PREFACE. THE object, purposes and scope of these publications of Documentary Material Relating to the History of Iowa are stated in the General Introduction: a restatement in this place would be mere supererogation. Criticisms call for an explanation of the method of editing the material herein contained. That the investigator may be his own judge of the value of this material, I have taken pains to indicate specifically at the end of each document the source from which the given document is reprinted or transcribed. And in transcribing I have followed the copy of the original literally: that is to say, I have avoided all tampering with the sources from which the material is drawn. As a result it will be observed that in these publications typographical errors are reproduced along with other peculiarities in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence construction, and such like. It is with pleasure that I take this opportunity of thanking those (especially my University students) who have rendered service in the way of copying material or comparing the proof-sheets with the originals. Mr. George S. Schaeffer and Mr. H. Claude Horack deserve special mention in this connection. Others to be mentioned in the same connection are: Messrs. F. D. Merritt, F. W. Beckman, J. R. Frailey and H. W. Hanson. To Dr. J. L. Pickard, Professor Isaac A. Loos, Mr. Charles Aldrich and Dr. T. S. Parvin I am grateful for encouragement. The numbers included in this volume were prepared and published as follows: numbers I. and II. early in the year 1895; numbers III. and IV. early in the year 1896; numbers V., VI. and VII. in the summer of 1896; and number VIII. in April, 1897. It is proposed to continue these publications as time and opportunity may permit. State University of Iowa, April, 1897. BENJ. F. SHAMBAUGH, THE ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA BY THE UNITED STATES. An Act to enable the President of the United States to take possession of the territories ceded by France to the United States, etc., The Proclamation of Governor Claiborne, The Address of Governor Claiborne, 40 An Act authorizing the election of a delegate from the Mich- igan territory to the Congress of the United States, and extending the right of suffrage to the citizens of said terri- An Act to provide for the appointment of an additional judge An Act in addition to an act, entitled "An act to amend the An Act to allow the citizens of the territory of Michigan to elect the members of their legislative council, etc., An Act to repeal all acts of the Parliament of England, and 74 |