The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-23
LETTER FROM OUR DELEGATE.

LETTER FROM OUR DELEGATE.
The following communication from the
Hon. w. w. CHAPMAN, will be read with
interest by those to whom it is address
I ed. In noticing this communication it is
far from being our intention to influence
our readers one way or the other in re-
ference to the approaching canvass for
delegate to Congress. We consider a
discussion of his merits as candidate,
entirely foreign to this notice. In an Or
binary state of things, no. such explana-
ton as the above would have been neces-
sarv ;-bu. since the Convention System
has been determined on since the Office
holders and Office. seekers have issued
their mandate that it must be held, and
that every aspirant will stand in their
way and be considered rival 10 the god
Of their idolatry-we mean the nominee
of the Convention-be he democrat,
neutral or whig-we feel it necessary to
guard Our readers against the impression
our opponents may endeavor to make.
chat we are somehow or other committed
to Mr.. Chapman or somebody else, which
we assure them is not the case.
As Territory it matters little what
may be our opinions in regard to national
politics, while we remain such. We have
wants which cannot be supplied in any
other way than by the good disposition
towards US Of majority in Congress.
1t should matter very little to US whether
this majority be made up of Harrison
men or Van Buren, men, or a portion of
both. So that we get these wants suppli-
ed. our aim is accomplished. Now it is
known that there are Administration men
from the eastern sections of the country,
who cannot or who do not appreciate our
wants. These having no sympathy for
us would not be likely to favor many of
the measures, the carrying out of which
IS necessary to secure our prosperity.
1t would be hazardous, then, to present
our claims simply on the ground of our
adherence to the principles of the admin
istration, unless indeed it be avowed and
admitted that favors of all kinds are TO be
obtained on such condition. If such be
the case--if there is an uncertainty in
this Territory Of obtaining a favorable
answer to its requests by an appeal to the
mere partizan feelings of an acknowl-
edged majority party in Congress, on ac-
count of our coinciding in the current of
their feelings and opinions, it surely
would be still more hazardous to appeal
to the minority party as such. 1t be-
comes US then to take such steps as will
secure us from denial when we make
our wants known to Congress. 1t can
easily be conceived how. by stepping out
of our Territorial neutrality track and be-
coming identified as Territory with
either of the great political parties, we
might deprive ourselves Ct many of the
benefits which would almost naturally ac-
crue to US, by keeping in the old and beat
en- track.
Let it not be understood by these re-
marks that we wish to smother the free
expression of opinion among individuals
or classes Of individuals. Far from it.
We consider the liberty of speech and of
the press of infinitely more value than to
be purchased by any favors Congress
could bestow upon us. But in our Ter.
'zitorial capacity nothing can be gained
and much may be lost by drawing party
lines. 1t is known that this is no new
doctrine with us. 1t is the same we
have advocated ever since we commence
ed the publication of paper in this Ter
ritory. There are those, whose minds
seem TO admit of no expansion, who sup
pose that our advocacy of this doctrine
originated in our fear of being in the mi
nority should the party lines be drawn.
It's not SO. We have as good reason to
believe we are in the majority as they
have. We consider, however, that there
are interests to be promoted which are
transcendently above any thing which we
might gain by having it demonstrated that
we were in the majority.
As Mr.. Chapman is on the ground and
must know the effect that such partizan
action as is attempted TO be got up here
by few interested men, will have on our
interests at Washington, and as it ap-
pears he views these matters in pretty
much the same light that we do, we take
pleasure in acknowledging that we con-
slider his address to his constituents ex-
oooHinnIvy II I