Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-02-22

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be wrested from them, and by this attempt
the rights Of every citizen Of the State is
assailed by the hand of tyranny.
In this we speak but truth, as the facts
clearly show. At the first session of the
General Assembly unde: the Constitution,
an act was passed for the organization Of
Pottawattamie county. By this act it was
provided that this county should be organ
lied whenever the Judge Of the Fourth
Judicial District should deem that the pub
lie good required it. In accordance with
this the Judge of said District, during the
last summer, appointed sheriff of said
county, who Immediately, in pursuance of
the law, organized the county. The
boundaries as fixed by law, embrace ''the
county called the Pottawattamie purchase,
on the waters Of the Missouri river, in this
State" and contains population Of some
four thousand inhabitants. ......s
By the act of organization, the people
of that county became possessed of all the
rights guaranteed to all and each of the cit
liens of the State by the Constitution, and
of which they cannot rightlully be depriv-
ed except by ga criminal prosecution on a
presentment or indictment by grand iu-
ry." Yet this General Assembly soug ht
to disfranchise that whole county, embra-
cling an area Of one fourth of the State,
with no more scruple than they would re-
peal a Ferry Charter leaving them without
courts, without the privilege of voting, but
boldly claimed and demanding that they
should pay taxes. This attempt, we are
conscious, has only to be mentioned to be
condemned by every friend OF law and or
der. Every man Of either political party,
sees at once the dangerous tendency of
such an attempt. Candid men everywhere,
we hesitate not to say, will, and do raise
their warning voice against this attempted
infraction Of the Constitution, and the pas
sage Of an act that endangered the organi-
cation OF every county in this Stale. True,
il may be said, the bill was not passed.
While this is true, the responsibility of the
majority FOR the fragrant attempt To pass it
is not the less, and they should not the less
be held up TO public Indignation. With
an overwhelming party vote they carried
it triumphant through the House. In the
Senate, as in some other instances, while
they had the will, they had scarcely the
courage 10 strike the blow. Very valiant
at first, they soon became little passive,
and again, on the last day of the session,
they plucked up the courage and attempt
ed to suspend the rule and to read the bill
a third time. To do this they had not
enough to make the required three-fouths,
wilhstanding every democrat voted for
the suspension. So that we see that al
most the last thing they done was an at
tempt to pass this bill.
But they have been guilty Of as great
an outrage as it they had passed the bill.
They steadily and against all our efforts,
excluded this county from the new judicial
district that was formed at this session,
thereby excluding them from any judicial
district, or at least from hearing in any
of our courts. This is almost as great an
outrage as was attempted in repeating the
law organizing the county; and if they
did not pass the one, they did the other,
and the responsibility isupon them. They
also attempted TO reorganize the Congress
sional Districts so as to exclude this coun-
ty, and also attempted the same thing in
the act re-apportioning the State into Sem
atorial and Representative Districts, there
by attempting to do indirectly, what they
had not the courage to do directly. For
the credit and honor OF our State at home
and abroad, we rejoice that they did not
succeed.
We have thus stated the facts connected
with Legislation on this subject. We urge
upon you, fellow -citizens, TO reflect well
upon this outrage-as you value your
property and liberty, to put
your seal of condemnation upon all men
who will favor such doctrines. If this is
the precedent, then liberty Of speech,
thought and the press is bye-word, and
all our rights and privileges at the mercy
of capricious majority and relentless
andtyrannical party spirit. Such positions
meet no encouragement from us, and we
much mistake the character of the people
Of this State if it meets favor with the hon
est, candid and intelligent Of any party or
sect.
We have thus fellow citizens given an
account Of the more important transactions
of the Session. We fear we have been 10
lengthy, but considering the many matters
Of vital importance to you, we could not
well be more brief. We have attempted
10 give you fair statement Of our action,
and that Of the majority. We ask you TO
examine the Journals for yourselves and
10 think upon the action Of this General
We ask you to inquire wheth-
err the Session has been of any benefit 10
The State, or rather whether il has not been
an injury. And in conclusion we ask you,
whether the following charges against the
majority in both branches, which we have
attempted to prove in this are not true?
lN. Is it not true that they have elec-
ted pro-slavery men TO the United States
Senate, in opposition to the will OF ma
iority of the people Of this State, and did
they moi in refusing to instruct those Sen
ators and our Representative in favor Of
the Wilmot Proviso do violence TO the pub
lie will?
End. Have they not >quandered the pub
lie revenue?
Sd. Have they not multiplied hordes
Of offices to eat yonr substance and TO re-
ward political iavori'es, and were they
not in favor Of creating others worse than