The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-03-23

To THE VOTERS OF IOWA.

AscusoSS 49, sssC A1VSosoSO Souuiu"s0 IS s"~
Office Of Superintendent, Of Public Instruc-
ton; which circular wo purpose cursory
review Al this time.
In this elcctioneering document il mp.
pears 70 be the chief object Of Mr.. Benton
to impress upon the minds Of the voters Of
Iowa two important facts-lss. that he
feels ..pccuiiar interest" in education, IN
all-absorbng interest, an interest superior
to that which he feels for all ether Offices
in the gift Of tho people Of our Stotc,-or,
% he expresses it, the duties Of this Office
would afford him "more infinite satisfac-
ton" than those Of any other Office 10 tho
State; that il, while to Gil other Offices in
tho State would give him infinite satis:ac-
ton, this would 1flord him more infinite sat
isfaction,-but il 10 not our intention To
criticiso the grammar of this circular, as il
10 no doubt esteemed a mastery compost
ton by his friends; End. thu, il elected he
will discharge .tait!f fully the duties upper
tanning to the office. Ia making SO many
psossstntions Of attachment to the cause Of
education and Of fai,hiuiness in discharging
his duties, We cannot but think il 10 be hi,
intention 10 convey the insinuation that in
thus feeling and by 50 doing, nc will be a..
together superior TO the present Superin-
tendent. MIR. Harlan.
Mr.. Benton is not only great Office
seeker, but one Of extreme humilii.-hc
expresses himself willing to serve The pcp-
pie 10 whatever sphere they may choase to
place him, but 1t the same time remarks,
that il they choose TO elect him Superin
tendens he shall feel himself "uid under a
debt Of lasting gratitude" No wonder, "a
salary Of s. zoo would excite gratitude in
The bosom of any man.
We are inclined to tho opinion, tina.
when Mr.. Bcnton made out his estimate Of
the value Of the l,45O,OOO acres Of our
school lands, he forgot the reduction that
the present war with Mexico has made up.
on these lands. Instead Of being worth
81 rs, as he has estimated, and which but
tor tho war would be correct, they can now
DO purchased through the medium ol land
warrants for IS cents per acrc. Tho war
with Mexico has then cost the State Of To-
~ S725 900, to be pnid out Of our school
fund; how much more i, will cost our ci,-
ssns remains TO be seen.
Nj. Benton here asserts what he rcitcra.
ted in his address, that Prof. Harlan is not.
and has not been in office, and Immediately
afterwards refers TO the fact Of that gentle
man having been paid the sum OF $1,000
for his first years services MS Supcrin,cn-
dent, which, however, lie informs his read.
crs, was done merely rs an act Of justice !,
The Locoiocos urge that Mr.. Harlan is
not Superintendent, because he was moi,
legally elected, and that he was no, law
fully elected because the school laws al he
time Il his election had not been published
IN the newspapers Of the State, BY author
iiy of the General Assembly. Those who
believe Mr.. Harlan TO be legally our Su.
perintendcnt argue, in the words Of Mr..
Benton, ",hat an net prescribing the gcner-
81 duties Of the Secretary Of State, confers
upon that officer the authority to publish
the laws through the medium Of the news
papers, end from the consideration that the
School Law was thus published, accompa-
MED with bis official signature, that il was
. trso copy, it must follow that i, as in
force, and that the election held under il
in April last was consequently valid" A
very rational conclusion and ono that Mr..
Benton ably sussains when be quotes us
the section Of the School Law referred 10,
The following:-"That the Secretary Of
1sate be instructed 10 have copies Of this
oct. and all other acts pertaining to schools
and school funds, passed by this presen,
legislature, printed and distributed among
n several fund commissioners, for the use
g the several districts in their countv.s
HI. Benton boasts Of being q political
easdidate, Of introducing politics into the
a(tos q Superintendent Of Public Schools,
sad enquiries, "if this Office be not political,
Why was my competitor urged into the
asid last year BY his political tiicndss-
aod Why did they rally almost to man to
bic support" The question Is easily, and.
70 trust. satisfactorily answered. The
GRinnda sehn a..al A.