Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-05-24
For the R.ofter.

rails and communicative, growing out Of
the canvass of return Of the late election
for Superintendent ofPublic Instruction,
in which some mistaes and deliberate
falsehoods are statedyas to my official ac-
ton in that matter, aH knowing that the
same will be repeatedly other wing prints
in the state, with Unnecessary additions
and variations, suggeted by political pre-
JUDGE and partizan zal-by which means
some honest persons may be misled--I
have thought it INCUMBENT upon me, at the
sacrifice, it may be, Of correct taste in
matters of. official aninadversion, to vindi-
cate my own character, and disabuse the
public mind. %
| shall not stoop to aotice general and
vague charges of "cons piracy" "violations
OF OATH &c., &c., with which the above
named prints abound, in relation to my
self, simply bee~ae- .heso arc tho invari-
bic attacks to which all true democrats
are subject from tie wing press, and
which for one l neither expect, nor desire
to avoid, having bee, taughtto look upon
wing abuse, as the highest praise, in po-
litical point of view, ....
But when these charges assume def
mite form, and men, occupying stations in
society, which shout be guarantee for
their responsibility, safe what the law re-
'quires, and wherein, and by whom it has
been violated, the question assumes diff
ferent aspect, and in my opinion, an Off
Ger is justified, if not imperatively call
ed upon, to take noice of them. The
following are few extracts from the pa
pers above referred TO, and any one who
will take the trouble to read the articles
from which they aretaken, will see that
they abound in simihr charges and mis-
representations, not only against myself,
but against our worthy Governor and
others, andnot the least reason given why
we should have beenguilty Of such "high-
handed measures, since it is evident that
the cause of Mr.. Benton required at our
hands, nothing more than an impartial dis
charge of our official duties-he having
undoubtedly received the highest number
of votes cast at the late election.
In relation to the alleged illegal votes,
which Mr.. Harlan wished to have thrown
out, it is only necessary to say that we
had been furnished with accounts of more
than enough on his side to counterbalance
all that he claimed as illegally cast for Mr..
Benton. But with the advice of the best
legal talent in the State, the Board of Cam
vassers were confirmed in their opinion
that they had no authority to 60 behind the
returns and enquire into other matters.--
If they erred in this, it was certainly not
in the usual manner of those in authority;
and the error can be rectifed by the Ju-
dicial tribunals of the country, as soon as
those agrieved dare to make the appeal.
But read the extacts, as they furnish
joint evidence of the ignorance, dishon-
esty and mendacity of some of the wing
prints of Iowa.
"The law requires the Secretary of State
to open the returns in the presence of the
Governor and declare the result. In this
case the Secretary opened the returns and
took the high handed measure to send back
for corrected returns, and when he got
such as he wished, he had them all open
ed and counted for the ratification of the
Governor of the State. "-Bloomington
Herald.
"Tell it not in France, published it not
in the streets of Rome, that the Secretary
of the free State of Iowa, corrected and
arranged the returns of the votes of the
people, contrary to all law-before the
votes were legally canvassed.' Hawk
eye.
The law says that at the end of forty
days the Secretary shall proceed to open
these returns in the presence of the Gov
ernor, if saidreturns are not sooner receiv-
ed, and shall remain &c. We should have
expected then that sworn officer would
have regarded the seal as sacred until the
appointed day. But what was our sur
prise to see and learn from the lips of the
Secretary himself-that he had received,
opened, examined, counted, ndjudicated and
returns in advance of the day
appointed by himself, for said examination,
as the law directs. in the presence of the
governor. Com, Hawkeye.
''Mr. Harlan was clearly elected Sec
ond time by the people, but because his
name was misspelt, the Governor and Sec
rotary have taken the responsibility of
throwing large number of the votes out
of the count, and in this way again defeat
ing the will of the majority. ''-Hawkeye.
In reply to the above, can say that the
whig editors and correspondents have ex-
hibited their usual talent for misrepresen-
ton, or | am very much mistaken. The
law says nothing about opening the re-
turns, and | may here remark, that the
''Standard'' Of lastweek falls into the same
error, in stating that the law evidently
that The returns shall remain
until a certain time, when the
fact is the law contemplates nothing ofthe
kind, but is entire silent upon the SUBJ
iect, not even requiring the returns to be
i ,o,,,b 1,oee