Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/28

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

vey it was doubtless the intention of the promoters of the law that the work should be carried on until a thorough survey and geological examination of the entire State had been made. But the extent of the work was dependent upon biennial appropriations, and when such appropriations failed, the work was necessarily suspended. Halls’ survey was confined largely to the east half of the State. Dr. White therefore began his work in the western half and, during the years 1866-1867, the work was largely carried on in the southern and middle portions of western Iowa. At the close of 1867 a preliminary report was made to the Legislature together with articles prepared and given to the newspapers during the period, all of which were published in pamphlet form. The field work for 1868-1869 was principally carried on in northwestern Iowa.

During the year 1866 there was growing up a serious estrangement between president Johnson and a large majority of the Republican members of Congress. The President was strongly urging Congress to admit Senators and Representatives from the States lately in rebellion to seats in that body so that the citizens of those States might be again represented. He urged in his message to Congress that, as these States had adopted the amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the existence of slavery, had repealed the ordinances of secession and repudiated all debts created for revolutionary purposes, that they should be restored to their places in the Union by the admission of their duly elected members of Congress. A majority of the Republican members of Congress were unwilling to restore these States to their former relations until further legislation was enacted for the protection of the colored race lately held in slavery. Congress framed and passed an act to establish a “Bureau for the Relief of the Freedom” in the late slave States. The President vetoed the bill and returned it with his objections. The bill was passed over the President’s veto, in