IOWA.

This State is bounded north by Minnesota, south by Missouri, east by Wisconsin and Illinois, and west by Nebraska and Dakota. It contains 55,045 square miles, or 35,228,800 acres.

The governor, lieutenant-governor, and superintendent of public instruction are chosen by the people for two years, the election taking place every odd year. The secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and registrar of the land-office, are also chosen for two years, and are elected in every even year. The senate shall not consist of more than fifty members, and are chosen for four years, one-half being chosen every two years. The house of representatives shall not consist of more than one hundred members, who are chosen for two years; and the sessions of the legislature are biennial. The number of senators cannot be less than one-third nor more than one-half that of the representatives. The judges are elected by the people; those of the Supreme Court for six years, and those of the Circuit Court for four years. The constitution provides that State debts shall not be contracted except to repel invasion or to suppress insurrection: but money may be borrowed to supply defects in the revenue; not, however, more than $250,000 at any one time. Suspension of specie payment shall never be permitted. The legislature cannot grant divorces nor permit lotteries; and no lease of agricultural lands shall be for more than twenty years.

Iowa was a part of the Louisiana purchase already describeL. The first settlement within its limits was made at the close of the last century by Canadian Frenchmen. In 1838 Iowa was organized as a separate territory, and in 1846 was admitted into the Union as a State.

The climate and soil of Iowa are, on the whole, favorable to agricultural operations, although its winters are made severe by the northern winds which sweep over its level prairies. Its coalfields are very large and productive, and of great value. It has also large deposits of lead, and iron ore of the best quality is found in many places. This State is classed among the most healthy countries of the world, which is owing in great part to its excellent natural drainage.

CALIFORNIA.

This State is bounded north by Oregon, south by Mexico, east by Utah and New Mexico, and west by the Pacific Ocean. It contains 188,986 square miles, or 120,947,840 acres.

The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, comptroller, treasurer, attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction, and surveyor-general, are chosen by the people for four years. The senators, who are forty in number, are chosen for four years, one-half being chosen every second year. After the State numbers one hundred thousand inhabitants, the number of representatives shall never be less than thirty, nor more than eighty, and they are elected for two years. The judges of the Supreme Court are elected by the people for ten years, and the district judges for six years, and the County Court judges for four years. The supreme judges are chosen by the people of the whole State; the district judges and the county judges by the people of their respective districts and counties. By the constitution, no public debt can be created exceeding at any time the sum of three hundred thousand dollars. The legislature cannot grant divorces nor permit lotteries. The circulation of paper money of any kind is prohibited.

The history of this State is most remarkable. It was discovered in 1534 by a Spanish explorer, and settlements were made in 1683 by Jesuit missionaries. This was in Old California, so called, or Lower California, as now called. The first mission in Upper California was founded almost a century later; and the government of the country, temporal as well as spiritual, was given to monks of the order of St. Francis, who gave their name to the bay of San Francisco, discovered in 1770, and a few years after established a mission there. The territory was then considered a part of Mexico; and when the independence of Mexico was established in 1822, the monks of St. Francis were deprived of their power and their possessions. In 1846 war was declared between Mexico and the United States; but the immigration from the latter into California had already been great, and the American settlers declared the independence of the country. Soon afterwards United States officers arrived there by sea, took possession of the country as a territory of the United States, and after some conflicts succeeded in establishing their power. In the treaty of peace between Mexico and the United States in 1847, California, with some other territory, was ceded to the United States for fifteen millions of dollars. Early in 1848 gold was discovered; and it is most remarkable, considering the abundance of the metal, the numerous settlements in the State, the large number of inhabitants, and the length of time which had elapsed since it was first peopled, that this discovery had been delayed so long.

Similar ignorance or mistake existed in regard to what are now known to be the remarkable agricultural facilities and resources of the State. Alike by its mineral treasures and by the results of its agriculture, this State is already rich and prosperous, and promises

to stand high among the richest countries of the world. Its gold region extends over an estimated area of 15,000 square miles, or about a tenth of its whole surface. It is useless to attempt enumerating its agricultural productions. It may rather be said that every thing of value which is grown elsewhere is raised there, excepting only the spices and some other products of the tropics. Already its wheat is largely exported, and its production of wine is very great, and rapidly increasing. The city of San Francisco, is situated on a bay which affords not only one of the best harbors in the world, but the only good harbor on that coast till you reach the British dominions. Its commerce is very great, not only with the other United States and with Europe, but with Japan, China, the East Indies, and Australia. It is subject to earthquakes, none of which as yet have done much damage. It is possible they may have checked its growth somewhat, and may do so in time to come; but they must be far more destructive than they have ever been to prevent that city from becoming one of the greatest commercial ports in the world.

WISCONSIN.

Wisconsin is bounded north by the British possessions, south by Illinois, east by Michigan, and west by Iowa and Minnesota. It contains 53,924 square miles, or 34,511,360 acres.

