The weekly Arizona miner., 1877-10-12
ST. CROIX AND DULUTH.

There are but few things written or spC
 ken that will bear much repetition; and tn
 speech of J. Proctor Knott, of Kentuck,
 delivered in Congress in 1871, when the s
 Croiy and Superior land grant was unde
 consideration, Is one of those. As a speci
 men of elegant and eloquent ridcule, an,
 the keeneSt kind of satire, it is ''way up.
 Here are some extracts:
 "Years ago, when first heard that ther
 was somewhere in tine vast terrd iRoogRit1
 somewhere in the bleak regions of the grea
 Northwest, stream of water known to th,
 nomadic inhabitants of the neighborhood a,
 the river St. CrOix, became satisfied that the construction of railroad from that raging torreRt tO some point in the civi. liled world was essential to the happiness and prosperity of the American people, if nor absolutely indispensable to the perpe- tuity of republican institutions on this cen tinent. lGreat laughter. I felt instinct Ively that the bOundieSS resources O. that prolific region of sand and pine shruhbasy wou@d never be fully developed withaat d railroad constructed and equipped al tAe expense of the Government, aud perhaps not then. Laughter. 1 had an ab.diny preSentment that. some day or ether. the people of this whole country. irrespective of party affiliations. regardless of sectional preludiceS. and without distinction of race. color. or previous condition of ,.yvitude." '" would rise in their majesty and demand an outlet for the enormous agricuIsUfal pr8- duo ions of those va,; and fertile pi.e lar- renS. drained ia the rainy season b. ia surging waters of the turbid St CroN. tGreat laughter.
 Who will have the hariihood to rise ia his seat on $his floor and assert taat, a.- cepting the pine bushes. the entire region would not produce vegetation enough in ten wears to faiten gras,hopper Great laughter Where is the patrior wio ], ,,i!- ling that his country shall incur ta. peri. of remaining another day without ia. .ai- PleSt railroad connection with SIch .a 'u- . eNhauStable mine of a-riCUliu~7. Uratsl ! i. Laughter. Who will answer for tae consequences of ahandolia" great ani ! wariike people, in possession of 70 coalt~, like that, to brood over the Tn T reace and neglect of their Government Iiau-l- ter How long would it he boior. tacv would take to studying the Dcc.aratiln .f Independence and matching out ;l. .'4fa1a- ble heresy of secession How i.l. fore the grim demon of civil diSrprl ,voai! r.ar again his horrid head ia our midst. ~ghl>a- loud his iron fangs aai shake his crest or bristiing bayonets l' TLauLhterl
 Then, sir. think of the loas anl painful process of reconstruction that must follow with its conc lmi;ant ameadm,nt, tp the Constitution: the seventeenth, eighteenth. md nineteeth articles. Tn. sixteenth. if i- 'f course understood, k ta be appr,lria--i , } those bushing damsels who ar.. day C liter day, be>eachiHg Us to let them vute. lold office, drilk cocktails, rjle a>tradlic. i nI d. everything els, the mel do. lRo4rs q f laug ghter. But above all. sir. l.t m.. i'm. ' .lnre you tp reflect for a moment ua the ,ia- n lpribie cpnditipl of olr country in ease of q foreign war. wIth all olr aofts blocSaIel, [ u our cities in state of siege, the gaunt h Dscter of famine brooding like hungry !, allure over our starving iand; our com lIS>dry stores all exhausted. ani our fam Q thing armies wi,hering away in the field. u elpleS> prey to the insttiate demon of hun W er; oIr Navy rotting in the docks for D ant of provisions for onr gallant seamen. C; ld without any railroad communication ti haterer with the prolific pine thickets of in le St Croix Great lHughtar.l Il
 ia And besides. sir, this discussion has re- lo eyed my mind of mystery that has b, eighed upon it like an incubus f1r years CT could never understand before why there n, as so mach excitement during the last tl ongresS over the acquisition of Alta Vela. | could never understand why it was that mi me ot our abest statesmen and most dis an terested patriots should entertain such dark ha of the untold calamities that gre to befall our beloved country unless col should take immediate possession of tn, at desirable island. But see now that up