Whereas the admission of the Territory of Iowa as a sovereign state of the Union would, in our opinion, if Florida is not at the same time admitted, give an undue preponderance in the National Councils to the Northern and non-slaveholding States, and tend to destroy that balance of power which ever ought to prevail between the conflicting and sectional interests of the Republic, and Whereas, we are warned by facts and circumstances most significant, that the interests and institutions peculiar to ourselves, and the South generally, will be assailed with renewed vehemence, and that it is a duty which we owe to our Southern brethren of the confederacy generally, as well as to ourselves, to seek and gain admission to the Union as an independent State, in order that we may have our due weight and just share of influence in the Congress of the United States, And although the individual interests of the people of Florida, who are just recovering from the desolating and ruinous effects of a protracted Indian war, as well as from very general and severe pecuniary embarrassments, might perhaps be better advanced by remaining still longer in a Territorial Government, yet in view of the more important and paramount interests above suggested and believing that the people of Florida are ready and willing to make any and all reasonable sacrifices for the general good, therefore, Resolved, that it is expedient and proper in our opinion that Florida should be brought into the Union as an independent and sovereign State, at the same time that Iowa shall be admitted. Resolved, that our Delegate in Congress be requested, in case Iowa is admitted, or seeks admission to the Union, to use his utmost endeavors to procure the passage of a law admitting Florida also to the Confederacy, and to endeavor to introduce into the same a provision for the future division of the State which will secure to us the right of ultimately forming two States out of the present Territory as was contemplated and secured to us by the treaty of eighteen hundred and nineteen with Spain. Adopted by the Senate 23rd January [1845] Thos. F. King Secy. Senate Adopted by the House 25th January 1845 H. Archer Secty. H o Rep William A. Forward Speaker of the House of Representatives George N. Macrae President of the Senate Approved January 27th 1845 Jno. Branch Gov. of Florida