Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-06-19
IOva---ihc New States---ihc influence
OF the West on the American Union.

At the recent April election, the people of the
thriving territory of Iowa have rejected their Consti-
tuition, because Congress has reduced the limits of
their new State. They desire an immense area Of
g $500 square miles, but Congress assigned assigned
4,UO square miles as its extent. The majority
against the constitution is considered equivalent to a
rejection Of the boundaries.
We may truly add that we regret this decision.
After an able aud patriotic di scussion, it was decided
by a majority Of nearly 100 in the House Of Repre-
s~enistives, that the States hereafter formed in the
WeGern domain should be of more reasonable size
than heretofore. This was done in order to give the
West more power in the United States Senate. 1t
was lmpresSively urged that it could neither be good
policy nor wisdom to form single States as large as
all New England, and which would have only tro
Senator'S, while New England had tlrelre Senators.
Such a glaring inequality In the distribution of future
power would be calculated to sow the seeds of bitter
ness and jealousies-the more dangerous because
when once planted, they are ineradicable.
A State of ~forty-four thousand square miles is larg-
er than Indiana and as large as Pennsylvania or
Ohio-and from the soil and position of Iovs, it is
likely to be as distinguished for wealth and ~popula-
ton as either of those great States.
Congress in limiting the boundaries of Iowa on the
Mississippi river - the mouth of Blue Earth River
instead Of extending it up to the st. Peters, as the
constitution of Iowa originally provided, was ruled
by the strong desire of leaving room for .trO States
north of Iowa, of convenient size end of flat variety
VI ~ anu EtOuQClAAlSC 81 HCCGSS% ~ Ill ALuEVtn-
dent member of the confederacy.
Should the next Congress conccde the $4,000 square
miles to Iowa, but one State can be formed on the
Mississippi above. Mr.. Dodge, the member from
Iowa, in an address to his constituents, well stated
that though he opposed the curtailment Of the limits
of Iowa, yet the current of sentiment in Congress
was SO strong in favor of Western States of reasona.
bic size, that he was deeply convinced should the pre-
sent boundaries be rejected; Iowa would Lot get
another acre from Congress. He also remarked that
since the annexation of Texas, the desire to make
more free States in the Great West was too con-
trolling to be resisted. That determination superadd-
ed to the feeling that this policy was Justly due to tho
West will probably give a permanent direction to the
future action of Congress on the admission of new
States into the Union.
The conviction too, is fortunately gaining GROUND
that the West is the great preservative power Of oui
Union. From ats vast extent and the centrality Of
It's position, 1t viii be the heart of our body polite
Its interests are so intimately blended with both thu
North and the South that the Union is more essentia
TO It's prosperity than to any other section Of our coun
try. Its giant arms stretching thousands of miles il
the one direction by mighty rivers, draw it close t.
the heart of the South, while by the bonds of canals
and railways it is indssoiubly united with the com
mercial and manufacturing interests OF the North. 1t
interests will irresistibly compel it to hold fast botl
the North and the South should they attempt to un
fasten, from their mornings and break loose from on
confederacy. This is the power ard the influence tn
uuS g" ~ i"utVt "oulu SuiNe 10 iHCledSt.
Time has shown and ii will more clearly show
that the policy of the West must be national. 1t i
the body of our country. While the North and tn
South have too freely banded the word-disunion-
who ever heard that word lisped with favor at tn
West! Its heart is true to the Union as the needl
TO the Pole. On our extreme frontiers, enter the cab
in of the hardy settler, and it will be found that hi
heart glows with an indomitable and imperishabl
love for the Union. The farther he seems TO hav
spread from the Atlantic, the more intense seem hi
ties for his country to have strengthened.
The memorable words of the Patriot of the Hermi
mitage, ''The Union-it must be preserved" must b
the embodiment of the policy of the West. The da,
is coming when it will be the controlling power il
cur government. We hail its dawning, for we fee
assured that the interests of our wide-spreading con
federacy can repose safely in its arms, and it vii
then be without a fear that our countrymen can ex
claim, Liberty and Union, now and forever, one ant
) inseparable. "-ADdau Argus.