Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-06-26
PROTEST..

House of the Representatives of the
Territory of Iowa, beg leave to enter
their solemn protest against the final
passage of the "Bll to submi, to the
people the draft of a Constitution,
formed by the late Convention"
In the name, and in the behalf of.
the constituents we have the honor TO
represent, we protest against the pas
sage of this bill, because We believe
that this Legislative Assembly has no
delegated authority to pass it--because
we believe ii is designed TO control,
rather than TO ascertain public senu.
ment in reference TO the vote the cleo
tors shall give for or agaInt this draft
of a constitution.
The Constitution which was framed
by the Convention in October last, has
been formally submitted to vote of
the people of this Territory, and by
them it was most deliberately rejected.
10 call upon them again TO vote for or
against accepting it, looks very much
like trlfing with their feelings. their
judgment. and their constitutional priv
ileges. They have sen. up no memo.
rails asking US to give them another
opportunity to vote upon it. And if
they had, we ought not to pass this
bill unless there was exhibited upon
our tables a clearly expressed majority
in favor of such measure. The in.
al, hall
box on the first Monday in April last,
mos, assuredly cannot be mistaken.-
A majority of 99S votes stand recorded
against this same "dralt' of Cons,i-
tuition. Have one thousand votes, in
the short space of sixty days, without
any assignabie reason, suddenly chang
ed their opinions as to the merits Of
this draft of a Constitution! If they
have, the evidence and cause of their
conversion is not before US. But it is
contended that the people did not vote
understanding " al the last election,
and that another appeal must be made
to their sober second thoughts. II we
were influenced by no other consid
Judgment for free and independent
constituency would constrain us from
submitting to them constitution which
they have so recently and so slgnally
rejected Such course would be de-
roga,ory to free people, whose pro-
vince it is to give, and not to receive
instructions in the affairs of Govern
ment. Again, it is alledged that the
conditions imposed by Congress in
altering and curtailing the boundaries
of the proposed State, caused the re-
lection of The constitution. This doubt
less had its influence in different sec.
tons Of the Territory both for and
against. What was lost on the North
and the South by the change, was
partially made up by the vote of the
centre, where the Congressional bound
aries are more acceptable Than those
defined in the nstltution. But if
we were certain that the change of
boundaries caused the rejection Of the
Constitution, we could not vote for
this bill. The amendment made by
Congress was anticipated by the fra
mers. and provided for, by declaring
that the Constitution, together with
the same by Congress should be rati-
fled or rejected BY vote of the quail
fled electors in April last, in the man
ner prescribed by the act providing
for the convention. The amendments
made by Congress, attached to and
formed as much part OF the Conslitu.
| ton when il was submitted to the peo-
pie, as if originally engraf,ed on it,
| The people were not decleved-,hey
knew wha, they were about. They
knew full we'll that if a majority Of The
votes should be cast in favor of it, we
should go into the Union with the
boundaries prescribed by Congress
and if majority should be against it:
adoption, the instrument would be {
dead letter, and that Iowa would occu
py the same position she did before
The call of the Convention. In view
of the whole grounds, they chose t.
remain under territorial government
considering most wisely that they
would not be wors.ed by delay
The question of territory was witt
them a minor consideration; ihei
main objections were to the body 0
the constitution.
We protest against the passage o
this bill as impoiilic and improper
even were it certain that the peopl
would adopt the constitution as it cam
from the convention; for it IS NANTES
that Congress will impose the same
or similar. conditions, 10 our ADM:
sion. Should this be done, in no,
much better situation shall we be tina
we are now! We shall still
out of the Union, unless we accept
the conditions imposed. And il wou