The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-02
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1910.
STATE OF IOWA.

81
In another part of this number our read
ers will find very important bill recently
reported iii Congress, to enable the citi-
gems of this Territory to form State Go
vernment. Congress has begun to move
in this matter without being memorial
lied, ssas every rejecting mind supposed 1t
would. No one can have the least OBJ
lection to such movement. There is no
dicta,ion--no time mentioned when our
citizens shall meet but simply the pre-
limnary steps taken to enable them to
hold convention, with the assurance
that when they do SO and majority wish
to go into full membership with the States,
they shall be freely admitted. In enter
tanning the proposition Of holding Con-
ven,ion for the formation of state gov
eminent, we should look calmly and dis.
passionately at the subject, weighing our
present privileges as "a Territory on the
one hand, and the additional, if any, adj
yantages of State Government, on the
other. By thus counting the cost, the
people can come to some conclusive de-
termination in regard to this interesting
topic. In consequence of the action of
Congress, and anticipating the passage of
the bill under consideration, we think the
door has been legi.imately set wide open
for the discussion of this important sub
ject. Not that we wish to rush into the
Union prematurely--th is what we have
always deprecated-but we wish to have
a full and fair discussion Of the subject
through the newspapers by those who
feel its importance and are willing to de-
vote some of their leisure moments to The
study Of its bearings on our future pros
perity. We consider it subject too mo-
mentous to be decided on mere capri
cious, ambitious, or party grounds. a
discussion carried on in the spirit to which
we have but barely alluded, cannot do
otherwise than result in good, and we
most cordially tender the Hawk-Eye as a
medium to all those who may feel dis
posed to enlighten the people in the way
pointed out; either for or against the
measure.
The recent movement in Congress in
relation to relinquishing to the states the
public lands viewed in connection with
the unprecedented amount of public lands
advertised for sale at very short intervals,
has led us to contemplate the probable ef-
fects such action will have on the future
destiny of this Territory. The policy,
and the result of it, in selling off the best
lands in the states in view of The probable
passage of Mr. Calhoun's Land Bill, can
easily be accounted for, notwithstanding
il is argued and acknowledged to be on
account OF the emptiness of the Treasury.
Even this acknowledgement is bad enough
when we contrast it with the policy hith-
erto observed. Until lately, the govern
ment never pretended to sell the land fast
er or in larger quantities than the wants
Of the settlers required--and the idea of
selling the public domain simply to re-
Plenish the treasury, was never until very
recently acknowledged. But we do not
believe this to be the sole reason. Gov
eminent wishes to make as much out of
the public domain as it can before the
time of REIMBURSEMENT! This, weincline
to think, is the true reason. We do not
believe, however, that the states will re-
ceiye the lands which may remain after
these sales, on the conditions set forth in
Calhoun's bill. If thatbi does pass, and
&he government would engage to extin-
,guish the Indian title to the lands marked
out as the boundaries OF the future state
OF Iowa. on condition Of our paying tri-
fling per cent, then perhaps the sooner
Iowa becomes state the better. But if
that bill should pass and Iowa, when she
comes into the confederacy, have all the
lands included in her bounds relinquished
up TO her and be obliged in her state ca
pacity to pay all the expenses Of purchase
from the Indians, we cannot conceive how
it can work otherwise than detrimentally
TO her interests. These thoughts are
crude, we know, but still they may elicit
some information, and that is swhat we
want.
In relation to the boundaries of .oar flu
ture State, Congress we think, according
TO the Bill, has made most iudicious ar
These boundaries will leave
US well defined northern face on the
parallel Of latitude forty four, square
across to the Missouri river, our whole !,
western border from that parallel will 1
be washed by the great Missouri river
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