and especially to prevent its spreading from districts now infected to the cattle-producing fields and ranges of the west.

Resolved, That the secretary of state be requested to furnish a copy of this memorial to each of the senators and representatives of the state of Iowa.

Approved, March 6, 1884.

NUMBER 8.

HOME FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS.

JOINT RESOLUTION in Relation to a Branch Home for Disabled Volunteer

Soldiers.

WHEREAS, the Hon. W. B. Allison has a bill now pending in congress, for the location and erection of a branch home for disabled volunteer soldiers, at some suitable point, in either the states of Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri or Nebraska, to cost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars; and,

WHEREAS, It is desirable for Iowa to secure said institution for disabled volunteer soldiers and sailors; therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That a committee of five-three from the house and two from the senate -be appointed to confer with the board of managers of the home for disabled volunteer soldiers, and if possible secure the location of said branch home in Iowa.

Approved, March 14, 1884.

NUMBER 9.

RAILROAD LAND-GRANTS.

JOINT RESOLUTION in Regard to Grants of Public Lands to Railroads.

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

FIRST. That in view of the rapid absorption of the public lands of the United States fit for settlement, we do hereby earnestly request our senators and representatives in congress to use their influence so that where grants of public land have been made directly to any corporation to aid in building railroads, and the terms of said grants have not been substantially complied with, steps may be immediately taken to have the unearned por

tion of such lands revert to the United States that the same may be thrown open to settlement.

SECOND. That the secretary of state be and he is hereby instructed to transmit a copy of the foregoing resolution to each of our senators and representatives in congress.

Approved, March 27, 1884.

NUMBER 10.

PORTRAITS OF DECEASED GOVERNORS FOR NEW CAPITOL.

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

That the governor of the state, Hon. Buren R. Sherman, be and he is hereby authorized and directed to procure to be executed in oil by competent artists the portraits of Hon. Ralph P. Lowe one of the former governors, and of Hon. Augustus C. Dodge, one of the former representatives and U. S. Senators of the State of Iowa, Governor Chambers and Covernor Glark, territorial governors, and all deceased state governors which the state does not already possess, with the appropriate mounting, to be placed in the executive chamber or other appropriate place in the capitol, and to meet the cost thereof, there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum sufficient to pay the same to be paid upon warrants drawn upon the treasurer by the auditor upon the order of the governor.

Approved, March 27, 1884.

NUMBER 11.

MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION, Relative to Free Homes for all Surviving Soldiers and Sailors of the Union Army.

WHEREAS, Under the provisions of the homestead laws of congress, it is impossible for many of the soldiers and sailors of the late war to avail themselves of the provisions of said law, by reason of ill-health, caused by injuries and disease, received and contracted while in the service of their country, and for want of means to locate and improve homesteads as required by law; and,

WHEREAS, There is yet belonging to the United States Government enough land to give every soldier and sailor a home without detriment to the public interest; therefore,

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

That our senators and representatives in congress be requested to use their utmost endeavors to secure the passage of a law, at this session of congress, giving to every honorably discharged soldier and sailor of the late war, a patent for one hundred and sixty (160) acres of the public land as a home, without requiring them to settle thereon, and that the title thereto be made non-transferable, or with such conditions attached as will secure to the soldier or sailor, or their families, all the benefits of such grant, and debar the speculator from procuring and holding the same for speculative purposes; and further that such homesteads be exempt from taxation for ten years, and also be exempt from all debts contracted or incurred by such soldiers or sailors for a like period.

Resolved, That the secretary of state be directed to forward a copy of these resolutions to each of our senators and representatives in congress. Approved, March 29, 1884.

NUMBER 12.

PENSIONS FOR PRISONERS.

A MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS Asking that Certain Prisoners of the War of the Rebellion Be Placed on the Pension Rolls.

