MUSCATINE COUNTY, IOWA

Page 93

    France first claimed the territory now embraced in the State of Iowa, in 1763 it was ceded to Spain. October 1, 1800, re-ceded to France. April 30, 1803, ceded with other territory to the United States. October 31, 1803, a temporary government was authorized by Congress for this new territory. October 1, 1804, it was included in the district of Louisiana, and placed under the jurisdiction of the territorial government of Indiana. July 4, 1805, it was incorporated with the Territory of Louisiana, which then had a territorial government. June 4, 1812, it was embraced in the territory of Missouri. June 28, 1834, it became part of the territory of Michigan. July 3, 1836, it was incorporated with the territory of Wisconsin. July 12, 1838, it was included in and constituted a part of the new Territory of Iowa. December 28, 1846, admitted into the Union as a State.

    The meaning of the word “Iowa” is in doubt. One legend runs that an Indian tribe, journeying westward, came to the Mississippi River, and as they saw the broad green prairies on the opposite shore, they exclaimed, “Iowa,” meaning the “beautiful land.”

    Another legend says, that a band of red men, hard pressed by the encroachments of the whites, debarked from their birchen canoes on the western bank of the great River, their chief exclaiming as he did so, “Iowa,” meaning “Here we rest.” The first of these legends seems to be the most generally accepted, and the weight of acceptance is in its favor. Its fitness will cause it to outlast any other definition of the word that has been or may be given.

    The immense resources and natural attractions of the western country, the vast increase of wealth, population, and influence in the new states, have long been and are, particularly at the present time, topics of great interest throughout the whole republic, and have long been interesting, not only to our citizens, but the inhabitants of foreign countries. Such are the admirable facilities of the West for trade, such the variety and fertility of the soil, the number and excellence of its natural products, the genial nature of its climate, and the rapidity with which its population is increasing, that it has become an object of the deepest interest to every American heart. To this country the speculator has been attracted by the increasing value of property. The politician anticipates the time when, through the ballot box, the West shall rule, the young and enterprising, turning from the eager competition of industry and talent in the older States, see here a less occupied field for action.

    A single glance at the map of the United States will show that the direction of our government will shortly be in the hands of the people of the West. The thirteen old States have an area of about 390,000 square miles, while only eight of the new ones have about the same, and the whole region stretching westward to the Pacific Ocean contains not less than 1,7000,000 square miles of territory.