The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-11

attain magnitude that the most sanguine do
not anticipate. 1t will not be long before
the tedious and uncertain introduc ton of
goods in British bottoms, by the way ofHud-
sons Bay, will give place to their cheaper,
speedier and more convenient transit by the
Mississippi and Red River. Nor let this be
treated as a visionary suggestion. The great
currents of traffic that have enriched cities,
have sprung from rills in the first instance, as
inconsiderable as the present Red River trade.
1t becomes us at this early day to consider
the future importance of the commerce of
the region north Of the international line:
and by sagacious forecast secure to the trade
Of the Upper Mississippi, greater extension
and new spheres of employment, making our
thriving towns, centres from which to draw
the radii of vast circle of intercourse"
The progress of events has given new
force to these suggestions. The growing
Importance Of our commercial relations with
these regions, makes it proper for me to
direct your attention to the continuance of
burdensome revenue restrictions upon the
international trade of the west half of the
continent which have been abolished in the
east half. There seems no good reason why
the benefits of the Reciprocity Treaty be-
tween the United States and Canada, should
not be extended to these struggling SETTLE
ments of the West.
The land sales ordered by the President
of the United States in October and No
vember of last year, caused great alarm and
anxiety among the poor settlers on the public
lands, for in the financial disorganization of
the three last years, they had been in most
instances unable to accumulate money suffi-
Gent to enter lands upon which years of
labor had been spent, and where their fami.
lies had found home With view, if
possible, to relieve the distress of these wor-
thy people, appealed to President Buchanan
for postponement of the sales
In this, regret to say, I was disappoint-
ed; but in the construction which the
Commissioner of the General Land Office at
Washington placed upon the presumption
law, measurable relief was had
My views upon the propriety of conceding
to actual settlers free homesteads from the
public land which they cultivate, l have
had occasion before repeatedly to state, and
shall not now reiterate. fondly hope that
we have witnessed the last sale of the United
States public lands in Minnesota; and that
hereafter the public domain shall be open to
all who will cultivate it, without money
and without price.
But little more than two months ago ter
minated throughout all the States. a vigor-
GUS, but not specially exciting Presidential
campaign.
From the very day when the result of the
election became apparent, certain of the
losers, comprising large portion of the pop
ulatiOn of certain Southern states, have zeal
ously sought to destroy that government of
which they had just endeavored to take re-
newed possession.
Why do lately fraternal states, thus seek
to dissolve the Union which has so grand re-
suits, and so precious memories for them all?
Doubtless the minds of the Southern peo-
pie are misled and excited by the miserable
Misrepresentation of the principles, policy
and purposes of the now dominant party,
made year after year for partizan ends; but
the insufficiency of some of the pretexts Of
fered tor secession, by leaders of the move
ment, the audacity of others, their precipi-
fancy OF action, the absence on the one hand,
OF any sufficient reason, for their course, and
ON the other their Oft-repeated assertion, that
no concession will prevent the act, fill the
mind with wonder, and leave no doubt that
the purpose OF destroying the Union has long
prevailed in certain minds in the event of not
forever ruling it. This conviction force
from the long continued course of certain
late officials, high in the favor of the Chief
Executive, but who have resigned, am sorry
to say, instead of being dismissed. whose eff
fort appears to have been to embarrass the
finances, destroy the credit, and weaken the
defences OF the nation, to make its preserva-
ton more difficult.
The alleged non execution of the fugitive
slave law and the so-called personal liberty
bills, seems to be mere pretexts for course
resolved on, for the fugitive slave law is
executed in all cases to which it is applied,
with very rare exceptions, and the personal
liberty laws have never prevented or him
dered. We at least have no occasion for
explanation or justification here. One de-
mand is the restoration in effect of the line
OF restriction, known as the Missouri Com
promise line But great objections to this
concession are, that the entire South once
declared themselves dissatisfied with it, and
that the really disafected will not accept it
to-day. Their demands are briefly, a slave
code for the Territories, and recognition
of slaves as property by the free States.
We cannot believe that such demands are
made in good faith. They seem to have
been devised purposely to receive a rejection
which might be alleged as reason for a
contemplated revolution. Such demands
are entirely new. Even in the for
nation of the Constitution of the United
States, it was not thought proper to admit
the idea of property in man. Can we now
be expected to grant what the slave States
OF that day thought it not proper to ask?
such thing as slave code has no proceed
ent in our history. Precisely the contrary
Congressional Introduction of slavery in
the Territories many, both old and
more recent.
But whatever concession or compromise
might otherwise be made, the present treas.
enable position of one of the Southern
States and the menacing attitude of others,
the war already levied upon the United
States by the seizure Of Government proper
ty by armed men professedly hostile to
United States authority, demand, first, the
assertion of the rights of the nation, and
next the recognition of the principle that
existing Constitutional agreements are to be
and that, subject to the Consti-
tuition, the majority shall rule, and the
must submit. After this is we'll
settled, we can with honor and security dis
cuss the question of new compromises But
while the claim of the disunionists that a
State may secede from the Union at her own
pleasure, remains practically undenied by