WHEREAS, Many officers, soldiers and sailors of the federal army and navy were confined in so-called confederate prisons for an unusual length of time, suffering great hardships and contracting disease hard and difficult to prove under existing pension laws; and

WHEREAS, Hon. James S. Robinson of Ohio, has introduced in the forty-eigth congress a bill (No. 1189) "granting pension to all soldiers, sailors and marines who, while in the service of the United States, and while in the line of their duty, were taken prisoners, and as such confined in the so-called confederate prisons between the first day of May 1861, and the first day of May 1865, as follows:

"All who were prisoners of war two months and less than six months, one-half pension; those who were prisoners of war six months, and less than twelve months, a three fourths pension; and all such as were prisoners of war twelve months and more than twelve months, a total pension,

"And furthermore, such surviving prisoners of war shall receive two dollars per day, for each day and every day's confinement in said confederate military prisons.

"Provided That such pension shall in each case begin from the date of the passage of this act, and shall be paid at the same time and in the same manner as other pensions are now paid and,

"Provided further, That this act shall not entitle any person to draw more than one pension but that such survivors of, the so-called confederate military prisons, as are entitled and are receiving a pension at the time of

the passage of this act shall be entitled to the increase of their pension, which this act may grant them."

Therefore, be it Resolved by the House of the Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That our representatives in congress be requested and senators therein instructed, to use their best endeavors to secure the passage of an act by congress in accordance with the provisions of said Robinson bill No. 1189. Approved, March 29, 1884.

NUMBER 13.

AGREEING TO CERTAIN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

JOINT RESOLUTION Agreeing to Certain Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Iowa Proposed by the Nineteenth Genreal Assembly.

WHEREAS, The nineteenth general assembly of the state of Iowa did in due form by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, agree to the following proposed amendments to the constitution of the state of Iowa, viz:

AMENDMENT 1. The general election for state, district county and township officers, shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.

AMENDMENT 2. At any regular session of the general assembly the state may be divided into the necessary judicial districts for district court purposes, or the said districts may be reorganized and the number of the districts and the judges of said courts increased or diminished; but no reorganization of the districts or diminution of the judges shall have the effect of removing a judge from office.

AMENDMENT 3. The grand jury may consist of any number of members, not less than five, nor more than fifteen, as the general assembly may by law provide, or the general assembly may provide for holding persons to answer for any criminal offense without the intervention of a grand jury. AMENDMENT 4. That section 13 of article 5 of the constitution be stricken therefrom, and the following adopted as such section.

SECTION 13. The qualified electors of each county shall, at the general election in the year 1886, and every two years thereafter, elect a county attorney, who shall be a resident of the county for which he is elected, and who shall hold his office for two years, and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. AND WHEREAS, The said proposed amendments were entered on the journals of the said houses with the ayes and nays thereon, and were referred to the legislature to be chosen at the next general election, and the same having been published as provided by law, therefore,

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

That the said proposed amendments to the constitution of the state of Iowa, be and the same are hereby agreed to, viz:—

AMENDMENT 1. The general election for state, district county and township officers shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.

AMENDMENT 2. At any regular session of the general assembly, the state may be divided into the necessary judicial districts for district court purposes, or the said districts may be reorganized and the number of the districts and the judges of said courts increased or diminished; but no reorganization of the districts or diminution of the judges shall have the effect of removing a judge from office.

AMENDMENT 3. The grand jury may consist of any number of members not less than five, nor more than fifteen, as the general assembly may by law provide, or the general assembly may provide for holding persons to answer for any criminal offense without the intervention of a grand jury.

AMENDMENT 4. That section 13 of article 5 of the constitution be stricken threfrom, and the following adopted as such section.

SECTION 13. The qualified electors of each county shall, at the general election in the year 1886, and every two years thereafter elect a county attorney, who shall be a resident of the county for which he is elected, and shall hold his office for two years, and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.

Approved, March 29, 1884.

NUMBER 14.

DES MOINES RIVER LANDS.

JOINT RESOLUTION AND MEMORIAL, of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa Relating to the Des Moines River Lands.

WHEREAS, The settlers upon what is known as the lands granted to the Des Moines Navigation and Railroad Company believe that no action has ever been, relating to these lands in which the United States and the interest of the United States have been fairly properly and adequately represented in court; and

WHEREAS, The said settlers desire that the United States may be fairly and fully represented in the court; therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Iowa, the Senate concurring:

That our senators and representatives in congress be earnestly requested to exert themselves to secure the prompt passage of a bill which shall in