The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-02-20

information about shis county 1f1|'a
% zG5re. tss tiala0 "A CITIZEN,
BID GENERAL HARRISON.'ao1f
The old calumny against Gen. HARR1-
SON. and which has been so often refuted,
is again going the rounds Of the Van Blu
rem federal papers-we allude to the
charge of his having voted to "seH the
citizens Of Ohio for debt" Now, we
acknowledge that it is a poor rule that
wont work. both ways" and III accord
ance with that acknowledgment, we very
much wonder how it is that some of the
most popular administration men in Ohio
receive support from the people, while it
is known that their names appear on the
same side and in the same vote with Gen.
Harrison. If the vote of Gen. H. was
such a hor,id thing as 10 make him un-
worthy of the sufrages of free people.
why does not the same unworthiness at
tach 10 such men as Senator Norris, Eli
Bald,vin, Thos. Shannon, Micajah T.
Williams and others, who gave precisely
the same negative vote that he did. g I,
Isl indeed, as our contemporary says, ga
poor rule that wont work both ways.'''' p.
But, instead ofablame, these gentlemen,
with Gen. Harrison, are entitled to the
highest praise for their humane motives
in casting their votes as they did on that
occasion. This we believe will be the
verdict of every candid man who will in
vestigate the. whole matter and, look
through the designs of those who wish to
make it appear tina. the object Of the vote
of Gen. Harrison was entirely different
from what the entire record would show
it to be. H z9.[a 1aiintar SIS 40
In order to lay before our readers a full
view Of this subject, we avail ourself of
the labors Of one who was himself a
member. Of the Ohio Legislature at the
time. and had something to do in the
matter-we,f mean ]. BAILHAcHE,. Esq.
the present editor of the Alton Telegraph.
After extracting the record of the Journ-
ais in relation TO that part which our fed
eral friends endeayorio clothe with so
much odium, he says..:-- -.
TO prove to the entire satisfaction of
every honest inquirer after truth, that the
charge preferred in the foregoing extract
against Gen. HARRISON, Of having spotted
to sell free ,ohite .4n,crican citizsns, like
cattle IN The market, and for debt" is
utterly destitute Of foundations; ii might
be sufficient to observe, that the bill Of
which the section above quoted formed a
part, did not relate to the collection of
debts, but to the punishment of certain
,crimes--that the individuals to be affect
ed by it were not poor and unfortunate
debtors, but CONVICTED FELONS,
subjected Under the law then in force to
confinement in the Peniientiary-thattit
was incorporated into the bill in, question
as a substitute for the barbarous and de
grading punishment of whipping which
had been. abolished a few years before,
and which was earnestly sought TO be re-
vived by a considerable number OF the
members Of the Ohio Legislature, in or
der by this means, to get rid of The enorr-
nous expense attending the imprisonment
Of the class of offenders referred ,o-;atld
tina. this same charge, which was serious
lily brought forward for The first time in
1896, was then so effectually refuted
that, at the general election in Oc,ober OF
the same year, Judge BALDWIN, the Ad-
ministration candidate for Governor, who
was a member Of the Ohio Senate at the
same time with Gen. HARRISON, and hay
ing likewise voted in favor Of retaining the
obnoxious section, was consequently as
justly ,censurable for this act as any other
Senator, not only received the hearty and
unanimous support Of his party, but also
actually Obtained more votes than were
cast in the whole. State in favor Of all The
loco-foco candidates either for Congress,
or for the Geners1 Assembly. But as
we happen to be personally well ac-
quainled with the whole affair. Il may
perhaps not be improper on Dur part to
give somewhat detailed account Of all
the facts Of, therase,i in ORDER 70 place the
utter groundlessness ofthe accusation be-
ryond |she possibility ola doubt. gI;Iges.,,
81 When The Legislature of Ohio met, in
giiiisssas 0id d1fv basssi3 ssaslasi