The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-15
In 1870 This Was One Of the Issues
In the Convention Which Perry
c. Ellis Recalls In a Bit Of
"Reminiscences.
TOWN FILES MEMORIALS
Warsaw Also Got Busy and Went
After the Convention in Hopes
of Landing the Nations
Buildings.

The capital OF the United States OF
the Mississippi river was the dream o
Nauvoo at one, time, and concerts
fight to have the capital removed t
the Mormon city took place in the
convention of 1870 Perry c. Ellis il
the Quincy Wing tells of the fight IL
the following bit of reminiscent his
tory:
The contention for the removal OF
the national capital 10 the Mississippi
valley is almost forgotten, but g
review of the records Of the Illinois
constitutional convention OF 1870
shows very persistent agitation al
that time.
Nauyoo and Warsaw, in the county
of Hancock were rival claimants 10
the great distinction, the former hav-
ing the endorsement OF the Hancock
county board of supervisors, and the
latter that OF the Warsaw city coun-
ell and number of Warsaw citizens
who afterward became prominent in
the affairs of the county, among them
Col Ben F. Marsh. congressman for
several terms, and Charles Hay, Of the
noted family % which the late Secre
tary OF State John Hay was member.
From Sterling, Whitesi6s county, also
came a memorial 10 The constitutional
convention, authorizing the cession o.
certain lands as Z site for the national
capital That the removal OF the ma
tional capital 70 the interior Of the
country was very seriously urged at
the time is shown By the fact that the
constitutional convention Of 1870 fin
ally went on record IN = resolution ad-
vocating the removal, but not desig. !
mating any particular site.
Nauvoo Had Memorial.
The first of the memorials asking
action By the constitutional convention I
came from Nauvoo in the form OF q
resolution adopted by the Hancock /
county board OF supervisors as fol. |
lows:
Whereas. the people OF the Missis- |
sippi valley, and Of the west generally, |
are of the opinion that the national i
capital ought TO be, and soon will be
removed from its present location to 1
the banks of the Mississippi river;
Whereas, also. in the judgment of |
the board Of supervisors of Hancock /
county, Nauyoo, in said county, is the
most central, healthy and beautiful
place for the location OF the national .
capital within the United States, and,
Whereas, it is believed that before
such removal viii be made, iurfsdic-
ton must be ceded by the state in
which such capital shall be located, to
the United States, over 4 sufficient
district OF country, for the use Of such
capital; therefore
Resolved, That our representative
In the convention to amend the con-
of the state Of Illinois. be
and Is hereby requested to use all hon.
orable means TO secure the passage Of
an ordinance by said convention to be
submitted to the people of the state of
Illinois, ceded to the United States of
America, Jurisdiction over fractional
townships s and north, in range s
and s, west of the fourth PRINCIPAL
and so much thereof as may
be desired by the United States, upon :
the condition that the national capital :
Of the United States be removed from
its present locality at Washington in
the District Of Columbia TO Nauyoo. :
in the district to be ceded to the :
United States =
+N~%-SA'-%I AAAf%b LA44S OLutT De cSTtl-
fled by the clerk Of this county to the ;
Hon. David Ellis, representative in =
said convention from said county of +
The Resolutions.
On the basis of the resolutions the =
was asked 10 adopt the fol- r
lowing:
Be II ordained by the people of the >
state of Illinois. in convention assem-
bled, that Jurisdiction be. and hereby
-. ceded by the state OF Illinois to the
United States Of America over fac
tional townships 6 and 7 north in '
ranges 8 and 9 west Of the 4th princf-
pal meridian, and situated in Hancock
county, or so much thereof as the Unit.
ed States may desire, TO be used Inv
the United States as and for the loca-
ton Of the capital Of the United
States. This cession Of Jurisdiction m
take effect and be in force from and
after the passagle Of an act of congresz !
for the removal OF the said {
national capital to the district hereby {
coded. /
This certificate was attached to the Z
resolution: Z
State of Illinois, Hancock County
l, Robert NcClaughery, CLERK Of the I
county court and Of the board Of gu.
peryisors, within and for the county
and state aforesaid, do hereby certify