Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-02-10

SONAH.ih H. AAbNAASA';
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low A CITY.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1877.
Backing omt-- Caught in their eWss
Trap.
Our readers have seen both protests Of
the minority ia the House Of Representa-
sives--.the first against the unprecedented
course of pr ocedure adopted by the ma.
,ority in the bribery case, and the second
against The high handed usurpatien Of
power BY thai majority, in daring 70 re-
fuse the former place upon the journals.
The second one shared the fate Of The first;
though, on its presentation, The fool hardy
majority began to wayer in their purpose,
and'quake with fear for the consequences
oftheir fragrant violations Of the eonsii-
tuition. IL zaisRial iatit
The deputy Speaker said that it would
be placed on the journal as mater Of
course, unless the majority should order
Otherwise, and further, that it was Cor the
House to pass verdict upon the character
of the protest, This verdict, if adverse, is
Of course ex parte, and the paper Aself is
a.Ay-,.~~-s''.o P'ueTiis-u by tue journal,
Judge for themselves Of its character. 1t
is q fragrant case Of condemning urheard.
Such is the dark and damning character of
sheacis Perpetrated by the federal party,
that they dare not perm, true animpartiaI
journal Of their acts to be kept. And yet,
they dare not, as their subsequent conduct
proves, take the responsibility Of again
abrogating the constitutional right Of the
minority. They were in qusndary;
whichever way they looked, con;lemna-
ton, fearful and overwhelming: stared
them in the face. An honest Clerk, or
any but the willing tool of an unscrupu-
lous party, would have obyiated :all this
difficulty, BY placing the protest upon the
journal 2: The demand Of the memter pre-
senting it, in obedience to the constitu.
ton. els :
TO gam time, Mr. Bowie moved to Law
It upon the table, but his party could not
face the question. To get rid of it for
the time being, Mr.. Hebard moved an ad.
Journment, which was carried. On the
meeting Of the House next morning, such
was their dread of meeting the question
that they adjourned without reading the
journal. They knew that, on the reaaino
Of the journal which did not cor,a,n the
protest, the reason Of its absence would
be inquired into, when they would be
compelled TO act.
What was TO be done TO evade this lie
climate question which they themselves
had raised? They saw that samet hing
must be done, and that right quickly -
Ihey decided upon quite an Ingenious
sabterfuge for backing out, and ,Iuus esca.
ping the fearful responsibility: Thew
would have the protests placed apon the
journals, BY the votes of the minority
without acknowledging the constitutional
right which they had denied. For this
purpose, false and calumn,cus preamble
and resolutions were hastily prepared
TO be presented when the protest should
be inquired for This bait they thought
the minority green enough to bite al; but.
as The sequel will show, they were sadly
mistaken.
In the afternoon of the goth, the Jour
nal Of the previous day being read, Mr.. |
Montague arose, and said that he discoy.
cred an omission in the Journal that the
protest above alluded 70 was excluded -
He wished to inquire of the Clark wheth- |
e It was an oversight, or intentional on
his part. Dir. Morton, (whig INTERRUPT.
ed hin, by saying that he hoped this mat
ter would not be pressed further then, a.
he had resolution drawn up, which, at
the proper time, he would rrese Mt and
vote tor, ordering both protests. to be pla-
esd upon the journal. He accordingly
brought forth the following
III WIG CLAP TRAP.
Whereas, Several members of this House did
on the 9Th inst, introduce paper which was
couched in language highly ludicrons and insult
ing to majority Of the members embracing a
paper equally insulting, from SIT Marshall.
who stands accused Of offering brise. to mem
Der Of this House, and which latter paper had
been refused place On the Journals; and where
as, the majority Of this House, on account Of the
snfounded ACCUSATIONS against worthy members
of this House, did refuse to recei:e said paper,
on the ground that il did not CONC under, and
was not embraced in the provision 2f the Consti- |
tuition, which allows any ucmbcr TO enter his |
protest upon the journals account of its libel
lous character: and whereas, on the 10Th inst |
another paper: signed by The same members was |
introduced as protest complaining of the reiec-
ton Of the former paper, adding throughout its
contents, insult to injury, directed particularly
against the Honorable Speaker Of tie House,
falsely impngning his motives and indirectly ac-
cusing him Of perjury, in having n.ade decision
which he considered in accordance with the !
Constitutien.in which decision lie was honora-