Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-03-22

DaS Cens11aq1ce4 - ens psuA-l
Tie - esppiei isus ~ nenbsr
y RGfdsnt 1s,k's M ursl addssss. 10
gether with Congrsssiooal preoesdGags |
which i was esssatial should b publish
I'd, preeludsd any oenment upon the po-
sition in which cur constitution has besn
left By the snsndnsnts which have been1
added BY Congress. Without any further
lishe = to.ths precise shaPs II which The
bill finally passed than ws passesssd when
we pennsd our STRUCTURES week before last,
but aeting spsn The reasonable prcsamp-
iioa il,st the notifications msde BY the
House in our boundary lines were con-
CURED in BY the Senate, We viii now
stale TO our readers, in Is full and clear
manner ~ the time stolen from the require
menes Il sick family will enable usto do,
.i.e course which full view Of the sub
ject points out to us 40 the most judicioas
for the friends Of Stale government to pur-
sue. The readers Of public print ex-
pect 10 find therein Il least suggestion a.
to the proper steps to BE- taken on every
Important emergency. To crafty this ex-
pectaiion, and not with the intention Of
debating opinions to our readers-still
less Of setting ourselves up on this sub
ject a. an exponant Of the democratic par
ty-is at present our chief object. The
opinions we put forth are our own, hon.
estly entertained, and will be received by
the public for what they are worth.
The particular mode agreed upon for
the ratification Of our constitution 10 sub
jet in which Congress feels no concern
ment. With that they have not interiered;
but it is 10 the amendments made BY them.
selves that they require the assent Of tho
State TO be given in manner clear, ex.
plicit, and subject TO no miseonstrueaion.
For this purpose they first imposed an
obligation upon u to raiify the conditions
annexed BY : new convention; but per-
ssis;ns, upon further examination Of the
constitution, thas Il wes evidently the de-
sire q the trainers Of that instrument to
avoid the election and assembling Of such
. body, for. that purpose providing for the
contingent ratification or rejection Of
amendments in two different ways, the
law was % changed - to conform in spirit
and intent 70 the mode established by the
convention. As It is now, we are re-
quired e declare our assent to the changes
made By Congress in one way Of two
either ''by vote Of a majority Of the quali-
fed electors Of the Territory, or by the
Stale Legislature"--and it il left optional
with u, or 4 least was intended to be %
left, to choose whichever mode we might
think proper. What, then, is to prevent
u'8 5hch . course as viii secure ito adop-
ton At the polls, and then when the pc
riod for electing the State Legislature ar
rivse, from choosing Representatives who
can be relied on to embody the popular
will BY protesting against and rejecting
the boundaries, - the ac4 admitting US ex-
presdy permits them to doa There is
nothing to prevent them from doing this
except the apprehension that vote in e.
vor Of the constitution wsuld be construed
into ratification Of the amendments.
Doubts are entertained BY many - to our
competency, under the Law and constitu-
ton, 10 disconnect the two questions; but
even admitting such doubts to Be well
bounded, the iaisat,on Of Congress il 80 APP
parent that il i unreasonable to suppose
hat that body would take advantage Of
lihe letter Of the constitution and force US
into The Union IN the face Of the rejection |
By the Legislature Of the circumscribed
boundary. The law evidently means what
1 says; and under that law the privilege
Il choosing between the two plans pointed
out Tor acaing upon the changes made BY |
Congress il clearly reserved to our people. |
70 our mind il seems to be preposterous in !
he extreme to suppose that the President,
ipon the ratification Of the constitution bv |
he people, without being officially advised
u the acceptance Of the conditions imposed, |
'nd before sufficient time had elapsed to !
snow whether or not the alternative Of
'cting upon such conditions BY the Legis-
allure had not been embraced, would pre-
naturely proceed to issue his proclamation,
y required BY law, declaring Iowa to be
J Stsie. OF such hasty and unauthorized
conduct on his part we should entertain no
ear; but, giving liberal Interpretation 70
b. law defining his duties in relation 10
be ineaning q our State, be would, there
an Be ~ dcobt, bsore proceeding step
. the mailer. first to . certainty ascertain
hat The contingency requiring his Interior
nos had actually happened, and the law
=. III