Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-03-15

A. c. DoDcE offered the following:
".dnd Be it further enacted, That what
ever balance Of the appropriation made al
the last session Of Congress for legislative
expenses Of the Territory of Iowa, &c.,
there may be remaining, after the liquida,
ton Of the arrearages Of expenses Of pre-
vious sessions Of said legislature, as pro-
vidcd for in the act Of the 18th of June,
1874, be, and the same is hereby, applied
to the payment Of the expenses Of the con-
vention which was held in Iowa in the
months of October and November last, for
the formation Of State constitution"
Mr. ID. explained the object Of his
amendment. He said that the legislative
assembly of Iowa had met in extra session
in the month Of June last, and had passed,
in view Of the steps which were then ia
king for the organization Of State gov
eminent, an act postponing their annual
session from the first Monday in Decem-
Der las. 10 the first Monday in April next.
The object of the assembly in passing this
law Mr.. d. sadly would perhaps be best
understood by having it read.
Here Mr.. d. sent an authenticated copy
Of the act Of the legislative assembly Of
Iowa, entitled can act to postpone the next
annual election of members Of the legisla-
tive assembly of Iowa, and to provide for
the payment of Legislative debts;" which
was read by the Clerk.
Mr.. d. said that members would OBJ
serve, from the provisions of the law Just
read, that the object of the Legislature of
Iowa in passing it was twofold. First,
to provide for the payment of all the out
standing debts which had been contracted
at previous sessions of that body. Sec
ond, to obtain whatever amount there
might be after the payment Of tt.,se debts,
to defray the expenses of conveatie n
which had been recently voted for by the
people Of lowa--to the end that the con-
templatcd Sac might enter the Union UNI
embarrassed and free of debt. Mr.. ID.
said that the motives which had prompted
the passage Of this law, and the OBJ .ects
which it sought to effect, were in his esti-
nation, highly praiseworthy; and he trusted
that the House would, by the adoption Of
his amendment, give its sanction to both.
So far as this gov eminent was concerned,
it did not boot it a cent. The money was
now appropriated for Legislative expenses,
and would be SO used unless Congress
should consent to its transfer. BY consent
ing, members would have tie pleasing re-
Election to know that they had in some
slight degree contributed to lessen the
burdens which an infant and struggling
community in the Far West were about
taking upon themselves. He alluded to
the preparatory steps of self-government,
which he was proud to know the people Of
Iowa were about to assume, and which
would certainly result in no inconsiderable
saving TO the government Of the United
States.
Mr.. d. said that he had had the honor,
at an early day Of the present session OF
Congress, to bring this subject Of a trans
fer IF the remaining balance Of the last
Legislative appropriation for Iowa to the at
tention Of the Committee of Ways and
Means. He regretted that that committee
had not received the proposition of Lis
legislature with more favor. The honora-
bic chairman Mr.. McKAY had immedi-
ately discovered in it, as he thought, a
most dangerous precedent-one which
would lead to the expenditure Of untold
millions. That gentleman had Immediate
ly beheld, in the vista of the future, all the
new States that had formed constitutions
rising up and presenting to this govern
ment claims for reimbursement of the sums
expended by them in the formation Of their
constitutions.
He was sure that the honorable gentle
man would, in his reply to him, { Mr.. D., }
again hold up to the House, as he had to
the committee, the alarming consequences
which were 10 result to the government of
the United States from the recognition of
this, as he esteemed it, new and danger
Gus principle. Mr.. D. would anticipate
this part Of his argument by calling upon
members from the new States to say, as he
was sure they would say, than no such
claims would ever be preferred by any Of
them.
Mr.. ROBERT SMITH, and several
other members from new States, responded
that none such ever would be presented by
any Of them.
Mr.. DODGE, in conclusion. called the
attention Of members to the fact that, al
though eUncle Sam" had never paid the
expenses of any of the conventions in the
new States for the formation Of their con.
stitutions, no application had ever been
made, as this was simply for transfer
You have appropriated said Mr.. D. eight
or nine thousand dollars to deffay the ex-
penses Of a session Of our legislature
To this you are agreed. But we say, to
relieve us from taxation, we would pre-
fer to use this money to pay the menu
bers Of our convention. Will you not
consent?
Mr.. MCKAY said, although, as the gen.
man contended, this proposition might not
cost the government single cent nomi
nally, he objected to it as being the estab-
hshment If new precedent-the pay
ment of all similar conventions Of the Ter
ritory in future--a thing which had never
yet been done; and also that it would en-
courage the bringing up Of similar claims
on the part Of those States already adj
fnitted.
The amendment was rejected.
The CALIFORNIA NEws.-A few days
ago, says the N. Y. Herald, the baroue