Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-03-22
Mr.. Narsan's Position.


| "Hon. James Harlan comes before the
people at this time, in order to put spec
dy termination TO the vexed question of
the election Of April last. II the people
re- elect him, there can be no further dis
| pute about his right to the off e. Ifthey
elect his opponent, he will promptly sur
render all pretensions TO the place. -
Dubuque Tribue. ..
So. here we have "Mr. Haran's posi-
tion," as defined by an organ of his party.
How does it tally with his position as de-
fined BY himself? He, too, in his speech
es, calls on the people 10 elect him, so that
'ahere may be no further dispute about
his right TO the Office" So far, they a.
gree very well. 1t is very natural and
very comfortable argument for them to
use. No doubt, Mr.. II. thinks i. very
conclusive. But, how is the "ispute"to
be ended? The Tribune says: "If his op.
ponent is elected, he will promptly eur
render all pretentons to the place" Why,
then the election of Mr.. Benton, his OPP
ponent, will most eifec,ualjy end the dis
Pute! Why not cleo, him, and thus ''put
a speedy termination to the vexed ques-
ton? ia.
But, not so, says Mr.. Harlan, sneaking
in propria persona; uiH not surrender
my pretensions: Il! my opponent is cleo
ted, even, he canno. hold the office to
which lie aspires." THIS is the Identical
language which lie held in this city, and,
no doubt, wherever else he has spoken.
He claims The office for three years by
right OF his former election, and threatens
Mr.. Benton with quo ,rarranio, if cleo
ted. Thus he aims 10 coax, wheedle and
drire the people into his election. Heteils
them that the dispute can only be set
tied in one way, and that is, by elecling
him! ~ .-...
A brief view of the facts will serve TO
explain these conflicting positions of the
mo party candidste-,hat assumed by
himself, and that assumed for him by the
Tribune. On the 9th Inst, Messrs. Ben.
ton and Harlan made their speeches at
Dubuque, presenting the same arguments
as those presented by them at Dewitt, Da,
venport, Bloomington, Upton, Rochester,
Marion, Washington, and ether places;
from which the people Of that region be-
came thoroughly convinced that Mr.. Ben
tons position was correct, and that Mr.
Harlan's position was untenabie and utter.
ly futile. His wing friends, therefore,
were compelled by an irresistible public
opinion to abandon the position assumed
in pursuance of the plea put in by Mr.
Harlan, to wit; that he was legally elected
last April, and that Mr.. Benton and the
democratic party were trying to 'suindle'
him out Of the office, as originally charg-
ed by the Tribune. And hence, The Tri-
bunes announce ment OF this ne,v position
on the part Of Mr.. Harlan.
Were any further proof of this fact nee J
ded, we have it in the announcement OF
Maj. Mobey, the old acting Fund Com
missioner Of Dubuque county, over his
own signature, as candidate for the same
Office, without reference to any claim un-
der his former election. This was in the
same paper (,he Tribune Of Last week
from which we have taken the above quo
tation. a s-a.a tl-,
This is the effect of public opinion in
that region from Messrs. Benton's and
Harlan's speeches The whig party aud
its organ have been compelled to change
front and shift their "pos,tion." The wing
leaders in Dubuque have more sagaci'y
than those of Iowa City and Burlington.