The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-09

lreeiy used for the distribution of the re
port OF the FIVE administration members O
the committee, private means are to be re
sorted to TO distribute the report Of tn,
ionr minority members.
IL is circumstance, not the least re
markable in this extraordinary case. tina
the, individual members of the maioril,
refused to recognize or adopt the reason
ing OF the report, but were entirely salts
ned it'll the conclusions drawn from it
while the author of the repor, was equal !,
well satisfied with his own reasoning, bu
could not adop, the conclusions. as evinc
ca by his refusal to vote for the resolution
based upon it. though present at the time
FOR every ,fact here stated, we pledge
ourselves to produce the proof whenever
called on. either !iefore tie House or the
country; they are facts on record. to be
found on the journals of the committee and
of the House,
Ard now, we ask by whom those five
gentlemen have been elected? By the peo-
pie of New Jersey or by the friends Of
the administration in Congress-! And
have we said TOO much in characterising
this proceeding as novel, extraordinary,
and appalling? Have we done more or
less than our duty as citizens of this re-
public, and as Representatives of the peo-
pie, in thus calling yonr attention, EN-
phatlcally, to this subject, in warning
you of your danger. and in asserting the
necessity OF an immediate interposition of
the majesty of the people, at the ballot
boxes, 10 correct such monslrous abuses
in future?
It has been said, and was generally un-
derstood, that the party in power had, in
secret caucus, resolved on the necessity
of admitting the administration claimants,
to carry through some of the odious
schemes of the presen, administration;
still We hoped that, before they struck
the final blow, they might be induced to
listen to reason and to justice. We APP
peaed. but we appealed i'll vain = their re-
solution was as determined as it was I'M
just; they voted, and succeeded, and that
by bnasied majority of thirty.
How was that majority obtained Only,
because some Of the members regarding
the outrage as highly gross and violent,
refused to vote. or contribute to the for
nation ola quorum, for the adoption of a
report and resolution not founded, as we
ali conceived, on the testimony of the
case, and not warranted or justified by
any consideration whatever.
A noble suhjec, for boasting, truly.
Let Them make the most of it. 1t is mat
ter ofprlde TO us, that we at least, resisted
it, and resisted to the last.
We feel that we have discharged our
duty; if you are two Indifferent to your
own liberties to discharge yours, belt so
the consequences must fall partially on
yourselves, but mainly on your posterity ;
but as citizens of this republic, we tell
you we are mournfully apprehensive for
the future. and that you NAV not think we
are too grave and 100 solemn, on this Vi
tally important question, we beg leave re-
specially to invite your attention to pro-
ceedings in several of the State Legisla-
lures, particularly those of New Jersey,
Massachusetts,, New York and Virginia,
and to the special message of the Execu-
tive Of the las, mentioned Commonwealth,
and if all this does not arouse YOU to the
importance of this subject, all further eff
fort on our part will be vain.
But we will not permit ourselves to in.
dulge in any apprehensions-we are not
yet old enough-we have not yet come to
that pass when those who are clothed
with power for the protection of our liber-
ties, can be sustained in such an en-
croachlnent on the rights of the people,
either for the purpose of propiia,ing Ex-
ecutive favor on the one hand, or of
perpe'ua'ing political power on the other.
We respectfully ask that our report,
which thnse who should have acted upon
it. have refused to receive, (,he frs, in
stance of tn kind, as we believe, thai.
has occurred in the Governmen,) may
meet with that calm, temperate and I'M
prejudiced deIihera,ion to witch i, is en-
titled from the importance of TIC question
involved.
WILLARD FILLMORE,
j. V. BDTrS.
GEO. w. C ABB,
TRUMAN SMITH.
Ia ~