ous" items relative to (_a_)
the jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace, (_b_) the size of new
counties, and (_c_) the location of lands granted to the State.

Article XIII. on "Schedule" provided, among other things, that
the Governor should by proclamation appoint the time for holding the
first general election under the Constitution; but such election must
be held within three months of the adoption of the Constitution.
Likewise, the Governor was empowered to fix the day of the first
meeting of the General Assembly of the State, which day, however, must
be within four months of the ratification of the Constitution by the
people.

It is, moreover, interesting to note that while the Constitution of
1844 prescribed in general outline a system of county and township
government, the Constitution of 1846 left the whole matter of local
government to future legislation.

XVII

THE NEW BOUNDARIES

While the people of the Territory of Iowa were preparing for and
holding a second Constitutional Convention, and while they were
debating the provisions of the new Constitution of 1846, Congress was
reconsidering the boundaries of the proposed State. The matter had
been called up early in the session by the Iowa Delegate.

Mr. Dodge, having been re-elected, returned to Washington with the
determination of carrying out his instructions so far as the boundary
question was concerned. And so, on December 19, 1845, he asked leave
to introduce "A Bill to define the boundaries of the State of
Iowa, and to repeal so much of the act of the 3rd of March, 1845, as
relates to the boundaries of Iowa." The original copy of this bill,
which has been preserved in the office of the Clerk of the House of
Representatives, bears testimony to Mr. Dodge's fidelity to promises
made to the people; for the description of boundaries therein is a
clipping from the Preamble of the printed pamphlet edition of the
Constitution of 1844. In discussing the question later in the session
he referred to his pledges as follows: "I know, Mr. Chairman, what are
the wishes and sentiments of the people of Iowa upon this subject. It
is but lately, sir, that I have undergone the popular ordeal upon this
question; and I tell you, in all candor and sincerity, that I
would not be in this Hall to-day if I had not made them the most
solemn assurances that all my energies and whatever influence I
possessed would be exerted to procure for them the fifty-seven
thousa