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tions on the Territory of Iowa, which its present political condition may, 

 it is believed, justify. 



At the conclusion of the hostihties between the United States and the 

 Sac and Fox Indians, in 1832, they were required to surrender a strip of 

 country along- the right or western bank of the Mississippi, extending 

 from the northern boundary of Missouri on the south, to what are called 

 the neutral <!:rounds to the north ; averaging about 180 miles in length by 

 50 in breadth, and containing about 9,000 square miles. Major General 

 Winfield Scott was the principal agent of the United States in acquiring 

 this portion of the Indian lands, and hence it was often called " Scott's 

 purchase ;" as also the " Black Hawk purchase," after the name of the In- 

 dian leader during the outbreak alluded to. But, in 1836, my friend Al- 

 bert M. Lea, esq., then a lieutenant of dragoons, published a map and de- 

 scription of the country, which he called the " Iowa district'' — a name both 

 euphonious and appropriate, being derived from the Iowa river, the extent, 

 beauty, and importance of which were then first made known to the public. 



A few flimilies settled upon spots within this district immediately after 

 the purchase ; but they were ordered off by the United States troops, as 

 the time that the Indians were allowed to remain did not expire until the 

 1st of June, 1833. After this, the population went on steadily and rapidly 

 increasing. In 1834, Congress passed an act attaching this district to the 

 then Territory of Michigan, for judicial purposes ; but other relations be- 

 ing established between this last mentioned Territory and the general gov- 

 ernment, it was not until the 4th of July, 1838, that the Territory of Iowa 

 was organized, with a population of 30,000 souls. It may be well to re- 

 mark, that additional tracts of land having been subsequently purchased 

 from the Indians in 1836 and 1837, tlie district was increased, so as to 

 cover an area of 11,000 square miles. 



The whole amount of the territory then, including what was separated 

 from it on July 4th, 1836, for political purposes, to organize the Territory 

 of Wisconsin, had its limits from the Mississippi on the east, to the Missouri 

 on the south and west, extending to the British possessions in latitude 49*: 

 north. 



These limits are surely very extensive ; but, as the question of the proper 

 limits of this prospective State, destined soon to take its place in the 

 Union, is important in its relations to other States yet to arise, and there 

 being but few persons acquainted with the interior of the broad region em- 

 braced by the map, it may not be inappropriate to suggest, in conclusion of 

 a short account of this region, some views as to the most eligible limits to 

 be given to these several States. 



In a few years more, the fertile country along the borders of the present 

 settlements will have been occupied by civilized men, cultivators of the soil. 

 It will then be divided into new States ; but, as it is known that a broad 

 belt of uninhabitable fiat country lies between the borders just mentioned 

 and the Rocky mountains, it becomes a difficult and yet necessary problem 

 to divide this portion into the most convenient forms, variously to accom- 

 modate the States that will gradually arise. 



But I may remark, in the first place, that two States may be formed west 

 of the trans-Mississippian States of Arkansas and Missouri ; and then, 

 by taking about equal portions of each side of the Missouri river, era- 

 bracing thu mouth of Platte river, we have a third State, with a good and 

 well watered soil. This latter division would still leave sufficient space 



