FROM OUR MINNESOTA CORRESPONDENT.

SAINT PAUL, Feb 7th, 1855.

FRIEND DOUGLASS:—According to promise, I attempt to lay before your readers such facts, in relation to our young Territory, as I think may be interesting to the majority with an occasional deviation from the general subject, which, of course, you will please excuse.

The Organic Act, for the organization of the Territory, (through the influence of Hon H. H. Sibley) passed on the 3rd of March, 1849, and received the signature of the President (Z. Taylor,) as the first of his official acts. The following officers, appointed by the President, entered upon their respective duties on and about the middle of June, of the summer of 1849: Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania, Governor; C. K. Smith, of Ohio, Secretary; A. Goodrich, Chief Justice; H. S. Moss, of Ohio, U.S. District Attorney. Much credit is due that noble hero for his excellent selection of officers to command the destinies of this promising Territory. Were his first acts a correct sample of what his future would have been, the people lost much by the death of that venerable and good man. I fear the Territory never will have again such competent, just, and honest men as Ramsey and Moss, to watch over her affairs and control her interest. Much credit is due the former for the rapidly increased population and wealth of Minnesota, whose truthful statements could be read in numbers of our eastern journals, giving information to the thousands that are now citizens of Minnesota. The present population is 30,000 souls. The wealth can be judged from the amount of taxable property, which, is according to the Territorial Auditor, $7,000,000, and is rapidly increasing.

At the falls of St[.] Anthony is the first suspension bridge, or, rather, bridge of any kind, across the Mississippi. It is a fine
structure, and will compare well with your Niagara bridge. It was built and finished at a cost of $50,000, by a half-dozen of Minnesota's energetic capitalists. In Minnesota, we find few idle men; the population is, as I before have informed you, made up principally of eastern men, who were tired with your slow modes of making money—consequently, it is a fast community of shrewd, wide-awake men, wonderfully inclined to selfishness.

There are in the Territory several grist mills; the exact number I cannot, at present state, though I learn that they are doing a good business, and producing a very good quality of flour and meal. There are, I think, twelve saw-mills in the Territory—five of which are in Saint Paul. These mills are of the first class of saw-mills—are kept running night and day—and then find it impossible to supply the demand. More mills are wanted; and nowhere can a better location be found than St. Anthony for the erection of saw-mills. The water power is only surpassed by Niagara; and the conveniences for building is very good in the neighborhood of the Falls. Fine lumber is found in very great abundance on the Tributaries of the Mississsippi. These little streams are very numerous, and an abundance of water in them to float the largest sized logs. There are, on many of these streams, fine water privileges; and at present, unimproved St. Anthony promises to be a very large manufacturing town. It is handsomely located—very high—with high and beautiful banks on the river—free from any of those bogs and marshes, which are so numerous in most western countries, particularly in Nebraska, and are considered very unhealthy. Saint Paul is the largest town in Minnesota, containing a population of about six thousand, of which a large proportion are foreigners—the balance, as I before said, shrewd Yankees, excepting fifty one colored unfortunates, of whom your humble servant is one. These are reckoned in the enumeration, but decided not to be citizens by the learned Judges throughout the United States of the Douglas (not Frederick) and Pierce faction. But here I must digress.

In my first, I noted Minnesota as one more free State, without doubt; and I do again repeat it, in the face of certain paragraphs which lately appeared in print in this city. There has been an offer made recently to draw forth public sentiment regarding the propriety of introducing a few slaves, for convenience, into the Territory. We have a certain class of citizens in Minnesota with whom it is difficult for every one to agree. As a natural consequence, these people cannot at all times find such persons as servants that pleases them in every particular. This being a free country, servants feel at liberty, when their work is done, to go and come at pleasure, also to resent any insult or incroachments upon their natural rights and privileges, (viz: cuffing and unnecessary authority;) and to leave these people quite frequently without help, to their great inconvenience.

Now, if these people could, just for convenience, introduce a few colored servants from Virginia, or elsewhere, it would be a great accommodation to them, and for this kindness they would be grateful to the citizens of Minnesota for years to come. Now, these few persons, just to feel the public pulse, hinted the matter to certain politicians, and a story gained publicity, that in the spring a company of Virginians would move into Minnesota and establish themselves on the west side of the Mississippi River, bringing with them slaves, and other cattle. It was sort of bug-bear story, to frighten the timid and little children.

I really think, from observation, that by this time they know the minds of the people on that subject but for one, they have my hearty encouragement. The distance of travel to Canada would be somewhat lessened, as he would be helped this far by his master. Let them bring on their passengers for the Underground Railroad. It frightened some, I suppose; and some of the knowing ones that pretended were not, in fact, really frightened. For instance, certain Editors who would advocate the cause of slavery, were it only profitable. It is a very strange fact, (and to too great extent in Minnesota,) that money will sometimes change men's minds. It is not really principles they advocate, but any measure for money. To give you an idea of how such things are managed out West—of the influence and power of the immortal dollar—I will give you, in a few days, an account of the great Minnesota and North-Western Railroad farce, composed and written by Robert Schuyler and G. W. Billings, in which general cash figures largerly.

Respectfully yours,

MINNESOTA.