The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, treasurer, and attorney-general, are chosen by the people for two years. The number of members of the house of representatives shall never be less than fifty-four, nor more than one hundred. The senate shall not be more than one-third, nor less than one-fourth of the number of the representatives. The representatives are elected annually, and the senators hold office two years. The judges are elected by the people, for a term of six years.

The territory of which this State is composed was first settled at Green Bay, two hundred years ago, by the French; and the country remained in the possession of France until surrendered to Great Britain in 1763. In 1796 the Americans obtained possession of it, and extended the Ordinance for the government of the North-west Territory over the whole region. Although so long known, and in some places settled, the population of the State may be said to have begun when, in 1827, discoveries of large deposits of lead within it attracted the attention of immigrants.

In 1836 it was organized as a territory, and admitted into the Union in 1848. Very few of the States have so rapidly increased in population as this. In the ten years following 1840 it was multi

plied nearly tenfold, and in the following ten years much more than doubled. For some reason, the immigrants from Norway and Germany, especially the former, have gone to this State, not exclusively certainly, but in very large proportion.

The State is a vast rolling prairie, with no mountains, and few hills of any magnitude. It is eminently agricultural, the surplus wheat exported bringing into the State heavy returns. Other staple crops are grown, especially hops, and yield abundantly. A very large lumbering business is carried on in the northern and western counties, where there are large pineries which cannot be exhausted for many years. The mineral deposits are various, extensive, and valuable. The region where lead is found covers more than two thousand miles in this State. There are large deposits of iron of great excellence, and some copper deposits. The manufacturing industry of the State is now large, and is growing rapidly.

MINNESOTA.

This State is bounded north by British America, east by Lake Superior and Wisconsin, west by Dakota, and south by Iowa. It contains 83,531 square miles, or 53,459,840 acres.

The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, and attorney-general, are chosen by the people for two years, the auditor for three years. The number of members who shall compose the senate and house of representatives shall be prescribed by law; but the representation in the senate shall never exceed one member for every five thousand inhabitants, and in the house of representatives one member for every two thousand inhabitants. The senators are chosen for two years, one-half each year. The representatives are elected annually. The judges of the Supreme and District Courts are elected by the people for seven years, and the other judges for two years.

About one-third part of this State was included within the Louisiana purchase, and about two-thirds of it within the North-west Territory. Two hundred years ago French explorers penetrated the territory. It was for a long time the seat of much missionary enterprise, and of a valuable trade with the Indians. The Territory of Minnesota was organized in 1847, extending on its western border much beyond its present limits. In 1850 its population was only about five thousand; the year after, the Sioux Indians ceded to the United States all their lands in the territory west of the Mississippi. The population then increased so rapidly that the State with its present limits was admitted in 1958.

Although so far to the north, and with a climate of great severity in winter, the uncommon healthiness of the territory, and the adaptation of the soil to the cultivation of all the productions of the temperate zone, attract a large immigration. The winters, while cold, are clear and dry, with but little snow. It has been supposed to be singularly favorable for persons who have consumptive tendencies; and many invalids from the Eastern States have sought cure or relief from the salubrity of its climate; and a number of them, finding that relief, have become permanent inhabitants.

OREGON.

This State is bounded north by Washington Territory, east by Idaho, south by Nevada and California, and west by the Pacific. It contains 95,274 square miles, or 60,975,360 acres.

The governor, secretary of state, and treasurer, are chosen by a plurality of votes, for a period of four years. The senate consists of sixteen members, who are elected for four years, and the house of representatives of thirty-four members, who are elected for two years. Their numbers may be enlarged, but may not be over thirty senators and sixty representatives. The legislature meets biennially. The judges are chosen in districts by the people for six years; the attorney for each district is chosen for two years.

The Columbia River, separating this State from Washington Territory, was discovered in 1792, by Robert Gray, a ship-master from Boston, who gave to it the name of his vessel. His report of the country induced Jefferson to send an exploring expedition, under Captains Lewis and Clark, across the continent, in 1804 and 1805. This expedition was the earliest of the many useful exploring expeditions which have been sent by the government into its western territories. Besides acquiring much valuable information, it was regarded as giving to this country a stronger title to the river and adjacent territory. In 1811 John Jacob Astor's fur company was established at the mouth of the Columbia River, at Astoria. The war with England breaking out next year, the establishment was sold to the British North-west Fur Company, to save it from capture. In 1846 the treaty with Great Britain secured to the United States the whole of Oregon. It was organized as a territory in 1848, including what is now the Territory of Washington. It was admitted to Congress in 1857. Indians are numerous there, and from the first settlement have been troublesome. No great battle took place, although it could hardly be said that the settlers from any part of the territory were at any time quite safe; but the savages may be said to be now effectually subdued.