The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-09-03
LEGISLATIVE PRINTING--PAR.
TY POLITICS,

We can trace the first open attempt to
draw the party lines in this Territory to
those who are the most interested in hav-
ing them drawn. 1t will be recollected
that when we first obtained portion of
the public printing after our removal to
this city, it awakened in our professional
opponents the most violent opposition.
Knowing as they did that the Legislature
then in session was composed of men,
bers who were elected irrespective of their
party predictions, our opponents never
theless called on them and used arguments
to urge them to draw the party lines
They knew if they could prevail upon the
Legislature to accede to their proposition,
that the first party measure to be adopted
would be to give them all the printing,
and we have reason to believe that to Sc
cure such result was the chief object of
all their clamor. Every means was put
in requisition to prevent us from having
the smallest share of the Legislative work.
The most odious epithets and the basest
motives were urged against us. But the
Legislature acted honestly and honorably
in the matter, aud we shall never forget
their patriotic impartiality. The first time
we obtained any of the incidental work Of
the Legislature, was on this wise:-The
proprietors of the Gazette had been EN-.
ployed TO do the whole. but being unable
to keep up with the Legislature, one of
them applied to us to TAX portion Of it
off their hands at the same price allowed
to them. We replied that under the cir
cumstances--as they had defeated us in
obtaining the smallest portion from the
Legislature--we must decline doing any
secondhand ,vork for the Legislature. but
if that Body wished to employ us, we
were on hand and should be glad of work.
Some of the members were made ac-
quanted with the facts, a resolution was
introduced which gave us part of the
printing, and we had as much as we could
do the remainder of that session.
The opposition to our having any of
the printing has been continued ever since,
and we have no doubt the great object our
opponents have i'll view in drawing party
lines is to deprive us of any portion of it
and secure al! for themselves. They do
this with the expectation that majority
Of the members to be returned will accord
liz political sentiment with them. In those
counties where they have any reason to
hope they have majority, exclusive par
ty tickets are nominated, and in those
counties where they consider the state of
parties at all doubtful. they deprecate
drawing the party lines, hoping by this
means to make division and secure a
portion of the members in such counties.
Now as we can see that the object they
wish to gain may lead to gross bribery in
placing men in the Legislature simply to
aggrandise them without regard to the
good of the people, and as aUo haze raerer
urged the people to dra,O the party lanes
and haze ,aever asked or expected all the
printing of the Legislature, it has been
suggested by many of our friends that it
would be proper for the candidates to ex-
press their views on this subject from the
stump. This suggestion has been made
not at our own instance but by those
whose opinions we respect, and as it in
wolves more than the mere circumstance
lof whether we shall or shall not be benefit
ed, we respectfully call upon the candi-
dates, to say whether they will be in favor
of giving all The Incidental printing Of the
Legislature to one Office exclusively OF
whether they are in favor of dividing il
equally between the two printing offices
now in Burlington.
We have extended the above remarks
beyond our intention; but before we close
J them we must notice most scandaloas
article which appeared in the Gazette du
ring our late absence, penned by its hsre
ing editor. After enviously enumerat
ing the probable sums we have received
from the Legislature--far more than j