The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-06-29

one wing of the press. that the above M
med article might have appeared as edito.
rial in one OF these prosti:uted sheets,
without attracting particular attention
from any one. or careless reading from
me. But coming from the qinr,er il does.
1t may meri, serious consideration.
NAV, however. be permitted 10 state.
IN the first place. that utter the official re-
turns OF the recent election had been re-
ceived, i, was conceded nv all that | had
received clear majority. But then, at
once, oNcial returns ceased 10 arrive for
near two weeks. During this period OF
suspense. the Secretary Of State was all
sent, aud was said bv his friends To be in
these delinquent counties, "distribn,ing the
laws" On Tie very evening of his re-
turn all these returns were said 10 have
been received. They were examined, and
bore the marks of gross error or palpabl
fraud on their face. The record of the
respective counties was examined bv NV
self and personal friends This examina-
ton showed that in Marion county. after
counting every vote, illegal and Illegal
returned ''iormally or informally" cast in
the county. or any territory attached there
TO for election purposes. had received a
MINORITY Of thirteen votes. The return ut
Iowa City gave MIR. Benton majority ol
frc. This correction alone would change
the majority in my favor by one vote. In
jackson county, received scrcn more
votes in one township than were returned
to the Secretary: in another, ono: in two
others there were more votes pollcd than
there were voters ut the polls. MS shown bv
the record in the hands Of the township Of
iicers. Hence, without reference 10 'irrca-
mlarity' or 'iniormali,,. il becomes evident
that ] have received clear majority oi
nine votes.
But n majority of the United States
troops qunr,crcd in Iowa, who had voted
with doubtful right, cast their votes for Mr..
Benton: majority Of tho foreigners ot
jackson county aud perhaps of the State,
who voted without naturalization papers.
cast their votes Tor him. In Cedar county
where Mr.. Benton received n majority of
fifty votes, the election was not published
according H. law: the same is believed To
be true Of Buchanan county. in which he
received fourteen Of u mn jori,y. Now il
the vote nf n sovereign State can hc nulli-
lied, because M officer Of State fails 10
give Sufficient formal publication 81 law.
by parity 81 reason We would infer TINT
the failure Of n county officer 10 publish
an election according 10 law, would render
void the vote o. the county. And ii critical
exception should I've taken to "infoImali,ies
and irregularities" in prccine, returns.
this too. would operate heavily agains,
Mr.. Benton.
Hence, being fully convinced tina, had
rccciveda clear majority If all the legal
veies east. Idcemcd IL due 10 Mr.. Benton,
and 10 Tie people Of the State, tina, he
should he made acquainted with the evil
dcnce and the reasons ON which this con-
viciion was founded. and, suppnsin. il tn
be founded in truth. the position should
feel in honor bound To occupy. ,hai he
might examine its correctness for himself
This have done, NJ the first opportunity.
in both oral md written communications.
What then becomes of his trir assertion
TIM, ] took m appeal from the decision Of
"iac courts 10 The tribunals u the People"
md will now mom take an appeal from The
latter 10 The former? When in point Of
Tact neither has ever decided agalns, me.
And how strange il sounds 10 those who
know the evidence Of this TO be within his
reach without leaving the Capital. Is he
sincere when he says he would not hold m
Office with one legal vote of majority
against him? And does he at the same
time refuse to look behind the action af
certain officers, TO ser what the people have
really said nnd done? Does he hold on to
the official returns with unyiclding tcnaci
Y when their correctness is questioned, aud
tho evidence offered 10 prove the same
without the shadow ofn doubt?
But he this rs i, may he, he informs ,,s
that he ''de,crmiacd, AT TIE CONNIE nccaient
Of the cnnrass. 10 be either man or
mouse" This. with lis application,
sounds very much like adding insult 10 in
Jury; which is not vcry cnviahlc position
for dignilicd manhood But if the com
mcnccmcnt of tbs cGnrGss were the first
time he was ever inspired with so lofiy q sen.
iment, and ifhe never till then made m ei-
fort "to he man." we should look nj his
failure with a degree ofchari,y. Bat even
charity which 'is long suffering md easy
TO he entreated," becomes rcsiive q, his
rcproac'sful illusions 10 "thc mental pro.
portions of another; for, MS no one can lie
answcrahle Tor the error of his creation.
this would seem TO carry ccnsure beyond
the humble creature of his contumclv to the
throne Of Derry, that the ALMIGHTY may
receive his full share &c iisrracc c,r hay