The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-12-02

that before these settlements can be
established grants must be secured in
the manner customary on such occa-
s1ons, and the lands be purchased by
those who have acquired a right to
them by a long possession; but no
greater difficulty will attend the COM
pIet1on Of this point than the original
founders of every colony on the con-
tinent met with to obstruct their In
tentions; and the number Of Indians
who inhabit these tracts being greatly
inadequate to their extent, 1t is not to be
doubted but they will readily give up
for q reasonable consideration the ter
ritories that are of little use to them
or remove for the accommodation Of
their new neighbors to lands at a great
er distance from the Mississippi the
navigation Of which is not essential to
the welfare Of their communities. The
country within these lines from it's sit
uation is colder than any of the others
yet I am convinced that the air Is much
more temperate than in those provinces
that lie in the same degree Of latitude
to the east of it. The soil is excellent,
and there Is a great deal of land that
ing to the Mississippi; whilst on the
contrary the northeastern borders of
it are we'll wooded. Towards the head
of the river ST. Croix rice grows in
great plenty, and there is an abun-
dance of copper. Though the Falls Of
ST. Anthony are situated at the south
east corner of this division, yet that
impediment will not totally obstruct
the navigation, as the river st. Croix,
which runs through great part Of
the southern side Of 1t, enters the Mis-
sissippi just below the falls, and flows
with so gentle a curve that it affords
convenient navigation for boats. This
tract is about 100 miles from north
west to southeast, and 120 miles from
northeast to southwest.
"a HEAVENLY SPOT"
''This tract, as have already describ-
ed in my journals, exceeds the highest
encomiunls I can give 1t; notwith-
standing which, 1t Is entirely uninhab-
tied, and the profusions Of blessings
that nature has showered on this heav-
enly spot return unenjoyed to the spot
from which they sprang. Lake Pepin,
as I have termed 1t, after the French,
lies within these bounds, but the lake
to which that name properly belongs
is a little above the river st. Croix.
However, as all the traders call the
lower lake by that name, I have 80
denominated it, contrary to the infor-
nation I received from the Indians"
MINNESOTA IN THE NORTHWEST
PASSAGE"
And thus it has come to pass, in the
advance of time, that the Northwest
passage" Is practically across the
northern parallels Of what is now the
United States Of America, and that
the tide Of worlds commerce has come
almost by gravitation into the very
zone in which earlier navigators and
explorers insisted that 1t would be
found to exist. But the methods by
which its progress should be developed
are wholly different from those antici-
pated for 1t. The headwaters of Lake
Superior are only beginning to play
the great part that inland navigation
| appears destined to perform, while the
| great steel links between those waters
| and the Pacific are Of so recent con-
struction that no computation Is pos
sible Of their enormous possibilities IN
the direction of the future develop
| nent of trade between this country
and the nations of Asia, whence ever
increasing demands are being made
| upon us for our products
LEWIS AND CLARK SURVEYS.
The marking out Of the line Of the
| pathway across the continent was
| largely assisted as q result of the
Louisiana purchase.
With the opening of the great terri
tory beyond the Mississippi, through
| the purchase from France Of the area
which had previously belonged to Spain
and extended to the Pacific ocean, the
rounding out Of the foundations for the
subsequent influence Of the young gov
| ernment of the republic was as
sured. The first thing which suggested
itself to the mind of Thomas Jefferson
was the exploration Of that portion OF
the continent extending from the west
ernmost point Of Lake Superior to the
coast Of the Pacific sea. The pur-
chase was made in 1903. The explora-
ton began by Lewis and Clark at an IN
| termediary period
In what degree do the people Of this
country, who are now in the enjoyment
of all It's liberties and advantages
for the creations Of fortunes, meas
ure the services Of the men who pene-
| trated the wilderness of the Northwest
| and gave to the public the first reflec-
ton Of it's material greatness? Those
men are dead now; but Meriwether
Lewis, who headed the great explora-
| tiOn of the Northwest nendinQ the ar
quisitfon Of that territory by the Unit
ed States Is entitled to a larger fame
! than he has ever received in the
chronicles of United States history.
But he has the magnificent indorse-
ment Of Thomas Jefferson, the presi-
dent Of the United States, who COM
missioned him upon this errand of
duty. In a letter to Paul Allen, of
Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson then
retired to his homestead in Monticello,
| Va, from the presidency of the United
States, wrote under date of Aug. 1S,
1913, respecting the virtues of this COM
mander. In that letter he embodies
some of the instructions which We're
given to Capt. Lewis, and the follow
ing extracts afford clear conception
! of the beautiful character Of Jefferson
and the spirit Of kindliness which was
the dominant element Of his intellec-
tual makeup as revealed to the world.
Among other things, he said to Lewis:
"In all your intercourse with the ma
tives treat them in the most friendly
and conciliatory manner which their
own conduct will admit: allay all jeal-
ousies as to the object of your journey;