New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-04
MINNESOTA'S HISTORY.
Mr.. BLArNE,s ADDRESS AT THE STATE FAIR


Great Northwestern Exhibition to-day. He said:
Mr. PRESIDENT
An assemblage Of the citizens OF Minnesota, COM
ing together to rejoice abundant haryests ana
to the bountiful products OF their state Is well
calculated to INSPIRE recollectiOns that are OF III
terest beyond the limits of the audience that now
honor me with their attention.
Near the borders Of your State, on the banks of
the great river flowing in our sight, there re-
sides in the full ygOr of an honorable Old age,
long my acquaintance and my friend, whose career
calls wildly to mind the wonderful progress OF the
Northwest. In the last two years of General jack
sons Presidency, George W. Jones was the delegate
IN Congress from the vast area now forming the
States of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Mime
sofa together with that part of the Territory OF
Dakota north of the Missouri River, aud east or the
White Earth. In the last preceding tederal cen
sus, the total civilized population OF the enlre Ter
TitOry of Michigan was less than 32OOO-adVentur-
GUS men, standing on the Outposts OF clyIllZatIOn,
and accepting ana cOnquerlng the hardsnlps OF tue
frontier. There were at that tlme-IOity-tnieS
years agO-but two newspapers OF any kihh
whatever published in the whole country OF whlch
/ have spoken, and not one of these west OF Lake
Michigan To-day the same country has eight Sen
atOrs, twenty-nme Representatives, and one dele
gate IN Congress; has railroads aBgregatlhg llOUV
miles in length and 0OO.OO0 III cost mas sew
enty-seven daily newspapers, and more than !, lOO
weekly or monthly publications; has great cIties'
larger than Philadelphia or New-lork Nnen tnd
United States had taken Its second census anu
chosen its third Presidenti has population as
great excluding the slaves Of that day, as that oil
the whole country which dehed Great britain 70 q
second contest in 1912; produces larger amount
of bTeadstutts than the entire Union produced Wheh
General Jones entered Congress ana contains more
wealth than was owned in the eighteen states that
divided their electoral votes between James Madi-
son and Dewitt Clinton for the Presidency ouch
facts as These may well cause us TO give thahks W
God and a vTtuOus ancestry for those blessings OF
liberty and good government which nave mauc III
this progress possible -,
Geographically, the State Of Minnesota IS lana
of singular ana SURPRISING interest. Lying about
equidistant from the great oceans on the east, on
the west, the north and on tho SOUTH her silua-
tion compared with her SISTER states is ehllIe5
peculiar and in one respect IL without parallel on
any continent. HeT surface forms the central wafer
shed of North America, and not far from where we
stand streams have their modest sources that
finally lose themselves IN one direction through
HudsOn's Bay the Arctic waters III anothcf
through the chain OF the great lakes In tine broad
Atlantic and third through the mississippi RIVER
in the Gulf OF Mexico. 10 the westward nature hls
raised an insumOunable barrier 10 the wafer
course, but the invention of man has overcome the
obstacle and through the power of steam ana over
the road OF iron there IS already projected ana parity
achieved that great commercial highway 10 Tue
PacIhc fOretold by LaSalc, when standing on the
banks OF the st. Lawrence, by the Taplus whose
name perpetuatss his prophecy, pointing 10 the I'M
trodden West whittier he had already turned ms
face, he pronounced TO ms doubling companions the
inspiring word, LaChlno.
MINNEsUTAs HISTORY.
Viewed historically, that which now constitutes
the state OF Minnesota has had as many and as
rapid changes IN It's sovereignty - any disputed
territory IN Eurupe-fought over by armed hosts,
set IN motion by Che ambition OF kings or the Jrai-
Ousy of Iyal races of men. TINS talr land was un-
der the dominion Of France during the reigns OF
Louis XIV and his great-grandsOn; had lbervllIe,
who led the French colony To B0dSldua, Tor ITS hrst
Governor, and BienSIlle, who founded NeW-Orieans,
for It's second; Was paWueu by the Regent Orleans
III his scheme with John Law Tor creating value out
of moOn5hIne and made, with other territory, the
basis OF that vast sWiudie IN paper money projected
by the Mississippi Company, IN winch real estate ln
Minnesota, the undl,putcd possession OF tine saw
age and the wild beast. became the shadowy founda
IN Pans, hundred and SIXTY years ago, OF a
far greater monetary credit than II could nave to-
day IN the same financial market. with all It's
impTO ycmcuts and It's great intrinsic value.
