Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1854-12-14

,s0csut. such other ovisons Sboald Re made as Will
IaeuD eeonony and GOD il tho administrators
II i necessary that should again call yoar attcn
liOa - The improvement Of tho Des Moines river,
stacfes that have been presented from time to tme
has made but slow progress towards completion. At
the last session Of the General Assembly after
vesgaton Of the mpros ement, acts were passed pro-
vding for the election Of Commissioner and Regis
ter BY the qualified electors of the State the first
Monday in April, 1853, and at the same time appon
INK George G. Wright Of Van Buren, county, and
Uriah Bige Of Wappelo county as assistant Commits
sioners investing them with full power and authority
to sel and dispose Of Ill the lands, tolls and water
routes g they might deem most expepedient for the
vigorous persecution and carly completion Of the
work.
Under these provisions Of Law contract has been
made with Mr.. Henry O'Riey ard others for the COM
Pletion ct sas Improvements portion Of the old
debt has been paid, and the work is said to be pro-
gres;ing. In the report of the Commissioner and
Register which will be laid before you will undoubt
edy be found the contract and all the information
which may be necessary for full understanding of
the business intrusted the charge OF those officers
Who it is believed with the assistant Commissioner
have done every thing in theft power to carry out the
provisions and instructions Of the laws under which
they have acted.
In connection with this improvement your atten-
been presented by Hon. Reverdy johnson and Chan
cellor Walworth Of New York in obtaining reversal
Of the decision of the Secretary of the Interior, Inn
itng the grant of land for that improvement to the
Raccoon Fork of the Des Moines river. These gen.
temen have acted in gsDd faith, and rendered most
important service to the State it il therefore appro
pirate that theo claims should be allowed, inasmuch
as Bangs Brother, the contractors who were liable
at the tme have failed to pay them, and the State
has received the benefit of their efforts The cores
of Walvvnrth ,hrntt
ted, and that Of Mr. johnson will be found among the
proceedings of the last General Assembly.
Since the formation Of our State Government. up to
the present time, recommendations have been made to
the General Assembly to enact such laws as would
IMPLY with the Constitute Of this State. and the
laws Of the United States to the organization of the
militia, and to which subject would again invite
your special attention.
The Object Of tie law Of Congress in requiring the
of the military force of each State and
the appropriate N of to be distributed to them
from year to year. for the purpose Of enabling them
to defend themselves in cases of emergency, and al
thel same time to be servicabe to the National Gov
eminent in the defence of their country should thei
services be needed.
| It should be remembered that Iowa is a frontie,
State; portions Of northern and western bounda
ries sub ect to the incursoDs of Indans who
but recently disposed of their right to the SOIL who
turn for the purpose Of hunting, and not unfrequent
~ commit depredations upon the white inhabitants
I GtHteS UT any elective mIIll8Ty
force be obtained to repe them. 1t is therefore
prudent and necessary that we should have such
military organization as will enable US IN case Of
emergency TO defend ourselves and protect citi
| Gems.
In July last, received information from the coun
Cerro Gorda, Floyd, Bremen Chickasaw, Frank
lin and others, that large body of Indians wei
armed, and equipped had made demonstrations o.
hoslities by fortfying themselves in various places
killing stock and plundering houses, and that many
knh had otovf hop,o
and left large portion of their property at the
10y oil of the enemy; praying that military fore,
might oe sent to protect them and their settlements
upon the reception of this information order wa
Immediately issued to Gen. John g. Shields, directing
MIN TO call out the city guards Of Dubuque and such
other force might he necessary not exceeding two
| companies, to remove the Indians from the State
This order was promptly obeyed, and the company
were ready for service, when information receiv
ed that the Indians had dspersed-that the citizens
had returned to their homes, and quiet had been re
stored. It therefore becomes unnecessary for any
further proceedings.
1 Authority was also given to Major Williams, O
Fort Dodge, in the State, to raise volunteer compa
nv should it Se nece sary to remove any indians win
shou,d be found disturbing any Of the inhabitants o
the county or franklin adjo nug counties. On tn
first day of September sst he reported that he has
not found il necessary to raise ay military force,
there did not then exist any cause for aas, OF dan
ger to tho settlers.
the ordnance Office at Washington stating that Their
was due to this State to the value Of two hun
drtd and thirty muskets with the desire that tn
kind and descriptio should be designated. This re
quest was complied WITH ond the arms have been re
ceived and distributed to organize military compane
ct Dubuque, Davenport, and Keokuk with the excep
ton Of brass six pound gun which remains to b
drawn at the United State Arsenal in st. Louis Mo
My attention has been called to the proceedings o
. convention held in this city, the twenty -eightl
day of October last by the old soldiers of the war
1872, for the purpose Of asking relief frem Congress
for their service in that 1t may be truly said
these soldiers that old ago is now upon them--tha
they will soon be called upon to fight their last batt
/ with an enemy who is ever victorious. Many O
them are in INDECENT circumstances, and unable t
support themselves. Their gallant defence Of thei
country, in war second only to the American rcvo
lution should enttle them MT only to the sympath,
of Congress, but to the whole American people.
would therefore respectfully Recommend that 20,
pass memorial to Congress, setting forth the jus
tice Of their claim, and urging without regard t,
their term OF service, that each be allowed quartz
section each of land, and pension for the few re
i naming years allotted them to live.
At the last session of the General Assembly a rec
ommendation was made, that such laws be passed a.
would authorize the appointment of q Commissions
or emigration to reside in the city of New York
whose duties it should be, to give immigrants tn
necessary information as to soil, climate, and tn
branches Of business to be pursued with advantage
this State, to protect far possible such pers
against the impositions frequently practiced upol
then.
! This Recommendation, however was not carried on
and again feel constrained to call your attention
the subject with the hops that one or more IF suc
agencies may be established which In my judgmen
If properly conducted would be highly beneficial t
the State, and to those who might FEEL disposed to be
come citizens among us.
One of the objections which has been u,ge1 agains
the establishment Of such agencies that emigration
Of foreigners to this country ought not to be enooI
aged protected-even secret political association
have been formed for disconraging emigration among
nto prohibit g far as may be in their powera nat
profit under our government, and &C the same tim,
prescribing others for their religious views and opin
| ions.