Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1846-04-04
Il's 10 use-Ths Hawkeys in fag.

rs 10 uss-Ths Hawktys in fas.
The editor Of the Hawkeye Of this week
has evidently lost his latitude. He does
not think much Of our political influence,
yet he bewails, bitterly, our perverseness
in holding his position up before the peo-
pie. The cause Of his complaint is, As he
says, that we represent him in favor Of :
majority Of the Legislature doing as IL
pleases, while he says he meant majority
Of the people. ~
Now Il the editor Of the Hawkeye viii
re-peruse his scientific articles upon no
constellation, he win find that he took his
remarkable position with reference to GER
tain restrictions in the old constitution,
which would make it necessary for some
questions to be submitted to the people, in
shape Of amendments to the constitution,
&c.. before the Legislature could proceed
to make binding laws touching such ques-
lions. And he began his complaints
BY saying in effect, that in case the wings
should get into power, "a very improbable
suppositien by the way.) they could not
proceed to carry out their policy directly,
because these restrictions would s'frus-
trate" such an effort. Then. he assumed
the position that the constitution should be
SO framed as not to Illustrate the will Of the
majority in any set Of circumstances
Upon having the downright Righteousness
Of this position shown up, when applied to
members Of the Legislature. he stops all
at once, and says very pitifully ''no, gen
tlemen, / could not have meant the Legis-
lature, but the majority Of the people"
You did, ehp Well have it so, pro hac
nice, and see what will come out of it.
You must either say you are in favor Of
legislating in mass, by the whole peoples
coming into one ecclessis, or legislating by
proxy, that is by members chosen to a
Legislature. AS we cannot suppose the
editor is crazy enough to take the former
position, in State matters, we will presume
the latter. Presuming the latter, then Le-
eislators must be chosen, and when chosen,
they must do the Legislation. The people
can do nothing by way Of Legislation afler
the choice Of Legislators is once made
Now if a constitution should be so framed
as not to Illustrate the will Of the majority
Of the people, under any set Of circum-
stances, it is a logical conclusion which
the sage editor cannot eyale, that it must
be SO framed as not to Illustrate the will Of
the majority Of the members Of the Legis-
lature, since the people can act through
them alone This majority is supposed to
be the exponent Of majority Of the peo-
pie. Now, inas,nuch as this majority Of
the people can act only through the major
ity Of the Legislative members, it follows,
that any restriction frustrating the will Of
the one would also that of the other. So
that, take which horn Of the dilemma you
will, you are equally in trouble. For il
we determine to plough field through the
agency Of A, our agent, any fence, or OBJ
struction which would Illustrate has plow-
ing the field would also Illustrate US, and
Ivice versa. Tile truth is, and it is as old
rs the oldest government too, that when
the people have consented to enter into I
governmental compact, they always have re.
served certain 'sinalienable rights" to them
selves. 1t is part Of the science Of gov
eminent, that the contract should operate
both ways, and while il gives Liberties tc
the majority to do, it also provides ju.
dicious protection to the minority. But
the Hawkeye says, emo, 60 headiong into
the contract, and when you are once in
the majority will take care that you DOM
get out" Very like the benevolent say
ing Of the great apostle Of whiggery. "Le'
the government look out for the rich, and
the rich will take care Of the poor" Gu,
upon such preposterous doctrine! 1t il
merely a u,enl-su6 plot, trap set for the
; unwary, so that if the wings can once ge,
into power, they can reign in full blown
jubilee over the rights and liberties Of III.
people.
. As we Expected. s
, G. w. BowrE, Esq.,, wing, has an
nounced himself an independent candidat,
for the Convention, and has betaken him