Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-01-21
Mr.. LUKE PALMER AND HIS AT
TEMPTED DEFENCE


Tor 0! that Federal sheet TO abuse the III
. ucrslrned as one Of the editors Of TIL
paper. In regard TO the communicable
IN last weeks paper, signed sOne wi,
voted for him. ii will be seen bv rele
ence thereto that it contains nothing thu
a person holding public Office could i
tho least take exceptions TO. 1t was mere
~ an enquiry concerning a public act
performed by Il public officer. which ever,
person had right 10 make, and, as a con
s,itucnt, had Il right TO demands reply 10
Being spoken to by number OF person
OF the very highest character aud stand
ing IN this community 10 request an ey
PLANTATION, the undersigned deemed it
more proper way to m Ike such requcs
IN the shape of communication, and &C
cordingly did so. Mr.. Palmer, feeling
hmsel! too perfect to allow one OF hi
constituents 10 question in the least I'll,
correctness Of his official acts. came Il
the undersigne and demanded the autbo,
OF the article above referred to. TIL.
undersigned witt, spirit Of munlines.
which Mr.. Palmer did not expect, i'm
mrd.atcly gave himself as the author
So much Tor "skulkiug behind a connuui
cation As regards the subject matte,
OF the communication, and Mr.. PaImer.s
attempted explanation, | consider it nc
cessary to say something more. 1t an.
pears from Mr.. Palmer's own Statement,
that tho County obtained iud.nct,,
against burns securities for $3.50 Tina,
IN releasing the securities from the pay
ment of this amount, the Commissioner
were influenced by the belief that but
about ssuOol the amount could be col.
Iec'ed' and also by a'.strong petition, signed
by about four Aundred roters.''
hat the above Facts, il true, are suf1i
cient grounds for The course pursued Dy
the Commissioners there are bat few m.n
who have seriously reflected upon the
SUBJECT will undertake to say The aruu-
'aent that the guilty should suffer and
mol the innocent, is strong argunent
when applicable, but if relied on when
not applicable, ii is a strong presumption
that the case attempted to be sustained by
such arguments, IS too weak TO be srp.
ported ny It's own merits. What, is the
precedent here set by Inc Commissioners /?
Is 1t not, that il the criminal leaves The
territory. his securities vii! not be com
pe!led to pay the amount Of their liability
because, iofsooll,, toe people in the Ter
tllory are rid OF him? (and such was the
ground assumed by Mr.. Palmer IN CONVEX.
sal'on with The undersiyn And how
does this preceden; act? Why, instead
OF performing the highes! duty mankind
owes 10 society. one portion of the com
munity forces upon Tie other their rene
gades, vagabonds and :nurderers, there 70
commit further crimes and misdemeanors
winch proper administration Of Justice
should have prevented. 1t is the hghcs,
duty that man owes to his neighbour, and
the most s'rIc1 observance Of this principle
is enforced by international law, that each
subdivision Of society should punish
those who violate and offend its laws
But to the petition of ''about four humid
red voters" Mr.. Palmer, processes to
have obeyed the will Of the PEnpiE!--
How has he done il? Are 400 IL majority
ot the voters in this county? Does Mr..
Palmer not rccollecl that. at the last cleo
ton. double this number OF votes were
pol!cd in the Burlington precinct alone?
But says Mr.. Palmer they were u majori-
y OF those among whom the petition was
circulated, and the Commissioners from
heir own knowledge had reason to believe
hat majority of the people Of the coun-
y would have signed it, had it been Pre-
:ented TO them! Now it is we'll known.
and fac. that Palmer canno, deny. tina,
has petition was inlustrlous,y circulated
among the people Of this town, and that
Almost every person in town and many
rom the country We're solicited, sometimes
10 less than two or three times, to 8 On il,
md still but 400 OUT Of about 1900 could !
% obtained, and, from Il conversation with
number OF those who did sign it, the
Undersigned feels warranted in saving.
hat the petition would not nave received t
more than half the number OF signatures
hat u did. had the signers not been in.
'uced =" sign it either to gel rid Of solicit
a1lons. or from the want Of re!lec,in as
@ ''ie nature OF the effect such petition
would have. But aside from this there
vas no authority vested in the commits
'lonefs 10 do such an act. The law gave
hem none, and they are but officers,
whose duty it IS 10 obey the law. aud, even
every voter in the county had signed !,
'etl'ion asking them TO ,ransuress the
aw, they would no. be jns,ifyab!e in do.
ng an act SO wrong in itself Had Mr..
'al'ner, too. been influenced by proper
'ence Of right, o, manl,ncss, as lie has
IN tf,t f,r a