Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/329



by a two-thirds vote of each branch of the Legislature, and became a law.

Among the important acts of this session was the repeal of the charter of the Miners’ Bank of Dubuque; abolition of the office of Territorial Agent, conferring his duties upon the Treasurer; incorporation of a University at Iowa City; a change of the name of Louisville to Ottumwa; the organization of Iowa and Marion counties.

The following joint resolution was passed:

“Resolved by the Council and House of Representatives, that our Delegate in Congress be instructed to insist unconditionally on the convention boundaries, and in no case accept anything short of the St. Peter on the north, and the Missouri on the west, as the northern and western boundaries of the State of Iowa.”

Mr. Dodge in his canvass for reëlection as Delegate, led his party in advocating the adoption of the rejected Constitution of 1844. The result of the election was 7,235 votes for the Constitution, and 7,656 against it. Thus it was again rejected by a majority of 421. General Dodge was reëlected over Ralph P. Lowe, Whig, by a majority of 831. Dodge had influence enough with President Tyler to prevent the removal of the Democratic Judges of the Territory—Mason, Wilson and Williams—but Governor Chambers, who was a Whig, was removed by President Polk in November, 1845, and James Clarke, a Democrat, was appointed his successor. Mr. Clarke had been Secretary of the Territory from 1839 to 1841, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1844. Jesse Williams was made Secretary of the Territory to succeed Samuel J. Burr, and Robert M. Secrest succeeded William L. Gilbert as Auditor.

The Eighth and last Territorial Legislature assembled at Iowa City on the 1st of December, 1845, and elected Stephen Hempstead President of the Council and George W. McCleary was chosen Speaker of the House.

Governor Clarke in his message deplored the rejection