Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-02-15

he solemnly the Of hundred thousand
em eenen protest against any such arrangement as that
now designated by the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. DUNCAN
He had various for his dissent and that the
gentemans plan substituted to the artificial boundary
line in the place Of the features furnished by Nature herself
He believed that the adoption of the plan would only be
contrary to the wishes Of the people of Iowa, but would
be in itself unwise and mpoc. The line proposed by their
own Convention in his opinion, the best that could be
adopted The amendment went 10 assai the Territory the
north, while the claim of Missouri sought to cut short the
south The bringing forward of such measure wholly
unexpected to Mr.. D.
He also had obtained estimate from the Typographical
Bureau OF the that would be embraced by the boundary
line reported by the committee. Including the three thou
sand square miles which Missouri laid claim the Whole
tent Of territory would comprise sixty thousand five hundred
miles, being six thousand less than the State OF Missou
four thousand less than Virginia, and leaving the State
about equal to Michigan If the committee would look at the
map they would that the residue Of the territory left
in the best and situation for the formation
future States Iowa would according to the committees PLAN
possess but about onethd Of its present limits Why should
amy one desire to have it still further reduced
Mr. ID. said he had foreseen and apprchended dhcuty
like this in regard the territory in that part OF the Union
He had witnessed the CONFUSION Of the House under discus
sion of the relative political power of the North and the South
and he greatly appehended lest in absorbing and terrible
controversy, the people Of Iowa. the hardy and adventurous
who had settled the Territory and who certainly had
claim to have their feelings and wishes regarded would
find these wishes set aside under this great contest for
He nteceded in their that sister State about TO
be received into the family, they might be allowed to
enjoy the boundaries of their choice.
Mr.. A " BROWN observed that various plans had been
before the Committee Territories The question OF boun-
Diary had been Investigated with much and on compar-
ing the different projects the committee had concluded best
to adhere those boundaries which had been asked for by the
people of Iowa themselves The actual inhabitants OF the ter
rory were certainly best acquainted with the situation Of the
country and might be supposed to understand its wants. IN
tere and prospects better than any body else The amend
of the gentleman from Ohio r DUNcAS proposed that
these people should get State much less in extent than they
had applied for The committee however, had not proposed
give them much territory embraced within the
bounds of Missouri Virginia but much would make
Iowa about equal in size Michigan Against this arrange
ment he could see no Just cause OF complaint
Mr.. DUNCAN observed that he had but little to say IL
had been urged by the Delegate from Iowa. and now
peaed by the Chairman of the Committee on Territories, that
should the bounds assigned Iowa by that committee be
adopted the State would still be large Virginia If
regard had merely the number Of square miles, that
might be but it should be remembered that Iowa was far
more level and fertile and should the committee plan pre-
VAIL she would possess FERTILE arabic land adapted all
purposes ofagcue than be found in four such States
Virginia The gentleman seemed to have forgotten how
large portion of Virginia covered with mountains, and
Of poor and barren SOIL The State, as marked out
by the committee would be larger than Ohio by some thou
sands Of miles Almost every part OF it abounded with water
privileges equal to those possessed by State the Union
Her boundaries, proposed in this amendment would be
those pointed out by the hand of Nature herself
Mr. D. disclaimed any object of political character in
proposing the plan suggested by him. This amendment did
look the interests Of abolition the interests OF slave
ry, any thing of the kind What he sought was to
have beyond the limits of Iowa sufficient territory to con-
stue conveniently and advanageousy two new States here
after This plan would give to these two new States the
benefit of having the Missouri boundary, while Iowa en-
joyed that of the Mississippi.
Mr. VINTON said that he was very glad his colleague
(M DUScAS) had brought forward this amendment the
plan he had proposed conceded precisely with Mr. VS. own
views. In the first place. it avoided what should be avoided
possible, the involving of this in the controversy
between Missouri and Iowa and left the rights Of Missouri
they existed be settled hereafter by the competent
tribunal in deliberate manner, and with all the facts before
lit To the settlement of such question that House was in
competent.
But this view Of the subject of very subordinate
quence in comparison with another view of it which Mr. "
proposed take and which he would here present to the
ca consideration of all Western gentlemen He desired If
possible obtain their for he felt very that the great
body Of Western gentlemen in that House not aware Of
the in which, by successive acts Of legislation they
had been and likely still further to be deprived OF their
due share of in the other branch OF the Legislature
The power had been wresed from their hands, while they had
been yet in the weakness Of their infancy and were without
representations empowered to vote in their cause.
Mr. v. then went into general review of the legislation
Of Congress the subject Of admitting States, tracing
down from the deeds Of cesson to the present times insisting
that the promise the West the time of the ceson
had been fulfilled and thus instead Of the erection OF four
fifteen States of the Northwest Territory, each
from one hundred hundred and fifty miles square, Con-
gross had restricted the number to five and though the num-
Der of Representatives propooned to the large size OF
these States yet in the Senate the West lost the strength she
cy in all the admissions SINCE the of Florida, as
proposed which be divided into two States and
thus have four Senator'S He compared the number OF West
and of Atlantic States, and complained that, while the
Of population in the West the balance OF power
was east Of the mountains He spoke Of the West middle
power attached both North and South and conservative OF
the Union.
Mr. BEISER followed, in part approving OF the grounds
taken BY Mr. VISroS but dissenting from him as to any pur-
pose Congress retain the balance Of on the sea-
board He admitted and joiced in the truth that the
bound by of interest," well fecng TO both sec
tons Of the Atlantic States, and stood principle Of union
and moderator between them He anticipated objections to
the admission Of Florida which he replied to in advance
The question recurring the amendment moved by Mr.
DuScAS inserted above and which restricts the new State
of Iowa within smaller limits than those proposed by the COM
mttce)-
Mr.. DODGE, Of Iowa, asked Mr.. DUNCAN to accept Of
an amendment Of his which he wished to substi
tute but Mr. DUNCAN declined.
After some conversation, in which Mr.. A. V. BROWN
and Mr. BRINKERHOFF took part
The amendment of Mr. DUNCAN was agreed to Ayes 81,
noes SO.
Mr.. DUNCAN now, having examined more fully the
amendment moved by Mr. DoDeE, expressed his willingness
to accept il, but the Chair ruled il out Of order
Mr.. DUNCAN then said he would endcavor to effect the
alteration in the House
II was s,,ggesed by several gentlemen that upon hearing
the substitute read there would be objection TO and that
il could be made by unanimous consent.
The substitute was read, and is as follows:
Bounded by the Mississippi tho east by parallel of
latitude passing through the mouth Of the Mankats or Blue
Earth tho north by meridian line running equis
and eighteenth degrees of longitude
west from Washington on the west and by the northern boun
Diary Of Missouri on the SOUTH
After conversation what would bc the
Of the State with these boundaries which, answered.
would be between forty and rty-two thousand square miles
the substitute adopted by unanimous consent.
FLORIDA.
m