people very seriously. We cannot draw four I Again, the interest is now ten per cent. If it is consolidated in United States stocks, or other state stocks, we should get but six per cent. know that gentlemen will claim that the cost of coll cting is something; but it is trifling compared with the difference of four per cent. We now have four millions at ten per cent., yielding four hundred thousand dollars annually. I think we should hesitate even to throw this before the people, until they have had full time, or at least more than they will have between this time and the first of August, to consider this question. I repeat, that the majority of the people are not directly interested, and may not feel that they are even remotely interested; but should the fund be withdrawn from the different counties, they would learn the extent of their interest from the general embarassment that must follow. Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. I regret very much that the gentleman did not present his proposiin a different form. The very last proposition in the report, as I thought, was that of allowing the state of Iowa to be the debtor of the school fund, in using this school money. From the first this has always struck me favorably. I am not one of those to be terrified by bugbears. I attempt to look at things and see what they are; and the idea of a young growing state, increasing in wealth as lowa is at this time, going into debt for her public buildings, or even for her annual governmental expenses, is no bugbear at all to me. Will gentlemen reflect one moment in regard to it. We who are occupying the field here to-day, who are paying the taxes for the support of the government, are now to go to all the expense of all the public buildings. If we resort to direct taxes, we alone are the ones to bear the burden. But if we contract a debt for the erection of these public buildings, they who are to come in hereafter and bring wealth into the state, will share with us the burden. Gentlemen take a wrong view of this when they think they are impoverishing the (March 4th state by allowing it to contract any debt. We must during the next ten years, raise a million of dollars for our public buildings alone. This must be derived from some source, and from direct taxation, unless we resort to a loan. do not care who makes the loan, but it would be better for us that the United States government, or any other state of the Union, should furnish the requisite amount to put up the public buildings, so that we could immediately have the benefit of it, even if we had to pay an extra interest upon the amount for the next ten years, and then to share the burden with those who shall then be here, to pay off the principal, than to go from year to year, dragging along for ten years, in the attempt to put up those buildings. The gentleman has struck out the very best feature of the report, that which recommended it to my judgment. I certainly shall not vote. for submitting such a resolution as that to the people. I would rather have the funds remain in that section. That takes away the money under the present system, than to adopt the plan from us, and carries it into other States. Illinois, Which do you suppose is the wiser of the two, Indiana, Ohio, borrow from us our school fund. we who lend the money that we need for our Certainly Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio, borrowing our own use, or the State which borrows it of us? school fund, occupy the most favorable position. They are those who are to gain by the transfer. Their borders, like ours, are filling up yearly. There is an accession of wealth, of property to be taxed, to pay off this debt; and in the mean time they have built their asylums, State houses, and other public buildings. We are doing the same thing when we buy their bonds as lending them the money. Their bonds are issued for this express purpose. And if they act wisely in issuing them, shall we suffer our State to lend them the money which we need ourselves for these very purposes? Is he a wise business man, who, having buildings to erect to carry on his business, which will render it more productive, suffers the work to be delayed from year to year while he can raise the amount by driblets; or he who at once effects a loan, puts up his building, goes on with his business, and from the profits of that very business discharges the debt? We want these buildings-a State house, asylums, &c. We can build them now, and tax ourselves for a few years merely with the interest; and then the taxable property of the State will be four times its nominal value this day. In ten years from this time, we shall bave four times the amount of property to be taxed to pay off this debt. That is the question which I wish to have submitted to the people. The more it is discussed the more it will commend itself to the judgment of gentlemen here, and the people at large. The moment they look at it, they will see that it will be better for us all to pay merely the interest by a direct tax, rather than to pay the principal by a direct tax. And let me remark to the gentleman from Jones, [Mr. Marvin,] who feared that we should create dis Wednesday] MARVIN-CLARKE, of H.-TRAER-HALL-SOLOMON, &c. tress by taking this large amount from the pockets of the people, that we must raise at least three millions of dollars within five years to put up our public buildings, &c., if we do it by direct taxation. Mr. MARVIN. I am prepared to meet that question when it properly comes before us; but it is not before us now. Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. It is before us in this way. That money must come from the people; if not by borrowing from the school fund, then by direct taxation. If we borrow from the school fund, we have only to pay the interest, and only to tax the people to the ex tent of that interest. I think that if we borrowed this sum for the annual expenses of our government, it would be one of the wisest things we could do, to tax the people merely for the interest upon it for the next ten years, and to let the State become debtor to the school fund. Is it right that we should bear all the burdens, and that those coming into the State ten or twenty years hence should share the benefits with us, and not also take their share of the burdens? Mr. TRAER. The gentleman from Henry supposes that we shall have to raise at least three millions of dollars in the next five years; and he proposes to take that from the school fund, as I understand him. Now if he will look at it a moment, he will see that even if we should agree to his plan, we could not get the money in that way. The money is loaned out, a large part of it for ten years; and it would be impossible to get that before the expiration of the time, even if the section favored by the gentleman should be adopted. I am by no means one of those who would run the State in debt to the extent of four millions of dollars, although it might be several years before the whole of that debt would be contracted. We have already provided that the State shall not go into debt over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, without the people voting in favor of it. I say that if the people want to borrow the school fund, they can do so. Let the legislature pass a law to that effect, and if they vote in favor of borrowing the fund, they can do so as fast as it can be collected. I see no use in putting this into the constitution. Upon this resolution Mr. HALL called for the yeas and nays, which were ordered. The question being taken, by yeas and nays, the resolution was rejected; yeas 13, nays 20, as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Ayres, Clarke of Johnson, Ells, Emerson, Gower, Hall, Johnston, Patterson, Peters, Robinson, Skiff, Traer and Warren. Nays-The President, Messrs. Bunker, Clark of Alamakee, Clarke of Henry, Edwards, Gibson, Gillaspy, Gray, Harris, Hollingsworth, Marvin, Palmer, Pa' vin, Price, Seely, Solomon, Todhunter, Wilson, Winchester and Young. Mr. SOLOMON, when his name was called, [March 4th MARVIN-CLARK-TRAER-SKIFF-CLARKE, of J. The account was referred to the committee on expenditures. Mr. MARVIN. I move that that be entered upon the journal, so that it shall be known and read of all men. The PRESIDENT. There is no need of that. It becomes a part of the proceedings. Distribution of the Debates Mr: CLARK, of Alamakee. I voted, this forenoon, in favor of giving to our sergeant-at-arms the job of distributing the debates of this convention. I voted under some misapprehension, and I now move to reconsider that vote. The motion to reconsider prevailed. [March 4th possible, by the first of May, and distributed immediately afterwards, in order that the people may know and understand what they are voting upon when the constitution comes before them for adoption. I understand that this was the reason which induced the committee to strike out the name of the secretary of state and insert that of Mr. Trowbridge. With regard to the compensation I have nothing to say, whether it is too much or too little. But I will say this much; that if the job were offered to me at the price offered in that resolution, I should certainly refuse it. I do not think I could get the work properly done for any such price. I think it would be worth more money; at least, if a man must personally superintend it, and take the books into each county. I hope The question was then stated upon the reso- the convention will not reconsider. We have lution, which was read, as follows: “Resolved, That S. C. Trowbridge be employed to distribute the debates of this convention, as provided for in the foregoing resolution; and that he be paid for such distribution the sum of five hundred dollars, and to be distributed as soon as ready." Mr. CLARK, of Alamakee. Ihave no personal feelings upon this matter; but, upon reflection, and from some information I have obtained, I am inclined to make the motion that the name of Mr. Trowbridge be stricken out, and that of the secretary of state inserted in its place. I am informed that it is usual to give these jobs to the secretary of state. He has other books to distribute; it comes in his line; and he is a more proper person to do it than any other man. If there were no reasons why the secretary of state should have the preference, I shouid have no objections to giving it to Mr. Trowbridge. Mr. TRAER. I wish to state that I have no been voting and then reconsidering votes to-day. I want the convention to adhere to what they do, and show that they have some back-bone to them. Mr. SKIFF. I will state my object in seconding and favoring this motion. I believe that the gentleman from Benton is certainly mistaken in saying that the laws will not be ready for delivery before the first of July; for I understand that, instead of that, they will be ready for distribution by the first of May, which will be as early as these reports can be got ready. Then the secretary of the state will have to distribute the laws, and he will have facilities for making the distribution of these debates, which another person would not have. I think, therefore, that he can distribute