Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-04-21

t,ieif actS, LOT they not only voted that he
should not be punished, not even by the mild
/ reprlmand of the Speaker, but they rewarded
MN with ferry privilege, and forced char
Ter Tor such on the county of Scott contrary to
the expressed will of The inhabitants of tina,
ne'ghborhood, and against the unanimous Il
mad aim )st said unanimous, but no one of our
delegation voted throughout for WILSON, wish.
. es the Du Buque delegation, and am inform
ed the same majority voted him one hundred
and twenty dollars Of the peoples money for
his services, attending on the legislature. at
tempting to corrupt their agents, and make i'm.
pure the very source and fountain Of law and
justice. 20! rempora! o! horcs."
/ lcontess. felow-ci,izens, that felt no little
disgust and indignation a, such proceedings.
and was resolving in my own mind the best
mode by which could afford the people, or
at least my constituents, an opportunity to ex-
press their disapproba,ion of in my opinionl
such dishonorable conduct, but it was not long
until full opportunity was afforded me to de-
eide on the course which should pursue.
In the debate it was said by one of Wilson's
counses (Mr. Crimes shat he did DENY that
his client (Wilson) had offered McGregor the
hundred dollars, but that offer only proceeded
from generous heart, such a heart as he
| (Grmes) should be proud to possess Now,
it will be recolected that, that was the very
crime laid TO Wilson's charge, that he attempt
cd to corrupt one OF the peoples agents with
the offer OF bride. and in my remarks TO the
House, commented upon that passage, aud
counsel for the prisoner, (Mr. Grimes) boast.
ed that his client (Wilson) had committed
crime, and that he (Grimes) would be proud of
| hat hat
which ifcommitted only abou, forty miles from
this place. and within the boundaries of one
of our neighboring States, (Missouriy it would
subject him to the penitenlary for the term Of
seven years." Here MIR. Starr, another Of
MIR. Wilson's counsel, in very boisierous
manner said, at is false" which created cor
siderable excitement and uproar in the House:
Starr in the mean time was taken into the Gus
tody Of the rgeani-atArms, and so soon as
order was restored, Twas permitted to proceed
with my remarks, and read from the Missouri
Statutes the following passage in corrobora-
ton Of what | had above stated:
SEC. 1. Every person who shall, directly
Or indircciy, gee money. goods, right or action
or any other valuable consideration gra;;ss;; or
reward, or any promise, undertaking. or securi-
~ therefor 10 any officer Of this State or any
county,
Firs.--Wilh the .2tent TO n.y.. "'''cs rs role,
opinion, judgment, or decision, or any qurs,.~.',
matter cause, or proceeding, which may be
then pending. may by law be brought be-
fore him in his official capacity, or 10 induce
him TO neglect or omit the performance of any
official duty, or to perform such duty with par
TALLY or favor, or otherwise than is required
by law, shall, on conviction, be adiudgcd gull
t.,t a..
ry for a term not exceeding Seren years.
Now, te!low-ciizcns, compare the above
extract Of The Missouri law with Mr.. Wilson's
affidavit, and say have | asserted f.schood
in saying that Wilson was guilty of a crime
which would subject him. in Missouri. To the !
peniienilary. In ,ha, law, it is plainly laid
down that any person who shall promise or
girc q have italicized the n ords in the cNtrac,
that you may more particularly notice them
money or other raiuabh consideration, TO influ-
ence his vote, &c. &c. is 10 be considered gull
ty OF bribery, and 10 be punished accordingly I
In the penilentiary. Did not. then, Wilson give
a valuable consideration! if not, read The COPY
of his note attached TO his affidavit: for what
purpose was that note givenl was tnot Tor the
unhnIy purpose of influencing member to vote
contrary I" his own Judgment Of what was
right, and tia. which the public interest reoni.
red! If moi. read Wilson's Affidavit, and ,n
your own reflections and 10 your own Judgment
and decision leave this pa,l Of the subject,
The louise had now decided on. and acoui,-
ted Mr.. Wilson Of all crime and Of all con,emzi.
But Mr. Starr was yet in custody and must
be disposed Of some way or other Mr. Now
lin offered a resolution to discharge him forth
with. Mr.. Engle offered "A resolution to fine
him one hundred dollars and imprison him
twenty -four hours. This resolution of Mr.. |
Eng'e was only in accordance with a law Of
the Territory passed at the frs, session. which
punished with FIND not exceeding two hundred
dollars and with Imprisonment not exceeding
forty-ei2ht hours. any person wiifnlIy guilty
OF contempt, III The presence Of or during The
sitting of either House Of the LeIisIa.nre.---
Now, under this provision Of The law was Mr..
Starr guilty Of contempt! II he WAS, he should
have been punished, because the professional
class TO which he belongs should have taught
him better ideas of decorum, and a little more
respect for the dignity Of the law which con-
stiuted the assembly among whom he, by
courtesy, was permitted to sill, for in person
of less importance, such conduct ight well be
looked over. But a majority Of the House
seemed TO be determined that they could not
be insulted, nor condemned, by the offering Of
brihes, nor the rude ndecorum Of strangers,
for they rejected The resolution of Mr.. Enge
and adopted with applause the resolution Of
Mr.. Nowln, a Mr.. Jenkins at the same time
offering resolution TO give three cheers. These
last proceedings determined me in the course
l should pursue. could look upon it in no )
other view than this:-.-Y our agent was insult
ed in the conscientious discharge Of his official a
duty; he looked to the House for redress sup.
ported by respectable minority of that body.
a majority not only refused to do him justice !
but repeated the insuIt---an insult given TO one
Of your agents, and through him to the mnorl- 7, !,
~ with whom he had the honor TO act upon !,
This important question. "shal! the purity OF
eUislaii he ureserved >, c