Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-05-17
tiovERNOR;s MESSAGE.
Fsllosc citisnsiofi The CoGmeil,

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&1fta eseS - fa-- 81 TH
Fallosc citisnsiof The Cossmcil, ;s
and cfhs Hauss Of Representatives.: il.
Since the last meeting Of the Legislative
Assemblythe people ofths Territory have
had renewed cause Of gratitude to the moss
High, for the many and great. blessings
with which he has favored them, And e.
pecially for the general prevalence Of health
and abundant supplies Of the necessaries
and comforts Of life.., &. s.. s..
The tide Of emigration continues to.ppur
into our favored land numerous and intel
ligent population FROM. almost every State
Of the Union, aud you enjoy k'high and
proud privilege in representing in, the law
making department Of the territorial Cow
eminent, people Of whom it may be Justly
said, that in proportion to. their numbers,
they possess as much intelligence, morality
and religion, as any other within the wids
limits Of our national sovereignty. Igives
me pleasure to inform you that the laws
have been duly administered and the du-
ties of the public fanctionaries faithfully
performed. -
The act of the Legislature ofthe 18th Of
February 1874, "to provide for the ex-
preston Of the opinion of the people Of the
territory Of Iowa upont the subject Of State
Constitution for the. State of Iowa" result
cd, as you know, in the vote of q majority
in favor of convention, and delegates 10
form Constitution having been elected in
conformity to the provisions of the act they
assembled at the Capitol in November last
and performed the duty assigned them =
The Constitution as it came from the hands
of the Convention was presented to Con-
gress at the last session, and an act was
passed by that body for the admission Of
Iowa into the Union as State, upon GER
tain conditions, among which was our &C.
ceptance of boundary SO greatly curtailing
on the North and West, the limits of the
proposed State, as included in the bounda-
~ adopted BY the Convention, as to cause
very general dissatisfaction among the peo-
pie ofthe territory-indeed such 5 the gem
eral repugnance to the boundary offered us
by Congress that l believe 1t will with
great reluctance be acceded to, at any time.
The vote taken at the election in last
month for and against the Constitution, ii
conformity to the provisions Of the act d
the 18th Of February 1874, to which I have
before referred, though not yet officially as
certained, has certainly resulted in the re-
lection Of that instrument, and there is rea-
son to believe that the boundary offered us
by Congress had much influence in. pro-
ducing that result. The rejection Of the
Constitution by the vote Of the people will
impose upon you the necessity Of further
Legislation preparatory to presenting anew
TO Congress our claims to admission into The
Union. -,
The opinion prevails with many of our
fellow, citizens that at present, and under
existing circumstances, majority would
prefer to, remain under the Territorial gov
ernment TO mourning the responsibilities
and expenses, of State government, and
"a proper respect for the respectable minor
tity who voted against Convention last
year, and the well known fact that many
who voted for It have Since changed their
opinion, would seem to justify, if not re-
Equire, that the question be again submitted
TO the people, whether or not they will al
this time have Convention, especially as
no time win Be lost in again presenting our
claims for admission into the Union. if the
majority should at the next August election
vote for Convention--and in that case
the course pursued under the act Of I2tb
February 1874. would bring us to the
same result, in time to present the Consti-
tuition to the new Congress at its first SEES
aion.
The contested boundary between the
State Of Missouri and this Territory, has
recently produced consequences greatly to
be regretted. Two individuals, the Sher-
If and deputy Sheriff of the County ol
fAdair In Missouri, which has been SO or
gained as to embrace part Of our county
Of Davis, have been indicted in that county
the Sheriff for exercising his office within
our boundary, without legal authority and
contrary to our Statute, and the deputy for
arresting in Davis county and falsely i'm
prisoning i citizen of this Territory. In
The latter case trial. was had at the last
term Of the District Court in that county,
which resulted in. aconviction and SEN
tence Of fine and ten days imprisonment in
the Penitentiary. The trial Of the Sheriff
was continued until the next term Of the
Court, and upon his refusal to enter Into a
reeosnizance without security for his
appearance, the court ordered him to be
committed to prison. The moment re-
ceived such information in relation to these
transactions as could rely upon, / par
doned Linder (the convicted deputy Sher-
iff) and RENTED his fine, and at the same
time pardoned Mullinix, the Sheriff, the
offence for which he stood indicted, and di..
rected the officer having him in custody to
release him. There can be no doubt that
these men. in the conmission of the often.
ees against our laws, for which they were
indicted, acted under the authority Of the
State Of Missouri, and in what they consi-
dered the discharge Of their official duty,
and hence, as Wen as 70 satisfy the atithot-
tiles Of Missouri, that We are. ~ no means
disposed 10 prosecute this unfortunate con-
tro;versy in . vindictive spirit, ! deemed il
my duty to relieve their citizens from the
difficulties into which they had fallen -
This CONTROVERSY Is to be regretted, mol
only, for the immediate and probable effects
of i; but because the Territorial Govern,
ment has no power to adjust it, q join il