Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-02-18
Congressional.
PAY OF THE IOWA MILITIA.

1 III
We extract the following from tho pro-
ceedings in the House OF Representatives
on the 3lst ult. las contained in the Ma.
,ional lntellisencer OF the Is, inst, from
which it will he seen, that our indeta,iga.
bic Delegate is Mt last in a fair way 10 oh
tain an appropriation to pay our militia
who were called out during tho Missouri
Boundary difficulty:
TERRITORIAL BUSINESS.
| Mr.. DODGE, Of iowa, called up, first
the motion to reconsider the vote by which
at the last session, the bill to pay the
militia Of the Territory Of Iowa for
services rendered in 1889 had been re
jected.
Mr.. D., in support Of his motion to re.
consider, commenced by quoiinga number
OF documents, with il view OF presenting
the true merits OF the caseto the House
After referring 10 what had been done u,
u former Congress, lie adduced letter
from Secretary Poinsett, enclosing re.
ports OF several OF the heads Of bureaus,
going Gas the Reporter undcrs,ood) IL
show what allowances would be due for
the service and supplies OF sucn body OF
men as had been Called out by The Cover.
nor OF Iowa Territory to resist the lnva-
sion from Missouri, together with the
opinion OF the Secretary that the allow
ance ought 10 ba made.
Mr.. u. next proceeded to notice the
grounds on which the bill for the pay OF
these militia had been resisted, which,
we're two; First, that the calling out OF
the men was unnecessary under The cir
cumstances; and, secondly, that, as the
invasion had been made not by foreign
nation bul by neigboring State OF the
| Union, the proper course Of redress was
not by applying to Congress, but by re-
sorting to the Fedora. Courts.
Mr.. ID. stated, in reply. that these troops
had peen called ou, Oh he requisition Of
the Governor, an officer placed in the
Territory, and ruling over II by authority
OF the General Government. in conse-
quence OF statements aud an application
made 10 him by another United Suites
| officer, the marshal ol tie district, and in
view ot an actual invation of the soil VI
the Territory. The controversy be-
tween Iowa aud Missouri, respecting the
true location oltne boundary line between
them, had been going OH AT the time for
seven or eight months; its existence was
perfectly known to the President OF the
United States, and no protection had
been furnished 10 the Territory. Under
Il sense Of duty the Governor had previ-
ously written to The President, stating the
condition of affairs. inviting the interpo-
slivn OF that hi Oh officer, and requesting
direction Us to the proper course Tor him
to pursue. But he had received no reply.
He had not Eeen told ii would be imnro
per to resist invasion by force OF arms.
/ The INVASION De,ng mcnaceo, and Nilsson
ri having declared her determination 10
collect taxes iron, the citizens oi part
Of one oil tie counties OF Iowa, the Gov
crnor issued his. proclamation declaring
that no taxes would lie paid by the people
Of, Iowa under foreign rcquisi'ion. 1t
was his buundcn duty TO do tins. An
organic act OF Congress, setting up the
Territory. expressly provided that no
taxes should he paid under such reluIsl
ton, and forbade the exercise OF Juflsdtc-
/ ton over the sol! Or cltizens OF Iowa
| by any authority extrinslc TO the Terri
tory
The Governor Of Territory was, in
some respects, merely the agen! OF the
President OF the United States, ruling
and exercising offic al authority in his
name. So was the Marshal. This latter
officer expressly called on the Governor
in writing to Call out military aid, mas.
much as the posse con.ttaiNs was nsufilcl.
ent TO protect tho citizens from the shcr
i'll OF neighboring State backed by y
large military force. This application,
too, had been backed by the written Off.
ciai opinion oil Charles Weston, the
United States district attorney for Iowa,
the official legal adviser Of the Govern
,nent Mr. ID. here read the application
OF The marshal and the opinion OF the law
officer
lie next proce eded TO read the act Of
! the Missouri Legislature authorizing the
leyying Of taAes nor.h OF the line which
Iowa cIuinned 10 be the boundary OF the
1 Territory, aud within the county Of Van
Buren,, ia the Territory. The Legisla-
ture had first. by its own mere authority,
declared where the boundary line should
be recognised us running, aud had then
ordered the collection oi taxes up to that
| line.
MIR. d. :hen read the letter Of gen.
tleman Of the bar, stating what had been
done by tho sheriff AID the military OF
Missouri 10 enforce the demand.
Mr.. DoDGE, after thus pacing the case
on documentary grounds. proceeded briel-
ly TO argue the e'uin OF iowa Tor the
unoun, VI puysa,d Of provisions due 10
the militia as above called out. lie was
understood to say that the line insisted
on by the Territory lad b. q, recognised
]by lh,ce successive Legislatures; and
that between this line and that claimed ny
Missouri there lay a disputed territory
containing about six thousand lnhabit-
ants, all OF whom were opposed 10 the
jurisdiction OF Missouri, and who resisted
her demand upon them for taxes. When
this was supported by large military
force. they had been called out, in mid.
winter, with the snow foot and halt
deep on the ground, to resist the force
which was invading what they believed
to be their own soil. 1t had been an ex