Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-05-31

autumn W1nOS around US signing,
Weep enid forsaken houghs.
Stars Of love around us shining,
In their radiance fade away;
Sun-that speaks Of no declining,
Brings the never setting day.
st Louis, May It'll, lS4s.
---
The following Is the last Of a series of
letters published in the Davenport Gazette.
As this contains some very rich items,
which should be kept on record, we trans
fer it 10 our columns. The manner in
which and for which the late economical
democratic" Legislature Of Iowa, spent
the peoples money, is fully set forth, and
may be useful for future experience not,
however, for imitation. but for the avoid
ance Of such like extravaganza hereafter.
REVIEW OF THE sEssION.-NO. TX.
Ar HONE, May 10Th, l849.
DEAR, SASDERs:-In my lust l closed
the list Of acts Of general nature; it will
be found that they number twenty -eight.
One might well pause here, and inquire
what particular benefit the State, or the
people are to derive from any one Of
them, or the whole taken collec.ively.-
Before the Courts shall have construed
their legal effect, an entire new revised
code will be presented 10 the Legislature
for their action, and we are to be govern
ed by new state oil things; was there
then any excuse for this general legi.la-
ton? Or, if there was, is there any ex-
cuse for sitting forty-three days to enact
twenty EIGHT laws, the most OF which are
triiiing iii their very provisions.
mentioned the fact in one of my for
tner numbers, that after Dodge and Jones
were elected to the United States Senate
the first week Of the session-the de-
mocracy did not pretend to disguise their
intention to remain in session until the
two distinguished Senator'S should arrive
at Washington, take their seats, and deter
mine by lot who should have the long
term, in order that they might elect Sem
ator before they adjourned to fill the term
Of six years from the 9TH of March A. y.
lS49. This arrangement they strictly
adhered 10, and Immediately OH hearing
that Dodge had drawn the short term, they
reelected him, and adjourned few days
after. During the interim between the
two elections all was GLORIOUS inactivity"
II was understood that there was nothing
10 do unit! they heard from Washington,
and indeed nothing was done beyond the
passage OF a few local bills for roads. fer
ry charters, and ''quite sprinkling" of
extra allowances out Of the Treasury to
political hacks, who were loungers-on,
waiting the news from Washington. that
they might turn in and 'slobher lift" for
Dodge, or Jones, as the result might re-
quire, and who had no other means of
paying their board and doggery bills.
Having informed your readers Of what
the late General Assembly accomplished
in the space Of forty -three days, will now
take up the appropriation bill and give
you very correct idea Of the cost, and the
nature Of The appropriations.
Before going into particulars contained
in the bill, let me say that the time, the
manner, and means used TO get this bill
through both branches was disgrace to
any deliberative body Of men, KEEP, back
until the very last thing, on the last day Of
the session an opportunity presented it.
self to smnggle in anything that the actors
saw proper to allow. In order that the
modus operondi may oe fully understood,
will explain the usual proceedings on
claims presented for allowance, and also
the new system adopted by the late Gene
raj Assembly. Mr. A. has claiu. against
the State that must be presented to the
Legislature and allowed by that body be-
fore The auditor is authorized to issue his
warrant on the Treasury for its payment !;
the usual, and only proper course is for some
member to present it and have it refer
red TO the committee on claims this COM
mittee should examine and repor, the facts,
together with resolution tia, it be allow
ed, or disallowea. 1t frequently happens
that the Legislature refuse to concur in
the report Of the committee, at least mem
hers can judge understandingly upon
claims thus reported upon, land vote accord
ingly.
The committees on claims in the late
Assembly had a way Of doing up these
things peculiar to themselves, particularly
where there were claim. referred 10 them
that they could not consc,entiously report
in favor of. In such cases they kept the
claims back until the appropriation bill
was referred to them, and then slipped
them in. trusting to the "noi>e and confu-
SION OF the closing scene 10 cover up their
iniquily.
Acting upon this principle, the appro-
priation bill Twas introduced into the House
Of Representatives on the last day Of the
session, and referred to the cnmmittee on
claims ; in their hands all necessary amend
ments and additions were made, as previ-
ously agreed upon, and reported back to
the House for concurrence, adopted, pass
ed to its third reading and reported in the
Senate abont 4 o'clock ?. NJ, read first
and second time By its title and referred 10
the committee on claims in this branch
An adjournment took place for SUPPER
After re-assembling, the committee repor-
ted the bill back to the Senate with sundry
amendments, and recommended its pas
sage; tho Wing members insisted upon