The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-02-25
From the Bloomington Standard Feb. 5.

Our cousins OF the Herald seem /,
have dashed themselves up into quite /.
little storm last week about the eoyerno
and Mr. Swan and such things. A sy
nopsis of the affair, so far as we can gath
er it from the editorial-the repor. of, :
minority Of a joint committee of the leg.
islature and Mr. Lang worthy's speech
all of which are published in the paper
aforesaid, is this: joint committee of the
Legislature composed of Mr. Springer oil
the Council and Messrs. Hebard and
Langworthy of the House, was raised and
instructed to repair to Iowa City and ex.
anime every thing pertaining to the City
and State House SO far as the interests Of
the Territory were concerned. The ma.
Jorlty of the committee, Messrs. Springer
and Hebard, united in making report,
which it seems reflected upon the capac.
lty of the acting commissioner TO carry
on work of the magnitude of the one
now in progress. The minority report
comes to the same conclusion but com
plains much of the manner in which the
majority arrived a. theirs. This, it seems
has given rise 10 all the foam that we see
in the Herald. Born of the reports and
the Herald concur in all the principal
facts-'lhat the accounts of expenditure
by the superintendent are such as nobody
can understand-that his contracts with
workmen, and undertakes are such, as
leaves ii optional with either party, to
say whether they shall be performed or
not; and in short that Mr. Swan knew no
thing about his business. The statement
of the priest too, which is introduced with
such flourish, amounts to aboutthe same
thing. The pope himself could not have
said more, had they appealed to his holt
ness. But, says the Herald Mr. Swan is
democrat, and hence must have absolu-
ton. This is the substance of about ten
columns of the Herald oflast week.
We learn further from the Journals OF
the Legislature, that on the reports be-
ing made TO the two branches. the com
mittee on public buildings by their chair
man, Mr. Johnston, introduced bill, the
effect of which was, to take the office of
Superintendent, from Mr. Swan and to
prevent future abuses. The bill passed
with uncommon unanimity, and became
a law. To fill some little Office created
by this law (overseer Of workmen we be-
lieve) the governor nominated MIR Swan to
the Council. The Council, by vote of
more than two to one rejected the nomi-
nation. So much for the journals. Now,
then for what we have heard. We have
heard, that after the Legislature adjourned
sFMr Sacan accepted the office at the
hands Of the. Gouernor, ,Ohich had been
denied him by the Council. Do you
ask whether we believe it! We do
believe it of Mr. Swan, but we should not
have believed it of any other man. Like
most of the tribe ofpatent democrats, his
avidity for Office and importantly for place
increase in proportion to his want of abil-
tiles to discharge its duties.
But, why all this ado by our cousins of
the Herald about this affair Had any
attack been made upon their favor,e Of
fcer We heard of none in regard to
the Office he now holds: but on the con-
trary we believe so far as we have heard
of the man and his qualifications, for we
have no acquaintance with him, that lie
will take very good care of the tools
and teams during the summer, and when
election comes march the boys to the
polls. We do not know that any thing
else is expected of him. We say again
we believe Mr. Swan will do the work
very well-we congratulate the country
on his appointment.
With regard to Mr. Swan as Superin-
tendent or acting Commissioners, Legis-
lature of his own political party has set
tied that question, and when he settles
with the fiscal agent now lately appointed,
all will be settled. We repeat our aston
ishment at the great ado by the Herald;
1t may be obtuseness in us, but we
cannot see that ''his gun is fernenst the
ANIMAL
Mr. OBJ. BROWNSON ON THE CUR