adopt some certain
rules, by which those difficulties may be settled, and others
prevented. Therefore, we do covenant, and agree to adopt and support
the following articles.

Art. 1. This association shall be called the North Fork of Maquoketa
Association, for the mutual protection of settlers' claims on
Government Lands.

Art. 2. That there shall be elected by the subscribers, a President,
whose duty it shall be to call meetings to order, and preside as
Chairman, and to receive complaint and to appoint a Committee of three
from the Great Committee, to settle all difficulties that arise from
conflicting claims, and also to fill vacancies.

Art. 3. There shall be a Vice President elected, whose duty it shall
be to fill the office of President in his absence.

Art. 4. There shall be chosen a Secretary, whose duty it shall be to
keep a correct Journal of the acts and proceedings of each and every
meeting, and register all claims in a book kept by him for that
purpose, who shall receive the sum of 25 cents for the registering of
each and every claim.

Art. 5. There shall be elected a committee of nine men, to be called
the Grand Committee.

Art. 6. No settler shall be entitled to hold more than three quarter
sections of land. Each settler shall give in the numbers of the
quarter sections that he may claim. Each and every settler shall make
an improvement on his, her, or their claim, sufficient to show that
the same is claimed, previous to having the same recorded.

Art. 7. All minors under sixteen shall not be considered as holding
claims, either by themselves, parents, or otherwise.

Art. 8. The Secretary, at the request of eight subscribers, shall call
a meeting of the settlers, by advertising the same in three
different places, not less than ten days previous to the meeting.

Art. 9. No person shall have any attention paid to his, her, or their
complaint until they first subscribe to this Constitution.

Art. 10. All committees that shall sit or act under this constitution,
shall determine in their decision and declare which party shall pay
the costs, and each declaration shall be binding and be collected
according to the laws of this Territory.

Art. 11. When complaints shall be made to the President, he shall
immediately notify the sitting committee of three to meet at some
convenient place. Then if said committee be satisfied th