and you will
also find numerousaand extensive libraries
There is evidence Of neatness and refine
ment in their dwellings and about, and
around them arbors, lawns, flowers and
trees, are so finely arranged as to contrib
ute serene happiness to all who behold
them. The people, too, wisely discerning
that what promotes the public interest,
benefits essentially each individual, gener-
ously cooperate in accomplishing import
ant Improvements. In this way they have
constructed extensive roads over wild areas,
and splendid bridges across their great riv-
ers. They have already by selfculture at
tanned so proper control over themselves
that even the laws against libel and slander
are by no means dead letter. Character
is esteemed as part of ones property, and
it would be thought as strange and mean
( to assall and blacken it as to break into
ones stable aud shear or disfgure his
horse. They are not people who pay tie
highest compensation to lawyers, the next
to doctors, and the least to preachers, as il
they placed the chief value upon their es.
tates, the next upon their health, and the
least upon their souls. They possess high
and laudable State pride, so that if a crime
is committed or suffering exists in the linn
its of the State, however remote, it keenly
affects their sensibility; since they rightly
consider that the guilt of one in some de-
gree furnishes the general fame, and thai
they are morally bound to alleviate tht
misery of their fellows Hence, with
discriminating justice that is rare indeed
they have thought it their duty before 20
ing abroad to redress evils, to set about tn,
cure and prevention of those in their OWL
limits, and have made much progress il
establishing institutions for the shelter on<
protection of those who are helpless cithe
from indigence, blindness, or insanity
Being singularly exempt also from env,
as we'll as hatred and uncharitableness, the,
appear to take pleasure in the SUCCESS ant
prosperity Of those around them and
one gains distinction it is not cause o
Jealousy amt detraction, but is felt as
contribution to the common stock of cred
it, and made the subject of congratulation
In Short those people being themselves pi
oneers are imbued with the true heroi
spirit; and having left behind them TIL
most OF their previous failings, and such a
generally obstruct the happiness of man
KIND, seem determined to establish a stan
dard OF culture that shall correspond will
the fair and lovely country which the,
have adopted as the home of their destiny
Liza stranger could conscientiously speal
Of US in these terms, Minnesota woul,
shortly receive a large reinforcement o
people AMI wealth.
But more important agency than tn