Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1845-06-14

i To- clI 49, NSs'-lee1 =
Upoa The biz % submit 10 tss people syl i.s dsaj ia;
cfa Constitution formed by tie lats co;,
ieatis. Nay 81, lS45. - 1 ss,Ae,sI
MR.ePHrsrbfsf-a9 yaaoF .si II I.
/ cannot permit the vote 10 be takeu ubo,
the passage oftllis bill, without asking "a
indulgence OF The Council to make a few
remarks. The details Of the bill presume
are now settled, and settled satisiactorall,
to the Council, and the only remainin;;
question is as to the policy Of its passage
Inns IS an, Important lneasnre---the mos
important measure. Of The. session. and
cannot disguise the fact that / feel a dee,
interestin its fate. The vote upon the con
stitution at the late election, cannot be re-
garded as fair expressionlof public SEN
timent. The question was presented il
such manner, under the act Of Congress,
providing for our admission into the Union
that 1t was almost impossible for the peu
pie to understand it. A great variety o1
opinions were entertained as to what ef:
fect,a vote forthe, constitution, would have
Oh the amendments made by Congress-
Some entertained The opinion, that if We
adopted the constitution we neccssarilx
adopted the amendment made by Congress-
others Entertained the opinion that the con.
stitution might be adopted, and the amend.
ments rejected afterwards; while. others
not having an opportunity to examine the
act Of admission for themselves, could moi
form any opinion upon the subject. and
consequently declined the privilege Of cast
ing their voles either for or against the
constitution. In this confusion the consti-
tutisn was voted down: and voted down,
too, under circumstances that were .suff;-
cient TO induce the belief that majority Of
the people were anxioas to adopt it; coul,.
they havedone so without committing them
selves in favor of the new. boundary pro-
posed BY Congress. The object Of the bill
now Under consideration is to present the
constitution to the people again, as it came
from the hands Of The late convention-re-
ieived of all those doubts, difficulties and
embarrassments. In this way the people
will have an opportunity to express their
sentiments uponthe merits Of the constitu-
ton, and if the question can be presented
in this way.. there can be no reasonable
doubt Of the result. aK
! entertain the opinion, Mr.. President,
that there is majority. of the people Of this
Territory in favor Of organizing state
government. This is not new question.
Public opinion has settled down in favor of
state government, sf.er long and thorough
discussion. As early as 1898, the first
session that | was member of the other
house, the propriety Of forming . state gov
ernment was brought under our consider
ation by the Executive. The whole sub
ject was referred to = standing committee,
and the majority reported in favor Of state
government. The minority reported against
it, aid tLesc conflicting reports gave rise to
a very animated discussion. Among 9th
ers, | felt it to be my duty to resist the at
tempt to form q state government, believ-
ing tiiat it conld not be properly supported
without expressing the people. Our coun-
try was then too new and wiid4-our cul-
tivation was limited, not producing enough
to supply the home consumption. Heavy
acquisitions were constantly made upon our
people in payment for the public lands, and
our population was small, perhaps not more
than one third Of its present amount. In
short, we were passing through all the
hardships and difficulties incident to the
settlement! OF new countries. Z hese rea-
sons induced the Legislature at that time
to decide against the formation Of stale
government. Our condition within the
last six years, has, however, undergone. a
material change The whole face Of the
country now wears I different aspect, and
our resources now, though partially de-
velcped as yet, are rapidly increasing every
year. The flood Of emigration, which, for
the last FIVE years has set towards this coun-
try, has swelled our population to one
hundred thousand souls and upwards, which
for energy, enterprise and intelligence, are
not surpassed perhaps BY the population
Of any country. The reasons then, which
formerly operated against the formation of
state government. have become weaker
and weaker, in prorortionas our resources
have increased, and the public mind has
undergone corresponding change. This
change, too, has been produced, not BY any
adventitious circumstances. or temporary
excitement, but as the result Of gradual
and permanent change in the actual condi-
tion Of the country. When the pfopriety
of forminga state government, was submit
ted to the people at the last April election
IA, upon the question Of convention of no
convent on, the, call for convention 10
form slate constitution was sustained by
very large and unusual majority. The
aggregate vote cast at the election was but
little above ten thousand, while the major
ity in favor of the call was nearly twenty
nine hundred. This result cannot be re-
garded in any other light, than as very
clear and unequivocal indicaiion Of public
sentiment in favor of state government
At that election, then, there were large
majority Of, the people in favor Of state
government. Has any thing occurred since,
to induce any reasonable man to believe
that's majority ofthe people now entertain
. different opinionP If any such change
has taken place sufficient to overcome that
majority. / must be permitted to say that
it has escaped my observations Itisfea-
sonable then. I think, to conclude, under
all these circumstances, that q majority o.
THE people are now, and have been for thu
rast yUar. in favor Of state government