The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-05
REMARKS OF MR.. DODGE,
OF IOWA.

In the House Of Representatives, Monday, June 8,
l646-On the bill to define the boundaries Of the
State OF Iowa.
MIR. ROCKWELL, Of Massachusetts,, and Mr..
RArHBUN, Of New York, having addressed the
House IN opposition to the bill ...
Mr.. DODGE rose and said
| deeply regret, Mr.. Chairman, that the gentle
man from New York Mr.. RArHBuSl should have
made the speech which he has deemed il proper to
make in opposition to this bill. He has again ap-
peaed to those sectional prejudices and passions
which were successfully invoked at the last ses-
sion OF Congress TO effect reduction in the bound
ares OF the proposed State OF Iowa II was not
then avowed that the prunng-knife was to be APP
Piled TO Iowa, because of the annexation Of Texas;
but, SIR, that ayowal was not necessary; and if
%s yfbpg Re- sssq d SHdy snS 9RH
remember well, sir, that during the time this
House was excited and convulsed by the discus
sion Of that great question, a gentleman from In
diana, not now member Of this House, [Mr.
Sampled wandered from the question under de-
bate to drag in the boundaries of Iowa, and that,
too, before the House had ever been asked TO con-
slider them. --.
The area which we asked for our State was mis-
represented Ii was said that our boundary inclu-
ded more than eighty thousand square miles, and
no calculations emanatng from the Typographical
Department or the Commissioner of the General
Land Office, however accurate thew were could
convince gentlemen from a certain section Of the
Union that our constitutional limits SO called gave
US but little upwards of ffty-seven thousand
square mlles-a State less, in point of territory
than some four or FIVE other States the Union :
] thought then, sir, and now think that our con.
vention and people were reasonable in their de-
mands. We all regarded ourselves safe, so long as
we kept our limits far within those which had been
assigned to the State of Missouri our immediate
neighbor on the south. Every governor of Iowa
who had written upon the subject of the bound
aries for our future State, and every legislature
which had memoriazed Congress 10 define those
boundaries, had asked for the great rivers Missis-
sipp and Missouri on our east and west and the
St, Peters on the north, as the proper boundaries
for our State. The people of the Territory had for
years associated these boundaries with all their ideas
of State government; and when at the last session,
they found that Congress, instead of granting these
had given them mere arbitrary and artificial lines,
cutting them of from those great rivers they rose
up almost as one man, and by an overwhelming vote
rejected the constitution, because these lines had
been inserted in it. Had the question of boundary
been separated from that of the constitution as the
gentleman from New York had suggested, the con-
gressional boundaries, as they were called, would
not have received five hundred votes-nay, doubt
whether one hundred--n the whole Territory The
constitution was eminently and deservedly popular
and would have been adopted by an overwhelming
majority of the people, but for the action of Con-
gress upon it. .... o. 1850. .H. .".: ~. -
sentiments of the people Of Iowa upon this subject
1t is but lately sir, that have undergone the popu-
lar ordeal upon this question; and tell you in all
candor and sincerity, that would not be in this hall
to-day, if had not made them the most solemn as
surances that all my energies and whatever jnhu-
ence possessed, would be exerted to procure for
them the hfty-seven thousand square miles included
within the limits designated in their original cons.
tuition. IL was IN conformity with pledges that |
had given them personally, with Instructions which
knew had received from them at the ballot-box
that introduced, at an early day of the present SEES
sion, the bin imbodying the boundaries of their
choice. The bill was referred to the Committee on
Territories, and its members now present will bear
me witness, when say, that repeatedly appeared
before them, and spoke and plead in behalf OF those
boundaries; but could not succeed in getting them
The committee, looking TO the formation of other
States, would curail US on the north They struck
out the st, Peter river and inserted the parallel of
43o 3V as our northern boundary, which gives us
but fifty thousand nine hundred and fifteen square
miles. Admitting this to be the size OF the State,
(and do not doubt but the computation of the Com
missioner Of the General Land Office, which fixes il
at that number Of square miles, is correctly how
would Iowa then compare with other States Of the
Union9 Virginia has 81 900; Georgia. SO 900; Mich
igan has 10000; Illinois, SIS, 900; Alabama $4,000;
Florida some So 900 or 81 O00 and Missouri 81, AIS,
being 1000 square miles more than was now ask
ed for Iowa. .. Eh',f "...
Mr.. Chairman, | sincerely hope that this illibersl
appeal which has been made by the gentleman from
New York, to excite sectional preiudices and to re-
vye local anmosties, will fail Of its intended effect,
and that the bill now under consideration will be-
come law, Should il do so, there will then be an
end 10 this exciting and vexed question. had not
the most distant dea ten days ago, that would be
to-day advocating this bill. | then expected, upon
this occasion, TO be found endeavorng TO persuade
Congress to give us the boundaries for which we
had fret asked. 1t was about that time, sir, that
received from the very worthy and respectable gen
tlemsn who presided over the convention which, on
the 18th Of the past month"; adopted the second con-
sttutibn for the State Of Iowa, the letter which
now read to the House. l read IL for the purpose
Of showing members the feeling and determination
with which the people Of Iowa, up to that time, adj