them sooner than any other person. I have no personal feeling whatever with regard to it. Upon the amendment Mr. TRAER called for the yeas and nays, which were ordered. Mr. CLARKE, of Johnson. I will rot attri bute to the gentleman from Alamakee, [Mr. Clark,] any motive growing out of the action of the convention this morning, in making this motion; but if he labors under the impression that changing the person will at all affect me, I can assure him that he is mistaken. If he will re personal feelings in this matter, whatever, both those gentlemen, the secretary of state and Mr. Trowbridge, being friends of mine. I shall, therefore, give my vote with sole reference to the facts in the case. In the first place, I do not believe that, because other parties employ the secretary of state, it follows, as a natural and necessary consequence, that he should have this. I do not think that rule will hold good in this case. In the next place, I am a little doubtful lest, if member, I presented the original resolution, and we leave this to the secretary of state, the books that was originally drawn up in favor of the should not be distributed until the laws passed lected by me at all. But the subject was refersecretary of state. Mr. Trowbridge was not seat the last session of the legislature shall be red to a special committee, who changed this ready for distribution. He would probably re-resolution by striking out the name of the sectain these so as to distribute all together. I should object to that arrangement. What we retary of state and inserting that of the serwant is, to get the books just as soon as possible, induced them to make the change were satgeant-at-arms of this body. The reasons which so that the people may understand what we have done here, that they may have sufficient isfactory, at the time, at least to the convention. information before them to enable them to judge Personally, I have no feeling in relation to it. rightly in voting for or against this constitution. I understand, further, that the laws of the last session of the legislature will not be ready for distribution before the first of July, leaving only one month before the time of taking the vote upon the constitution. I hold that that is wrong, that we should have these books published, if Mr. CLARK, of Alamakee. I do not know why the gentleman should intimate any motive upon my part aside from that which I stated. I voted for the resolution, as it stood this morning, because I had been told that the secretary of state did not want it. It was for that reason that I voted to take it away from him; and it is Wednesday] TODHUNTER-MARVIN-CLARKE, of H.-WARREN-CLARK. because I learn that that was not so, and that he feels a little hurt by the action of the committee in taking it away from him, that I have changed my position. Mr. TODHUNTER. This resolution was offered by the gentleman from Johnson, [Mr. Clarke.] In the resolution, as offered, it was provided that the secretary of state should have the distribution of the debates. After mittee I understood to be that the secretary of I do not think there is any ground upon which any officer of the state can come in here and complain in regard to this matter. This convention is entirely free and independent of any other branch of the government. We have a right to employ whom we think proper. We need not ask the secretary of state, or any other outsider, with regard to this matter. I have no personal feeling in the matter. I am just as good a friend to the secretary as to Mr. Trowbridge. It makes no difference to me who distributes the debates, or who gets the job, if the work can be done promptly. Nor do I think five hundred dollars any too much to pay. But I think the convention has a right to choose whom they please to distribute their debates, and no man has a right to complain. We concluded to report the name of Mr. Trowbridge; and the convention agreed to it. For us now to change that again looks to me like boys' play. The question being taken, by yeas and nays, the amendment was agreed to; yeas 18, nays 12, as follows: Yeas-Messrs. Clark of Alamakee, Clarke of Henry, Day, Ells, Gibson, Gillaspy, Hall, Harris, Johnston, Marvin, Patterson, Peters, Price, Seely, Skiff, Solomon, Warren and Young. Nays-The President, Messrs. Ayres, Bunker, Clarke of Johnson, Emerson, Gower, Hollingsworth, Palmer, Robinson, Todhunter, Traer and Winchester. [March 4th name of the secretary of state was inserted in the resolution. Mr. MARVIN moved to to strike out 'five,' and insert three,' making the compensation three hundred dollars. Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. The higher sum will be first in order; and I move to insert 'four,' making the compensation four hundred dollars. The PRESIDENT stated the question first upon striking out 'five.' The motion was agreed to; ayes 14, noes 5. The question was then stated upon filling the blank with 'four.' Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. I wish to vote in telligently; and I will ask the gentleman from be the expense of distributing the reports? Jackson, [Mr. Warren,] what he thinks would I Mr. WARREN. I am not able to say. merely stated what I would do it for myself, and I withdraw that. I am satisfied that it should be five hundred dollars. Mr. TODHUNTER. Before the blank is filled I wish to remind the convention that the gentleman from Alamakee, [Mr. Clark,] offered to do the job for two hundred and fifty dollars, and to give good security for the faithful performance of the contract. I propose that we give him the job. Mr. CLARK, of Alamakee. When I make a proposition, if the other party are not wise enough to take it up at the time, but try to do better by going around and speculating with others, I consider myself at liberty afterwards to decline it. Mr. TODHUNTER. I thought the gentleman would not stand by it. The question being taken upon making the compensation four hundred dollars, it was agreed tɔ. to. The resolution, as amended, was then agreed Distribution of the Journal. Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. I now move to reconsider the vote upon the resolution, by which we give the secretary only two hundred and fifty dollars for indexing, superintending the printing, and distributing the journals and constitutions. The motion was agreed to. The resolution was read, as follows: "6. Resolved, That T. J. Saunders, the Secretary of this convention, be employed to index, superintend the printing of, and distribute the journals and constitutions herein provided for; and that he be allowed the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars as a compensation in full for said services." On motion of Mr. CLARKE of Henry, So the amendment was agreed to, and the the compensation to five hundred dollars. Wednesday] to. TODHUNTER-SKIFF-CLARKE, of H. The resolution, as amended, was then agreed Mr. TODHUNTER moved that the convention take up from the table the resolution to rescind the day of adjournment. The motion was rejected; ayes 9, noes 14. Third reading of Articles. Mr. SKIFF. I move that the article on the preamble and bill of rights be now taken up and read the third time. The PRESIDENT. That article is not now before the convention. Mr. SKIFF. I thought it had been reported from the committee on revision, as I see that it has been printed and laid upon the desks of members. The PRESIDENT. The committee of revision have as yet made no report to the convention. Mr. SKIFF. I would ask the chairman of that committee [Mr. Clarke], if the committee are ready to report? Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. The committee have for some time been ready to report, whenever the convention were ready for it. The PRESIDENT. There is no business now before the convention. Preamble and Bill of Rights. Mr. CLARKE, of Henry. I beg leave to report to the convention, from the committee of revision, a portion of the constitution, being the preamble and bill of rights, as follows: CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF Iowa. We, the people of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the State of Iowa, the boundaries whereof shall be as follows: [March 4th main channel of the Big Sioux river, according to Nicollett's map; thence up the main channel of the said Big Sioux river, according to said map, until it is intersected by the parallel of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes north latitude; thence east along said parallel of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes, until said parallel intersects the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river; thence down the middle of the main channel of the said Mississippi river to the place of beginning. Article 1.-Bill of Rights. Section 1. All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights-among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuiug and obtaining safety and happiness. Sec. 2. All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people, and they have the right, at all times, to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it. Sec. 3. The General Assembly shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; nor shall any person be compelled to attend any place of worship, pay tithes, taxes, or other rates, for building or repairing places of worship, or the maintenance of any minister or ministry. Sec. 4. No religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust, and no person shall be deprived of any of his rights, privileges, or capacities, or disqualified from the performance of any of his public or private duties, or rendered incompetent to give evidence in any court of law or equity, in consequence of his opinions on the subject of religion; and any party to any judicial proceeding the testimony of, any other person not disqualishall have the right to use as a witness, or take fied on account of interest, who may be cognizant of any fact material to the case; and parties to suits may be witnesses, as provided by law. hereafter be engaged, either directly or indi- Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river, at a point due east of the middle of the mouth of the main channel of the Des Moines river; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said Des Moines river, to a point on said river where the northern boundary line of the State of Missouri-as esSec. 6. All laws of a general nature shall tablished by the constitution of that State, have a uniform operation; the General Assemadopted June 12th, 1820-crosses the said mid. bly shall not grant to any citizen or class of citdle of the main channel of the said Des Moines zens, privileges or immunities, which, upon the river; thence westwardly along the said north-same terms, shall not equally belong to all citiern boundary line of the State of Missouri, as established at the time aforesaid, until an extension of said line intersect the middle of the main channel of the Missouri river; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said Missouri river to a point opposite the middle of the zens. Sec. 7. Every person may speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all prosecutions |