SECRETARY'S OFFICE, Minnesota,} August 1 1858. I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original on file in this office. FRANCIS BAASEN, Secretary of State. NUMBER IX. A Joint Resolution instructing Senators in Congress and Whereas, An Act of the Legislative Assemby of the TerriAsking a grant of tory of Minnesota, chartering a Rail Road company, to con1 and to a certain struct a rail road from Red Wing, in the county of Goodhue, railroad in said Territory, to the line of said Territory in the direc tion of the Great Bend of the Missouri River, approved May 23d, 1857. And, Whereas, The said rail road when constructed will be greatly to the advantage of the State of Minnesota, and to the Territory of Dakota; affording facili ties for the transportation of mails from the Mississippi River through the State, and Territory aforesaid, and also affords a mode of conveyance to the United States, for the transportation of men and means to protect the inhabitants of our frontiers from the depredations of hostile Indians: therefore, Be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Minnesota, That our Senators in Congress are instructed and our Representatives, requested, to procure a grant of lands to aid in the construction and equipment of said road. GEORGE BRADLEY, Speaker of the House of Representatives. President of the Senate. APPROVED July the twenty-ninth, one thousand eight hurdred and fifty-eight. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, Minnesota, July 29, 1858. HENRY H. SIBLEY I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original on file in this office. FRANCIS BAASEN, Secretary. NUMBER X. Joint Resolutions in favor of an Overland Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. in favor of an ov Whereas, The recent unprecedented and rapid development of the gold mines on the north west coast, in Washington Territory and the British possessions, presents an anomolous Joint resolution and extraordinary condition of things, calling for the prompt erland route from action of the federal government, both in opening and pro- the Mississippi tecting the overland routes to these mines from the Missis-river to the Paci sippi valley, and Whereas, The nearest and most direct route to these mines from the Upper Mississippi and the great Lakes, is that surveyed by Gov. Stevens, in 1853 '54 and '55, connecting the navigable waters of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, furnishing to emigrants from the States, both a water route by the Missouri to Fort Benton, and a land route to the same point from St. Paul, and on debouching from the mountain. region, connecting with trails leading either to Fort Colville, the heart of the mining region east of the Cascade Mountains, and thence to Thompson's and Frazer Rivers, or to the Columbia valley, or direct to Puget Sound, and Whereas, The recent Indian disturbances in Washington Territory, have suspended the operations of Lieut. Mullen, who, under orders received some months since, had repaired to the Columbia valley, organized his party, and was actually on his way from the Dalles to open a wagon road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton-the only portion of the route where work is indispensable to open a summer emigrant route practicable for wagons, and threaten to close access to these regions both by the northern and South Pass routes. Wherefore, be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota: That it is the duty of the general government to prosecute with vigor, and with all the strength that it can apply, the Indian war to the end, that the Indians in arms may feel the strength and power of our government, and be reduced to unconditional submission to its authority. Resolved, That ample appropriations should be made to open a wagon road from St. Paul, by the line of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers to Puget Sound, giving access to the gold fields of the north-west, and that appropriations should also be made to place light draught steamers of great power and suitable construction on the Upper Missouri, and the Red River of the North, and Columbia Rivers, and thereby determine practically all the facts in reference to the navigability of those rivers for steamers. fie ocean Resolved, That good policy demanded the appropriations which have been made for opening wagon roads, on routes farther south leading from the Mississippi valley to Califor Joint resolution nia, and that a spirit of justice requires that similar appreorland route from priations be made, connecting the great north-west of the the Mississippi Mississippi valley with the prolific and teeming north-west of the Pacific coast. in favor of an ov river to the Paci Resolved, That a mail service should be established on the route of the proposed wagon road. Resolved, That in any scheme of a Pacific Railroad, there should be urged the paramount advantages of the northern route surveyed by Gov. Stevens, in a national point of view, the question being whether the great railroad line connecting the basin of the St. Lawrence and the Upper Mississippi, and the waters of the Pacific flanking the newly discovered gold region shall run through American or foreign territory. This route moreover is the shortest route connecting water lines across the territory of the United States, passes through the most fertile region, is in nearer connection with Europe and Asia, and is backed up directly by the largest railroad enterprise and capital in the country. The experience of the Grand Trunk and other railroads of Canada, and three of the northern States, show conclusively how futile are the ob jections to the northern route as regards snow and cold, and the ability of that portion of the country to pushing its rad road system to the shores of the Pacific. Resolved, That the general government should give equiva lent aid in any scheme of a Pacific Railroad, to at least three roads. That this aid should consist of grants of land and the capitalizing the amounts which the government must of necessity pay to send its mails, troops, supplies, and munitions of war, on the several lines. That beyond this the gen eral government should not go. That with this aid, the whole undertaking should be left open to the free competition of our railroad geniu; and enterprise, and that it should be emphatically the work of the people and not of the government of the country. Resolved, That a line of military posts should be established for the protection of the northern route--in which connection it is worthy of mention that the great rivers of this route, the Missouri and the Columbia, the Mississipsi and the Minnesots, furnish the means of supply by steamers. The mouth of the Yellowstone, and the Great Falls of the Missouri on the former river, and Fort Walla-Walla and Fort Colville on the latter, are points at which large posts are indispensable with connecting posts through Dakota Territory, and these are proba bly the only points at which large posts are required west of the State of Minnesota, as far as the river Columbia. The intermediate country can be held by moveable colums oper ating from these posts according to circumstances. Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor, be requested to transmit a copy of the above resolutions to the President of the United States and to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress. GEORGE BRADLEY, Speaker of the House of Representatives. WILLIAM HOLCOMBE, President of the Senate. APPROVED-August the twelfth, one thousand eight hun dred and fifty-eight. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, Minnesota, August 12, 1858. HENRY H. SIBLEY. I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original on file in this office. FRANCIS BAASEN, Secretary of State. NUMBER XI. Joint Resolution Relative to obtaining Appropriations from Congress. Resolved, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Minnesota, That the attention of our Senators and Representatives in Congress is hereby called to certain Memorials to Congress, asking for appropriations to defray the expenses of the late Constitutional Convention, and other expenses as named in said Memorials, and our Senators and Representatives are hereby requested to urge Congress the necessity of immedi-Joint resolution ate action on said Memorials, and the Governor of this State relative to obtainis hereby requested to forward to Washington at once, all or from Congress any Memorials or Joint Resolutions that may have been passed, together with this Resolution. GEORGE BRADLEY, Speaker of the House of Representatives. President of the Senate. APPROVED-June twelveth, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, Minnesota, June 12, 1858. HENRY H. SIBLEY. } I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original on file in this office. FRANCIS BAASEN, Secretary of State. ing appropriation |