tion for the State of Iowa" resulted, as you know, in the vote of a majority in favor of a Constitution, and Delegates for a Constitution1 having been elected in conformity to the provisions of the act, they assembled at the Capitol in November 2 last, and performed the duty assigned them. The Constitution, as it came from the hands of the Convention was presented to Congress at the last session, and an act was passed by that body for the admission of Iowa into the Union as a State, upon certain conditions, among which was our acceptance of a boundary so greatly curtailing on the North and West the limits of the proposed State, as included in the boundary adopted by the Convention, as to cause very general dissatisfaction among the people of the Territory--indeed such is the general repugnance to the boundary offered us by Congress, that I believe it will with great reluctance be acceeded to at any time.

The vote taken at the election in last month for and against the Constitution, in conformity to the provisions of the act of the 12th of February 1844, to which I have before referred, though not yet officially ascertained, has certainly resulted in the rejection of that instrument, and there is reason to believe that the boundary offered us by Congress had much influence in producing that result. The rejection of the Constitution by the vote of the people, will impose upon you the necessity of further legislation preparatory to presenting anew to Congress, our claims to admission into the Union.

The opinion prevails with many of our fellow citizens that at present, and under existing circumstances a majority would prefer to remain under the territorial government, to incurring the responsibilities and expenses of a State government; and a proper respect for the respectable minority who voted against a Convention last year, and the well known fact that many who voted for it have since changed their opinion, would seem to justify, if not require, that the question be again submitted

1 Should read, Convention.

* Should read, October.

to the people, whether or not they will at this time have a Convention, especially as no time will be lost in again presenting our claims for admission into the Union, if the majority should at the next August election vote for a Convention-and in that case the course pursued under the act of 12th of February, 1844, would bring us to the same result, in time to present the Constitution to the new Congress at its first ses

sion.

-Reprinted from Journal of the House of Representatives of the Seventh Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa, p. 14.—being an extract from the Governor's Message of May 5th, 1845.

ABSTRACT OF THE VOTES POLLED FOR AND AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION.

-Reprinted from Iowa Capital Reporter, Vol. IV.,

14, May 10th, 1845.

No.

AN ACT TO SUBMIT ΤΟ THE PEOPLE THE DRAFT OF A CONSTITUTION FORMED BY THE LATE CONVENTION.

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Iowa, That the Constitution as it came from the hands of the late Convention, be and the same is, hereby, submitted to the people for their ratification or rejection; and for said election a poll shall be opened in each election precinct in this Territory, at the places of holding the general election, upon the first Monday of August next: Provided, That where counties are not organized into townships, polls shall be opened at the places of voting for members of the Legislature.

SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the judges of the election, to interrogate the qualified electors when they approach the polls to vote, whether, they are in favor of, or against the Constitution; to which interrogatory the elector shall answer simply, "constitution," or "no constitution;" and the clerk of said election shall thereupon write down his name in a column headed, "constititution," or "no constitution," in accordance with the vote of said elector.

SEC. 3. The returns of said election shall be made in all

respects as the returns made under the act of the 12th February, A. D. 1844, for and against a Convention; and, thereupon the Governor shall issue his proclamation declaring the number of votes given for and against the Constitution.

SEC. 4. That, if the Constitution shall receive a majority of the votes cast at said election, the Secretary of the Territory shall forward a certified copy of the Constitution to the delegate in Congress, from this Territory, together with a certified abstract of the votes cast at said election.

SEC. 5. That the election provided for in this act, shall, in all respects, be conducted in accordance with the provisions of an act regulating general elections, so far as applicable, except, as is herein specially provided for.

SEC. 6. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Territory to cause this act to be published in all the newspapers of the Territory, as soon as the same shall become a law; and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the board of county commissioners, in the several counties of this Territory, to give notice, that a poll will be opened for the purpose specified in the first section of this act, to the Sheriff of his proper county, who is hereby required to post up notices according to law, at least twenty days before the next August election.

SEC. 7. That every white male citizen of the United States who shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who may have been a resident of this Territory on the first day of July, A. D. 1845, shall be entitled to vote for or against the Constitution at said election: Provided, That said citizen shall continue to reside in the Territory from the said first day of July, up to time of holding said election.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That no election of State officers shall be held under said Constitution, if ratified at said election, until after the admission of the State of Iowa. is complete: Provided, That the ratification of the Constitution, as aforesaid, shall not be construed as an acceptance of the boundaries fixed by Congress in the late act of admission, and the admission shall not be deemed complete until

whatever condition may be imposed by Congress, shall be ratified by the people.

SEC. 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

SECRETARY'S OFFICE, IOWA CITY,
June 10, 1845.

This bill having been returned to the Legislative Council (in which House it originated) by the Governor, with his objections to its passage, was duly passed by a majority of two thirds; and subsequently passed, by a similar majority, in the House of Representatives. By the Organic Law, said act thereby became a law, and I hereby so declare it.

S. J. BURR, Secretary of Iowa Territory. -Reprinted from Laws of the Territory of Iowa, 1845, Ch.

13, p. 31.

THE VOTE IN AUGUST, 1845, ON THE CONSTITUTION

OF 1844.

Since your adjournment in June last, a most important question has been decided by the people, the effect of which is to throw us back where we originally commenced in our efforts to effect a change in the form of government under which we at present live. I allude to the rejection of the Constitution at the August election. This result, however' brought about, in my judgement, is one greatly to be deplored. That misrepresentation and mystification had much to do in effecting it, there can be no doubt; still it stands as the recorded judgment of the people; and to that judgment, until the people themselves reverse the decree, it is our duty to submit.

Having, from absence and indisposition, been denied all op