Beschreibung:

Title: Constitution of the State of Jefferson. And Constitution of the Provisional Government of Jefferson Territory. [Published in] Rocky Mountain News Vol. I, Nos. 13 and 22, August 20 and October 20, 1859. Author: ** Place: Auraria and Denver, K. T. Publisher: Rocky Mountain News Date: 1859 Description: Two issues, each 4 pages. (Folio) 22x16. Housed in a custom folder and morocco backed slipcase. First and only printings of the Constitutions of both the proposed State of Jefferson and of the Proposed Territory of Jefferson. Issue number 13 contains the complete thirteen article Constitution of the State of Jefferson in its first printed form; Schedule; An Act to Apportion the Representation in the First General Assembly of the State of Jefferson; A Memorial of the People of the Proposed Territory of Jefferson to the Congress of the United States, in which the petitioners state that their settlements fall into the loose boundaries of four different territories, and ask to be set apart as a separate government. The Preamble bounds the proposed state 37o to 43o North latitude and 102o to 110o west longitude, starting where Kansas proposed to leave off. Issue 22 contains the Proceedings of the Convention to Form a Provisional Government for the Territory of Jefferson; To the People of the Territory of Jefferson; and the first printing of the eight article Constitution of the Provisional Government of Jefferson Territory. The second section cites the reasons why the government was being formed: “The laws of Kansas do not extend over us until the Indian title to the lands is extinguished… We have no Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction or of Appeal…Pending the action of Congress in our case we have no protection for life or property but the code of Lynch Law…It now becomes the duty of every good citizen who has the interest of his country at heart, to support the Government so formed, as it is our only resource against anarchy and confusion, and our only protection for life and property…” At the end of this section the names of the nominees for the provisional convention are appended, headed by R. W. Steele, Governor. The Territory of Jefferson was an extralegal, unrecognized territory of the United States that existed from October 24, 1859, until the creation of the Territory of Colorado on February 28, 1861. The government of the territory, while democratically elected, was never recognized by the United States Government, although it managed the territory with relatively free reign for 16 months. The area was originally a part of Kansas territory designated Arapahoe County. In 1855, the Kansas Territorial legislature designated Arapahoe County as the area “Beginning at the northeast corner of New Mexico, running thence north to the south line between Utah and Kansas Territories, to where said line strikes New Mexico; thence along he line between said New Mexico and the Territory of Kansas to the place of beginning.” See Eberstadt 166:25, listing three issues of the Rocky Mountain News, 11-13, which deal with the constitution of the State of Jefferson; but Eberstadt did not have the 22nd issue containing the constitution of Jefferson Territory. Neither issue in Decker; Graff; Wynar, Colorado Bibliography; Streeter Sale; Holliday Sale; Snider Sale; etc. Lot Amendments Condition: Formerly folded, now flattened, old folds and creases, few breaks at fold joints, else very good. Item number: 193566