men who were industriously
breaking the prairies, clearing the forests, and raising corn preferred
to invest their small earnings in lands and plows and live stock.

An attempt was made to answer this argument. It was confidently asserted
that the additional expense entailed by a State government would not
exceed thirty thousand dollars annually. Nor would this amount
have to be contributed by the people of Iowa, since it was estimated
that the benefits to be derived from the Distribution Act would more
than meet all additional obligations. Besides the State would receive
five hundred thousand acres of land as a gift; while all the lands
reserved for the support of schools could, under State organization, be
used for such purposes.

The answer was of little avail. No one could predict with certainty the
operation of the Distribution Act. Under the circumstances a majority of
the voters were not willing to abandon the Territorial organization for
the "dignity" of a Commonwealth government. At the general elections in
August, 1842, every County in the Territory returned a majority
_against_ a Convention. Again the existence of the Organic Act of 1838
as a code of fundamental law was prolonged by a vote of the people.

Again the agitation for a State Constitution remained in abeyance for
over a year, that is, from August, 1842, to December, 1843. In the
meantime there were at least some immigrants who did not "prefer States
to Territories." By May, 1844, the population of the Territory numbered
over seventy-five thousand souls.

When the Legislative Assembly met in December, 1843, Governor Chambers
was confident that the population of Iowa had "attained a numerical
strength" which entitled the people to a participation in the government
of the Union and to the full benefits of local legislation and
local self-government. He therefore recommended in his message that
provision be made for ascertaining the wishes of the people "in relation
to this important matter." At the same time he advised the Assembly to
"apply to Congress to fix and establish, during its present session, a
boundary for the proposed State, and to sanction the calling of a
Convention and to make provision for our reception into the Union as
soon as we shall be prepared to demand it."

The Governor's reference at this time to a possible boundary dispute is
interesting in the light of subsequent events. He says: "The
establishment of a boundary for us