The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-07-10
Uhe Gribnnf.
Acquisition OfTerrifory by the Unit
ed States.

From the late census we CLEAN some
interesting facts concerning the acquisi'
ton of territory by the United States.
Prior to 1871 only six of the original
thirteen States had well-defned bound
aries. These were New Hampshire.
Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and Delaware. The remain
ing seven had claims. some extending 10
the Mississippi river, others as far West
as the Pacific ocean. The states with
unsettled boundaries ceded their claims
to land west of their present limits as
follows: New-York, March L, 1881 Vir-
GINA, March, 1884 Massachusetts, April
II, 1885; Connecticut. September ID.
1Ts6, and May 80. 1900 South Carroll
ma, February 25. 1890; Georgia. June
16. 1902; Texas, November 25, 1850.
By the treaty with Great Britain, Sep
TENDER 8. 1888, The territory Of the Unit
ed States was declared to extend from the
Atlantic ocean westward to the Missis-
sippi river, and from line along the
great lakes on the north southwark to
the thirty-frst parallel and southern bor-
der of Georgia. France ceded by the
treaty of April 80, 1903, the "Povince
of Louisiana" This province is now
covered by portions of Alabama and
Mississippi +: by the States of Louisiana.
Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska,
Oregon, Minnesota west of the Missis
sippi river, and the larger portion of
Kansas. 1t also covers the Territories
of Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washing
ton, and that known as the Indian coun-
try; and By portion of the Territory of
Colorado lying east of the Rocky Noun
tains and north of the Arkansas river,
and all of the Territory of Wyoming
north of the AID parallel, and that por-
ton south Of it east of the Rocky Noun
tains. When it is stated that this prov
inee covered an area of over ! 100000
square miles, the value of this acquisi
ton from France may be partially esti-
mated On the 22d of February, 1919,
Spain released her claim on the disputed
portion of the province of Louisiana, and
formally ceded to the United States the
territory now covered by the State of
Florida, and portions Of Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, and Louisiana.
In IF
was admitted into the Union December
90, lS45, February I'd. 1s4S, Mexico &C.
ded the territory now covered by the
States of California and Nevada also,
her claims to the territory covered by tho
present State of Texas, by the Terrific.
ries of Utah, Arizona. and New Mexico !;
by portions of Wyoming and Colorado,
and by the organized territory west of the
Indian country. except that part of the
Territory Of Arizona and of New Mexico
lying south Of the river ella and west Of
the old boundary of New Mexico, which
lands were ceded by Mexico December
80, 1858, and are known as the Gadsen
Purchase.
By treaty with Russia. March 80, 1857,
aud transfer Of title juno 20, 1867, the
United States came into possession of its
latest acquisition, the Territory of Alas
ka, comprising in extent SIT, 800 square
miles. This Territory extends our ma
tional domain northward to the Arctic
ocean. The western part of the British
possessions. lying between the parallels
of 500 40> and 490 of north latitude. sep
arates it from the main territory of the
United States.
There are many other facts connected
with the formation of the States and
Territories, found in the first volume of
the Census report of 1870, which we
shall notice at some future time.-Re-
public.