Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-02-02
The Political Gutll otine.

Dody, and by 20 dsing 10 neutralize the
political power Of tho General Assembly.
. precedent has been established by the
federal party in the House Of Representa-
t'ves BY which, hereafter, the head of any
member whose vote or influence may bs
iound to interfere with the schemes Of the
ascendant party in ether house, may Be
Topped off by the summary process Of q
resolution adopted by bare majority vote,
declaring his seat vacant. The right Of .
member Of the General Assembly to his
seat and a vote, and the right Of bis con-
stituents to be represented in that body,
are held among the most sacred which are
guaranteed to the citizens Of republican
government, and are accordingly, in all civil
compac,s, guarded with great jealousy
against the arbitrary rule and the momen.
tary whims Of mere majorities. Anything,
therefore, which affects those riehts affects
the very yitals OF our free institutions, and
the establishment Of precedent in 80
we'ghty : matter may lead to consequent
ces which its authors, in their poltica
phrenzy, little dream Of.
IT. member is liable, without being at
tainted or charged with any crime or mis-
demeanor, to be driven from the halls Of
legislation upon any pretext by majority
q his compeers to whom he may Sc inim
ical, then has an entire new theory of
government, in this respect, been estab-
l'shed. It il new era in the history of
legislation. 1.-THE sovereign people ofany
district may at any moment be shorn of
their power in the law.making depart
men, depending merely upon the caprice
OF majority Of the members present,
whereas their warrant of security for a
voice in their own government? Is their
only reliance on tickle and perhaps corrupt
heated by party zeal and often
blinded to every thing but their own DO.
l'''cal schemes? Or have they a rock of
safely in the Constitution, which places
them apnve the reach Of such wantnn az.
gressioa, and renders them secure in their
right Misrepresentation, though every other
member Of the house TO which he belong,
should Isague against their Representative
for the purpose Of driving him out?
This is the question which we are abou,
to examine, and it behooves the people OF
Iowa, Of whatever party, to Givest their
minds o! political prejudice and devote to
he subject that scrutinizing and candid
attention which its vast importance TO their
uture welfare demands. On this ground
We claim the candid attention of the pub
ic, without respect to party. This we
'sk not as mere form, but in serious ear
lest, taking it for granted that among our
political opponents are very many honest,
ODER minded men, who, though attached
o wing principles, are not SO blinded and
RACED by party zeal, that they cannot or
will not see the imminent danger to their
rec institutions, to their rights as citizens,
0 their fortunes, their honor, and even
heir lives, foom such an unheard of pre-
edsnt as that now under onsideration.
If there are any among our opponents
nc for the honor Of our country, we must
lain that there are many-who are not so
completely lost to sense of what is due
themselves, to their country and poster
~, az 10 sanction The rule that "oN is
ight in politics" and that "the end ius,i-
les the MEANS to them we appeal, in COM
non with Mr.. Kinsman's constituents, on
whom the outrage more Immediately falls,
S the arLiters in the case here presented.
The people are the tribunal to decide
whether MIR. kinsman had been guilty of
ny act whereby he forfeited his right to
seat in the General Assembly, or which
perated to disfranchise the people Of the
args district which he represented, by
epriving them of their right to q repre-
entation in the General Assembly.
We have spoken of this case as the eek
ulsion of MIR. Kinsman:' Such is its
ractical, though not its constitutional ef-
sct. The vote of the House declaring his
eat vacant, cannot make it vacant, aud can
My operate TO his exclusion in conse-
uence Of his voluntary acquiescence. In
he eye Of the Constitution, and by all le-
al authority, Mr.. Kinsman is still to all
ntents and purposes member of the
General Assembly, as virtually qualified
s such as he was the day he first took his |
eat. Were that body to be convened TO-
borrow, it would be not only his right,
ut his duty, also, to take his seat as a |
constituent part thereof; aye, and in that
vent, we venture the assertion that his
utraged constituents would assemble at |
he capital en- naasse, and if necessary. main |