Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/384



The financial condition of the State was reported as follows: the amount of money on hand and received for the two years ending November 4, 1850, $90,444.33; amount paid out for the same period, $90,442.94; balance in the treasury, $1.39. The estimated revenue for the next year, $56,538.33, exclusive of the delinquent taxes of former years. On the 4th of December the votes for Governor were canvassed by the General Assembly in joint convention, and Stephen Hempstead was declared elected for the term of four years and delivered his inaugural address.

During the session the following new counties were established:

Union, Adams, Adair, Cass, Montgomery, Mills, Bremer, Butler, Grundy, Hardin, Franklin, Wright, Risley, Yell, Greene, Guthrie, Audubon, Carroll, Fox, Sac, Crawford, Shelby, Harrison, Monona, Ida, Wahkaw, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Buena Vista, Cherokee, Plymouth, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Clay, O’Brien, Sioux, Howard, Mitchell, Worth, Winnebago, Bancroft, Emmet, Dickinson, Osceola and Buncombe.

The act providing for a Board of Public Works was repealed and provisions made for a Commissioner and Register to carry on the improvement of the Des Moines River. Wm. G. Haun of Clinton County, introduced a bill in the House to prohibit free negroes and mulattoes from settling in the State. It met with strong opposition, but finally passed the House by a vote of twenty yeas to fifteen nays. In the Senate the vote stood nine yeas to seven nays. The Governor approved it and it became a law. The commissioners appointed to revise and codify the laws of the State had completed their work and reported to the Legislature for approval. Upon consideration some amendments were made, after which it was adopted and ordered printed. The law was to take effect July 1, 1851. There were printed with the code the following documents: The Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Ordinance of 1787, Constitution of the