▁the ▁central - s out he astern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁selection ▁seemed , ▁on ▁its ▁face , ▁peculiar . ▁Indiana ' s ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁was , ▁if ▁anything , ▁less ▁friendly ▁toward ▁ant is la very ▁views ▁than ▁its ▁counter parts ▁in ▁Ohio ▁or ▁Illinois , ▁although ▁many ▁of ▁its ▁members ▁fav ored ▁the ▁ex clusion ▁of ▁sla very ▁from ▁territ ories ▁acquired ▁from ▁Mexico ▁in ▁the ▁recent ▁war . ▁Julian ' s ▁district ▁was ▁sta unch ly ▁pro - Wh ig , ▁and ▁a ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁had ▁little ▁chance ▁of ▁winning . ▁The ▁district ' s ▁large ▁Qu aker ▁population ▁made ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁stronger ▁ant is la very ▁districts ▁as ▁well . ▁On ▁economic ▁issues ▁Julian ' s ▁positions ▁lean ed ▁more ▁toward ▁the ▁Democr ats ' ▁do ctr ines ▁than ▁the ▁Wh igs '. ▁He ▁opposed ▁high ▁protect ive ▁tar iffs ▁and ▁had ▁no ▁interest ▁in ▁creating ▁a ▁new ▁national ▁bank . ▁Julian ▁received ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁and ▁won ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Th irty - first ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁He ▁was ▁among ▁a ▁small ▁b loc ▁of ▁about ▁twelve ▁votes ▁consisting ▁of ▁Free ▁So ilers ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁others . ▁ ▁Julian ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁land ▁reform ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁and ▁continued ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁life , ▁although ▁his ▁most ▁significant ▁reform ▁work ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁his ▁twelve - year ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁U