The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-02


was introduced in the House Ct Repro.
rentatives on the 9Th of March, read twice,
and committed to the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union.
Mr. Pope, from the Committee on the
Territories, reported the following bill:
A BILL
To enable the people of Iowa to form
constitution and State Government, and
for the admission of such State into the
Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives. of The United States of
America in Congress assembled, That the
of that part of the Territory OF
Iowa lying west of the Mississippi river,
and within the boundaries hereinafter
mentioned, be and they are hereby, au-
thorized to form for themselves a const-
tuition and State government, and to as
sumo such name as they shall deem pro-
per; and that the said State, when form
ell as hereinafter provided, shall be ad.
nitted into the Union upon the same
footing with the original States, in all
respects whatsoever subject, however,
to the six articles of compact containedin
tile ordinance Of the thirteenth July, sew
e,teen hundred and eighty-seven, proyid-
ing for the government of the Territory
OF the United States northwest of the
Galio river; which said articles of COM
pact, and all the provisions and stipula-
lions thereof Except SO far as relates to
the boundary of said State) shall be oblig-
atory and binding upon the said contem-
plated State and The people thereof, as
well as upon the United States.
Sec. Q. And be it further enacted, That
the said State shall consist of all that por-
ton of territory lying within the follow
ing boundaries, viz: Beginning in the
centre of the main channel of the Missis-
sippi river, at the mouth of the Des
Moines, at the northeast corner of the
State of Missouri. thence up the middle
of the main channel of the river Missis-
sippi, to the forty fourth parallel Of north
latitude; thence westerly, on said forty
fourth parallel of latitude, to the centre of
the main channel of the Missouri river;
thence down the centre Of the main chan
mel of the Missouri river to the northwest
corner of The State of Missouri thence
easterly, along the norlherly line of the
State of Missouri, to the centre Of the
main channel of the Des Moines river;
thence down the centre of the main chan.
mel of said river Des Moines. to the place
of beginning Provided, That the said
State of Iowa shall have concurrent iuris-
diction on the said rivers, and each Of
them, with any other State or States adj
joining said State. so far as the said riv-
ers, or either of them, may form COM
mon boundary between the said State of
Iowa and any other State or States adj
joining the same, excepting the river Des
h. Dimes.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That
whenever it shall be deemed expedient,
then it shall be lawful for the Legislative
Assembly, by an act to fix the time of
holding an election for delegates TO meet
in convention for the purpose offorming a
constitution aud State government; which
time OF holding said election shall not be
over three months norless than one m ontl.
after the first publication Of said act, as
hereinafter directed and the said act shall
be published in all the newspapers eff said
Territory, and in such other way as the
said Assembly may deem proper: and the
said election shall be held and conducted,
and returns thereof made, in the same
manner as elections for members of the
Legislative Assembly in said Territory
are by law held and conducted; and all
laws applicable to elections of members
of the Legislative Assembly unless here
in otherwise provided) shall be applicable
to the elections for choosing delegates to
said convention.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted.
That the said convention shall consist of
forty-three delegates to be apportioned by
the said Assembly of Iowa among the
different counties in the Territory afore-
said, within the limits of the contemplate
ed State, in proportion to the population
of the several counties, as near as may be,
according to the census last taken previ-
Gus to the passage of said acts; which ap-
portionment shall be made by said AS
sembly at the time of passing said act for
the election ofdelegates, and shall be dis
tinctly set forth in said act.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted.
That every free white male citizen of the
United States who shall by law be emit.
led or authorized to vote for members of
he Legislative Assembly of said Terrific
", and who shall, at the time of such
election, be an actual resident of the
own where he offers his vote, shall be
to vote at such election for dele
gates from the county in which he resides.
And every delegate, to be thus elected,
shall have been for one year next imme-
lately preceding said election, resident
u said Territory, and at the time Of his
election shall be an actual resident of the
county Tor which he is chosen. And the
delegates thus chosen shall meet in con-
'entlon, on the day fixed by the ASSEM-
ny after such election shall take place. at
ne temporary seat of government Of said