exageration to say, that a failure on the part of the government to make provision for the payment of these demands would seriously embarrass many of our citizens, and in some instances would be attended with absolute ruin. The printers, for instance, whose claims amount to some thousands of dollars, and who have actually expended thousands for the Territory, are yet unpaid. They rely, however, as heretofore, on the justice of Congress; and I sincerely hope, when your committee learns the necessity of the case, that you will not allow their hopes to be disappointed. The Secretary of the Treasury calls upon the Governors of the Territories for estimates for the expenses for the succeeding year, and an estimate is submitted, usually in round numbers. But it is as impossible to calculate the expenses of government in this Territory, for a particular year, as it is to calculate to the precise dollar the expenses of Congress; and there would be quite as much justice in withholding pay from the creditors of the general government, when the expenses exceed the estimates, as to do so to citizens of Iowa, merely because the Territory has exceeded the appropriation. The appropriations of Congress, for several years past, show that it has never been expected of the Territories that they would confine their expenditures within the limits of the appropriation; for, as is asked for in the present case, additional sums have been appropriated at almost every session within the last ten years to defray expenses incurred by previous legislatures. It has been so in regard to Wisconsin every year since her organization, and it was also so in the case. of Iowa last year. Why a similar course should not be pursued the present year, I am at a loss to conceive. The expenses of the Territory have been about the same as usual, and will not much, if any, exceed those of Wisconsin and Florida. The citizens of Iowa, during the last year, have paid into the national Treasury about a million of dollars for public lands; and an equally large amount will no doubt be contributed by them during the present year. Is it too much, then, for the Territory to ask of Congress, her guardian, an appropriation of money sufficient to dis charge honest, just and necessary claims against her, held by numerous and needy individuals? Very respectfully, JAMES CLARKE Secy of Terrytory CONTRIBUTORS EDMUND CHRISTIAN NELSON, Fellow in History at The State CHARLES ALDRICH, Curator of the Historical Department of CLARENCE WYCLIFFE WASSAM, Instructor in Economics and |