Again. it was under the dominion IN part Of George
Ill OF England, who was compelled 10 yield
his night your soil 10y the treaty Ot 1888 and 10
Withdraw the last red coat by the treaty OF 1893.
still farther for thlTty5eYen years All on the west
side of your dlyldlug riYeT was attached TO the
crown of spain during the Ielghs OF the thrd and
fourth Charles, and gwen up By the latter IN the
year 1900 10 France, Wnen for a PERIOD OF three
bIief years the larger half OF Minnesota had Napo-
leon BOnaparte for its sovereign ruler. The flst
Consul always did business a basis Of hard cash.
and he transferred the French possessions III /
America 10 tho United states Tor SA5,OOO.OOO
Eighty years before that time, john Law anu hls !
speculative partner the Duke Ot Orleans, had made
the possessions the basis tor an Issue OF paper
money amounting to nearly 5000, 100000 OF francs
Some reflections are naturally suggested by these !
facts which would perhaps not De entirely peril |
nent 20 an address before agricultural society !
may be pagdoned, however, for the inference that
the resources of "A great country" do not afford a
sound and secure basis Tor al enlarged paper cur
rency.
the soil OF Minnesota not more striking more
strange than the rapid transformations Of its gov
eminent since II came under the sovereignty OF the
United States. II comes 10 rs as forgotten history
when We recall that the eastern half OF your state
was claimed during the revolutionary struggle as
part Of Virginia, by no less Governor than Thomas
Jefferson when rs part of the Northwest Territory
the gallant but unfortunate Arthur st. Clair It's
CHIEF executive; when part Of Indiana William !
Henry Harrison, frontlerslnan, soldier, statesmau
fl UVg l.nN N-sn
years when as part Of Illinois, the large-iramed !
and large-hearted Ninian Edwards ruled over 1t |
appointed thereto by Madison, at the personal re-
quest Of q" young Senator named Gay rs ho IS /
significantly styled III a certain record when as
part of Michigan Territory, General Lewis Casa was
It's efficient, honorable and careful executive !
when part of Wisconsin the chiy1lrOus |
and courageous Henry Dodge was Its popular |
Governor, and also It's delegate IN Congress from
One-half its domain, while his worthy and still |
living SOD, as delegate at the time from Iowa,
represented the other haf-a striking coincidence
rendered still more remarkable by the father and
meeting again IN the National Senate rom the
States which they mad represented III the House
Nor of the section of your State west of the Mis-
sissppi does it read less strangely, recall that
when sold TO the National Government by Napoleon !
Bonaparte.it became part of the organized Territory
of Louisiana, changed very soon 10 hssOurl, and !
had Tor long years Az its Governor the brave adj
YenturOus William Clarke, who IN company with !
Merlwether LOWS, under The direction OF President
Jefferson. made that extraordinary journey from
ocean TO Ocean--the first white men who crossed |
the continent on soil belonging ~ the United States
leaving their forever associated with great
achievement familiar to all who have read the hard
ships and cOnquests of the Lewis aud Clarke eX
petition. Atterward Minnesota formed part OF the
magnificent and rapidly growing Territory OF Iowa,
which 5OOI took on the stature OF Il tuli-grOYn,
vigorous commonwealth,
Iowa and Wisconsin having been admitted as
States, their Territorial remalnders naturally formed
one government, and So in 1S40, the Territory
Of Minnesota was organized. And then, for tine
first time since our Government acquired Louisiana
from France, with the exception Of brief period
under the old Territorial organization of Michigan,
and an equally brief under that Of Wisconsin,
Minnesota, on both sides of the Mississippi, was
organized under the same government. And that
seems but yesterday; yet tue sowing of the next
crop will mark full rounded thirty years since the
organic act was passed by Congress, and President