Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-03-01

Our Cosstf tution-.Action Of Con-
do.
The friends Of The conaitution should
not despair. Allis NOT last. The consti.
tAtion may b ratjisd By The people ,citho,d
adopting the boundaries prescribed By Con.
gross. Having been among the first, OF
receipt ofthe intelligence brought per steam
boat on Monday last, to give up all as lost
under the apprehension that we could no,
ratify the constitution without at the same
time accepting the boundaries adopted il
the House, we wish now to be the first t.
correct our error, and, if pos sisle, to inspire
others with confidence in the fact, that The
adoption Of the constitution is still both
practicable and advisable. Since the arrival
Of the news by boat, and since writing the
preceding, the mails have brought US Wash.
ington City papers containing the proceed.
ings in full on the subject. This place.
us in possession Of all the terms and con.
ditions Of the amendments. Notwithstand.
ing our boundaries are terribly mutilated-
notwithstanding we are despoiled of at leas,
one third Of our territory, as laid down in
the constitution-still, the decision is moi
final-not final even If it should pass the
Senate by similar vote; for it still re-
mains with us to reject the boundaries, and
this too without rejecting the constitution.
An examination Of sec. 4 of DR.. Dun
cans amendment will show, that another
convention to accept the boundaries is pro-
vided for, which of course supercedes the
clause in the constitution which authorizes
the people to vote upon the amendments
and conditions Of Congress at the same time
they vote for or against the constitution.
We can adopt the constitution, then, and
leave the matter of boundaries to be settled
hereafter; our refusal to hold the conven-
ton provided for being sufficient evidence
Of the determination Of our people not to
accept the lines proposed. All we have to
do, then, is.to keep the constitution, a,
adopted by tie Convention, distinct from
The amendments proposed by Congress-
We can vote for the constitution without
to the boundaries. We can also
90 into the election of State officers and
he general formation of State government,
IS originally intended, without in any man.
'er committing ourselves in favor of the
amendments proposed BY Congress.
Regarding the matter in this light, we
hink it would be perfectly suicidal to vote
Town the constitution. The rejection Of
nat instrument now BY the people, for any
'ause, would throw us back many years.
IS great length Of time would necessarily
intervene before we could again go through
III the preliminaries requisite to the forma-
ion Of State government. If the adop-
ion of the constitution would have the ef.
ect to limit our State to the new bounda-
les, we would not care how soon It minhf
- defeated, and would assist in bringing
bout such result; but this will not be-
ne case, as we have already attempted to
how. There is nothing to be gained, but
very thing to be lost, by receding from
ne position we have assumed. Let us
dept the constitution; let us go into the
tate organization contemplated in its pro-
lslons; and let us send on our Senators
lid Representative to Congress, and in the
anne Of a sovereign people demand admis-
ion into the Union. II Congress still re-
Uses us, letthe constitution stand as adopt-
q by the people, until such time as the
ational legislature shall see the Justice.
'e propristy and the policy of taking us
on our own terms. Satisfied that we
an never get better constitution than the
ne already before the people, we are in
vor Of embracing the "golden opportuni-
= for adopting it. We will say again
at it can be adopted without bin ling the
late to the narrow boundaries proposed;
I'd the State government can be formed
'ady TO go into operation as soon as we ;
I'm admission, without in any way COM
8 into conflict with the Territorial gov.
'nment. The great thing to be attained is ,
adoption Of our constitution by the peonl. .
TINS can De done, as we clearly think it /,
NJ without compromising us to any ac- )
m Of Congress upon the subject of our /,
it will be saving both Of time ,
q money, and greatly accelerate our adj.
lssion into the Union. The constitution
&c adopted, we can then proceed, at q
notice, to take advantage of any i
NJ which may be calculated to influence {
'ngress to admit us. Is not such course =
eferabie to the delay, to say nothing Of 0
, dangers, ofgoing through three or more ),
citing contests-first for Conver,;or !,