The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-11-05
NATIONAL ARMORY.

tuorOuSn examination has been made
of Rock Island and its vicinity. Its SUI
perior locality for an Arsenal no one, we
presume, will question, and we hope that
prompt measures may be adopted to place
our exposed frontier in position for sue
cessful defence by the erection of a salt
able building and the deposite of suAi-
cient quantity Of arms at that point. Such
a building as is needed might not only be
made TO be an appropriate depository of
arms, but, without any additional expense,
it might easily be made one of the bright
est ornaments on the Mississippi river.
With the lovely town of Davenport on
one side, and the perhaps equally hand
some town of Stephenson on the other,
with Rockingham full in sight in the dis
lance, what is needed to render the whole
one of the most enchanting panoramic
views that ever delighted the eye, but a
neat and substantial building at the lower
end of Rock Island, the appearance and
proportions of which to be fully in keep
ing with the surrounding scenery? We
can conceive of no ideal view, even, thus
filled up more delightful or harmonious.
But we did not dip our pen in ink for
the purpose of saying any thing about an
arsenal which, after all, is of secondary
importance. We wish to keep Rock
Island in view as the most suitable 10.
cality for the Great National Armory
which must ere long be established in the
Valley of the Mississippi. We wish
only to do this, and without at the present
time entering fully into the discussion of
the question in regard to the appropriate
ness of this point above all others, we
simply allude to it that the subject may
be kept before the people and an interest
awakened in its behalf in the minds OF
those State and Territorial Legislators
whose locality should lead them to use
their exertions in promoting the success
of the objecs. And thus, eventually and
at the proper time, make such represen.
tation of the matter to the members in Con.
gress, as will secure the cooperation and
interest of majority of that honorable
body, and lead them to go for it.
At the proper time we shall be pre-.
pared to show that the geographical posi-.
ton of Rock Island, being above running
ice in the winter, in connection with its
other qualifications, is far more preferable
to any point we have yet heard named.
Possessing an inexhaustible natural water
power, that is unequalled in the country,
it certainly presents claims Of paramount
importance. The best building stone and
timber as well as inexhaustible beds Of
coal may be found in it's immediate vicin-
ity. The island itself is Immediately on
the Upper Rapids of the Mississippi, and
is surrounded by most fertile agricul.
tural country.
A few days since, thorough survey
was made Of the Rapids the whole length
Of the island, (about two miles and half
Iby competent engineer, in company
with Capt. Bell, and within that distance
the fall was ascertained to be exactly STA
/ feet.
| Mr.. WEBsTER's SPEECH AT Rich.
MoND, VA.--We permit this excellent
speech of Mr. Webster to occupy a large
portion Of our paper this week. 1t will
doubtless be perused by all parties with
interest. We do not we'll see how MI
1 w. can be federalist, if these are his
real sentiments--and we believe them tt
be such. While the leading Van Burer
men have professed to be Democrats, i
has been their aim, most manifestly, Il
strengthen the General Government, by
concentrating all the power in the execu
tive at the expense Of the States. They
call Mr. Webster and those with whom he
acts, Federalists; while the movements o
the latter all show disposition to cling
to the rights Of the States and maintain
the real democratic republican principle
Now that the present Presidential contes
is ended, we believe that the People will
view this subject calmly and dispassion
. ately and no longer permit names to pas:
Cor fL;nna We have aluaus uiewed thf