Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1846-05-02

these early exploits, and in which Their,
are many persons now residing who par
ticipated in them. iii - I
A more recent example Is afforded Us il
the settlement Of sBoon'es Lick" the fin
est, falrest, and most fertile part Of the mag.
nificent State Of Missouri. The Boones
the Coopers, and many other enterprisine
individuals, advancing beyond the few
French and Spanish settlements that ther
dotted the western shore Of the Missis.
sippi, soughtthe district Of country Of which
! am speaking and occupied il contrary L
the wishes and authority Of this Govern.
ment, and defended themselves. but moi
without the loss Of many valuable lives
against numerous attacks Of powerful and
hostile tribes Of Indians BY whom they
were surrounded. IN. #...5
Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa
were also settled under like circumstances.
! may say Of my nearest relative, as wa.
said Of Governor Sewer, he, too, was pro-
nounced an outlaw by the officers of the
Government. The FIRST official documents
| ever remember to have heard read, were
read at my fathers log cabin, BY the off,
GERS and agents Of the United States, to
himself and neighbors, who had assembled
to hear them. They were mandates, COM
handing US in the name and BY the author
ity Of "Uncle SAM" not exactly to dis
perse, but to withdraw from the country
in which we had then settled, under the
general pains and penalties Of the law in
such case made and provided; but more
particularly Of expulsion at the point Of the
bayonet. But, sir, we did not 20. We
treated the officers with every civility in
our power, and informed them that any
other order they might issue, than one to
abandon the premises upon which we had
settled, should BE- promptly obeyed. Ow-
ing to our interior position, and the rigors
Of the climate, at the time Of which / now
speak, these settlers were not marched
upon by the regular soldiers, but maintains
ed their position. Many Of them now own
the land upon which they were then squat
tiers, and the country is densely populat-
ed-the inhabitants having defended It,
through two Indian wars, are now indus
trionsly engaged in developing its resource
es both agricultural and mineral.
Not SO fortunate, however, were nv
immediate constituents who settled Iowa
six years afterwards. These hardy and
adventurous men from the east side Of the
Mississippi, who had lost the entire spring
and summer in defending themselves, their
wives and their children, from the incur.
sions of Black Hawk and his followers,
and who had led the van in every encoun-
ter with those Indians, sought to explore
the rich mines and settle the valuable lands
Of lows. The power and arms Of their
Government were Immediately directed
against them; and have now in my eye
gallant and esteemed friend and talented
from the State Of Missis-
sippi, [JErrERsos DAVIS, who was then
an officer in the army, and at the head Of
a military force, expelled some three hum
dred Of my constituents from the spot where
now stands the city Of Dubuque, with
population Of nearly three thousand inhab-
ilants 1t was to my friend the perform
ance Of an unwelcome duty, kindly and
executed by him, for his sym
pathies are all with the frontier people, and
l calculate most certainly upon his vote
and influence TO grant pre-emption rights
to those whom he was thus constrained to
drive from their homes, and Of which they
have never yet had an opportunity to be-
come the purchasers. Mr.. DAVIS nod
ded assent.
The first settlers Of Burlington (now one
of the largest towns north Of St. LOUIS
were driven off and their houses thrown
down and burnt by officers Of the Govern
ment, although the country had then been
purchased, but the treaty not yet ratified:
thus showing that the people must forever
await the tardy action Of Congress. SINH
lar scenes Of opposition and persecution at
tended the settlement Of the |" Lovely Pur-
chase " in Arkansas, the "Platte Purchase
in Missouri, and, more recently, the Des
Moines settlements in Iowa. And 50 it
has ever been, that those holding authority,
whether royal, imperial, and. l am sorry 10
add, or republican, all seem 10 have taken
upon themselves the exclusive privilege Of
thinking for the people Of checking the
progress Of population in one direction,
and fixing boundaries to it in another
This disposition Of Government has check
ed emigration; but, thank God, despite all
opposition, it has rolled steadily onward
until it has reached the Pacific and the Rio
del Norte, and Legislation being unable to
stop the career Of the people, has slowly
and reluctantly followed in their footsteps.
I SIR, as ! before said, the Oregon emigrants
are but acting precisely upon the same prin-
ciple which has directed the progress of
population from the time that our ancestors
first landed in Massachusetts and Virginia,
down to the date Of the latest settlement
on this side Of the Rocky mountains; and
if they be guilty, who are Innocent Sir,
the American pioneer is impelled onward
by the strongest motives to human action
the consideration Of lettering his conditions;
and still more, that Of beneiiting his chill
drsn. And what, | ask, has been the re-
suit Of this process Of 'expatriation"--this
swapping recklessly the ties Of blood and
kindred and social connexions?" II has
brought into the Union fifteen new States,
with two more soon 10 follow, in space Of
time covering but fifty-three years; and il
has increased the population from three to
twenty five millions. What more, sir, has
II done? II has reclaimed an almost bound.