The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-12-17
Correspondence of the Hawkeyc.

him to the passengers, which. no doubt,
was the immediate cause of the apprehen
sion of the murderer.
For the Hawk-Eye and Patriot.
National ArmOry i'm the West.
For twenty years it has been the con.
slant and apparently the earnest desire of
Congress, and of the different Executive
administrations of the Government to es.
,abish a National Armory on these Yves
tern waters.
The various Presidents with their War
Secretaries both Houses of Congress,
with their ever varying Military Com
mi,tees and all military men to whom
the subject has been committed. have
concurred with singular and remarka-
Il bic nnanimily III the propricty of this
measure. What then may be the reason
of this remarkable unanimity and par
tic'slarly. of that still more remark able
failure 10 carry into operation such an
uncommon, undertaking, unity of pur.
pose? The Treasury during this period
has been often full to overflow: while
the subject has been equally within the
constitutional power, and the financial
ability Of Government.
On little reflection, the perfect agree
ment Of the various departments of the
Government, on this subject is, it is
thought sufficiently plain.
They have but two small National
Armories which are situated beyond
the Allegheny. in the N. E. corner of the
Union; far away from this Western and
South Western region. And these Armo-
ries have total manufacture per annum,
Of but 25 900 muskets. An amount,
bearing no proportion to the immense
annual loss or ruin Of arms, which has
arisen in the Florida war, and in the last,
war with Great Britain; and which, in
the nature Of things, must inevitably con-
tinue 10 arise. But. this amount is fear
fully inadequate, when considered in re
ference to the vast annual increase Of our
national militia, now bordering upon, if
it do not exceed two millions of men.
AS to the other branch Of the question ):
which is in reference to the failure of the
National Legislature for so many years.
to comply with the wishes, the inter-
ests. and tie rights, of the people of the
West. This. has arisen verv naturally,
and no doubt very honestly, from the de-
sire of various individual members of
Congress. TO carry the Armory to their
own district.
But as this political game has already
been played at the expense of the peo-
pie for nearly quarter of century with
out decision; and as its consequent ex-
pense during that interval. in loss Of time
to the members. and in the transportation
Of arms to the West, would most proba-
bly, have built two larger Armories; it
is not to be imagined that it will be con.
tinued longer.
| If 20 years ago, it were deemed de.
sirable to place this Armory on the Wes-
tern waters, when the population of the
western States was 81 millions; how
much more desirable must it now be
after having delayed TO satisfy the wants
Of the country, as before stated Cor near
a quarter of a century and after the
population Of these western States has in
creased to 63-4 or Z millions princi-
pally in consequence of the immense
| food oil immigration to the west, during
the last IL years.
| Let the Statesmen of the country, (who
| it is high time. should come to some de-
cision on this important subject, J lie,
them consider too, the immense area
covered by the population of these States.
| that it is greater even than that covered
| by the eastern States; being indeed
more than one-half Of The whole inhahi,-
ed country of the nation; for it lies west,
of the western boundaries of Pennsylva-
MIA, Virginia, N. Carolina, and Georgia;
taking in the State of Alabama, which
is more in connection with the MissisSip-
pi, than with the Atlantic.
Let them remember, that this larger
Geographical portion Of the Union, is
now armed entirely from the eastern
States; that not mnsket is now made
within the area of these Ii States, and
two Territories that their armament is
now effected either from the National
Armory a, Harper's ferry Virginia, OF
from that at Springfield Massachusetts,
| or hereabouts-tliat TO effect this arma
ment in the Valley Of the Mississippi
the arms must undergo an expensive and
tedious transportation either Of 1860
miles from Virginia by the Ohio; or Of
700 miles from Mass. by the Clio OF
lif this river be imprac,icable- from low
water, or ice a. it is during several