of Florida was organized in 1823. There was then a considerable immigration into the country; but in 1835 the Seminole war broke out, and it raged with great violence for some years, until in 1842 a treaty was made, by which most of the Indians consented to their removal west of the Mississippi. The State was admitted into the Union in 1845, and in 1858 all the remaining Indians were removed from the State.

There is a considerable immigration into this State, both from the Northern States and from Europe. There are some manufactures, and a valuable coasting trade; but the State is essentially agricultural. Cotton, sugar, rice, and corn are largely raised, and, with vegetables and fruits for the northern markets, bring large returns into the State. The warm climate and favorable soil permit kinds of cultivation scarcely known in any other part of the United States. Not only do oranges, lemons, and citrons grow well everywhere, but in the southern regions pineapples, bananas, and dates are raised easily, and ripen perfectly. A third part of the acreage consists of public lands not yet sold, and remaining to be disposed of to immigrants.

TEXAS.

This State is bounded north by New Mexico, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory, east by Louisiana and Arkansas, south-west and west by Mexico, and south and south-east by the Gulf of Mexico. It is the largest State in the Union, and contains 274,356 square miles, or 17,557,784 acres.

The governor, attorney-general, treasurer, secretary of state, comptroller, superintendent of public instruction, and commissioners of the land office and claims, are elected by the people for four years; but the governor cannot hold that office more than four years in any period of six years. Senators must have been resident citizens within the State for three years, and in their district for one year, and be twenty-five years old. They are thirty in number, and are elected for four years. The representatives must have been resident citizens within the State, and one year within their district, and twenty-one years old. They are elected for two years, and shall be in number ninety members, and no more. Clergymen, salaried officers under the United States government, and collectors of taxes who have not obtained a discharge for their collections, cannot be chosen to the legislature, or to State offices. The legislature cannot grant divorces nor permit lotteries. No individual may issue his paper as money; and no corporate body can be created, renewed, or extended, with the right to carry on banking, or to discount paper.

The judges of the Supreme and District Courts are appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate; the former for nine years, and the latter for eight years.

The Territory of Texas was first visited by the French, who endeavored to settle there; but they were driven off by the Spaniards, and a second attempt of the French was equally ineffectual. Texas attained no prosperity under its Spanish rulers. In fact, while it remained under the Spanish government, and afterwards a part of Mexico, its history is one of perpetual conflict. Still, the population grew considerably, mainly by immigration from the United States. In 1835 the people of the territory declared their independence, and succeeded in driving out the Mexicans for a time. But they returned under Santa Anna, and war was renewed and raged with much violence, and with alternate success. At length the Mexican forces were defeated, and Santa Anna taken prisoner. In 1836 the independent republic of Texas was established. In 1837 it was acknowledged by the government of the United States, and in 1840 by England, France, and Belgium. The Mexican government did not cease its efforts to recover Texas, and sent, not so much armies as marauding expeditions into the republic. In 1843 President Tyler made to the President of Texas propositions looking to the annexation of the republic to the United States. They were favorably received, and a treaty made in 1844, which was rejected by the senate. In the next year, however, joint resolutions for the annexation of Texas passed the house of representatives and the senate, by small majorities, and were approved by President Tyler the same day. After the admission of the State, Congress voted to pay to her ten millions of dollars in compensation for her relinquishment of a part of her territory, and of all her claims against the United States. By the resolutions of annexation, it was provided that four new States might hereafter be formed out of the territory thereof. But no such States have as yet been formed, and Texas remains quite unequalled in point of magnitude.

This State has great facilities for internal and foreign commerce. Railroads are numerous, and all inducements are held out to immigrants, by the healthiness of the State, the cheapness of the land, and its extreme fertility. It has already a considerable commerce; and the production of cotton, corn, and wheat is large and though the State at present is but thinly peopled, the promise it holds out of ultimate prosperity is very great. As a stock-raising State, it is now one of the first in the Union.

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 described. 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. Its capital, 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