Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-02-03


spect due To the pubic as TO admit lntu
their columns, aad recommend u tue
pefnsal OF their readers, such tissue
OF base misrepresentation aud paipable
iblsehoods, as IS comprised IN the essay
OF .smericaRu8.
TINS writer, instead of controVerting
Mr.. Blrkbeck's arguments, rails al hia,
for being native OF England, and for
no; having been cUlzen tor more than
twelve months. lie accuses hun OF Is
Sung ga most violent and ABUSIVE
phiiippick against The government and
citizens OF the STAGE" and of "pablsa-
ing an abusive libel against the legisla-
ture." have examined Mr.. Bfk-
beck's pamphlet in vain 10 fnd any
thiag against "tbe government and CT
items of the sia,e;' and nothing which
he has published respecting the iegisa-
tnre can be deemed hbeilous, unless we
adopt the an,i-republican doctrine
=" fhr greafer tie truth The greater the
N5eI" But II is somewhat remarkable
tiat the wtiter who is SO tenderly alve
10 the reputation Of the legislature
this stickler Tor Legislative iniailibiiiiv,
should near the close oil his essay, brias
charges of the most alrocious nature
against the Genera Assembly. Docs
be not plainly intimate that IL is neces4a-
ry 10 have a restrictive clause IN the con-
sniutlon "to prevent the legislature
from trampiing ON The rights of the M
Dori;y, and roofing the hnbHc treasury
with impunliy !" Does he not tell us
thai we "haee seen every legislature,
since the formation of The government,
leglslatinB on contracts then ia es8e. and
CDdeavorinE to force on the minority a
spurious paper, in payment OF their
debts I" And does he not find fault with
" the iast legislainre," (mcaning The
Fresent one) for destroying the credi'
Of ,ha, paper, by publicly declaring lis
denrecla,on, fiXing their own compen-
eaton at double that which their prede-
eessers recei' ed, and compelling the
officers, excep, the governor, i,dges,
secretaries, door istepers, legislators, &c.
10 receive ii al par. or wait three years
for their tees :" Now, would ask if
Ate~ricanus has a right to erumble at
the legislature in this manner, whY has
not Mr.. B,rSheck an equal right to ex-
pres, his disapproha'ion Of transactions
which excited, at the lime, the united
sxecraions Of all parties and classes of
people ="
.4mericdaus tells U.s.
"At the meeting of the last legislature, the
election of Mr.. Hansen, member returned
for the county Of Pike, was contested by q
Dir. Shaw. and the election of Mr.. Ennnett
Of White county, bya Nr. Craw.
s. Now. by turn!ng to the Journal Of the
House Of Representatives, the reader
will perceive that Mr.. Shaw coRtes ell
Mr.. Hansen's election on the 4ih of De.
sember, 1922, and that Mr.. Craw dl1
mt contest Mr.. Enmilt'> ua'il The 1871
of February, 1928. Yet 4merica9us
saws that it was all done al The meeting
sFthe last tegistature.'
.Americanus Proceeds
e'i'he case of ir. Hansen coming or, was
referred to the proper committee, who, on tx-
aiming the papers, found that, at one of the
precincts there was some irregiuarty in ia
king the votes, a large majority of which was
sioners' Clerk, in making out the abstracts,
excluded these votes as illegal from }Ir. Shaw's
poll, which left ma iority for Hr. Hansen, TO
whom he gave certificate OF election.
The report Of he committee on cleo.
tions, in this case, nay be seen in the
Edwardsville Spectator, OF March 4,
1928 II makes no mention Of any" ire
galarity in taxing the Uotes." The only
ground taken by the cofnmittee, is this. |
The law requires tina. no testimony
shall be receive except such as is ta-
ken under notice given to the returned |
members within twenty DAYS aite~ the
election. No such testimony came be-
fore the committee or the House |
There was, therefore, nothing to invaf-
date Mr.. Hansen's RICH, to a seat. NJ.
Emmitt's right to seat might have
been defended on the same ground; for
Mr.. Craw directed his notice not to
John Emmitt, the returned member, bur |
to James Emmi,t, his son. Mr.. Dam
wood, OF Gallatln, member of the COM
mi,tee on elections, was suffered to holtl
his seat unmolested through the session,
merely because the opposing cand
date, (who is said to have received three
votes more than Mr.. d. neglected to
notify him within twenty days after the
election. Let it be remembered thar
the principle established by the House
en- the 9th Dec. 1922, was Confirmed by
the same body on the 9th Of Feb. 1928:
for the only alteration which they made