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

sl0ners to make sale OF School Lands, re-
tanning at the same time the office OF Fund
Commissioner in each county. And thus
do they manage to eat up the School Fund
Thirdly, while they have thus created
there are others that they attempted, bu,
had not quite the courage to carry OUT
First under this head, was the act to ere.
ate the office of Attorney General, to meet
the lazy starving condition of some poli,i.
cal favorite, that could now expect nothing
from the hands of the General Govern.
ment. This office was TO have a salary
ranging between four hundred and three
thousand dollars. The bill passed the
House with scarcely word against i,
from the democratic side thereof. In the
Senate the will was entirely good, but the
courage was wanting and it was finally
defeated, not Wing voting for it. Had
there been anything for this officer to do,
there would have been some sense or pro-
priety in the proposition. None existing,
it was only designed as a sinecure to feed
some INDECENT hanger-on who had not
sense or energy enough to make living
by his own resources.
Second, under this head, was the bill,
introduced by one of their members, to
create the office of Secretary of the State
Land Office, with comfortable salary OF
from one to two thousand dollars. True,
this did not pass, but it tends strongly 10
show their desire to create new offices, 10
be paid for from the pockets of the people;
and that nothing but lurking fear that for
it they would receive your hearty and un-
mistakable condemnation, deferred them
from it. .... ......
Third, under this head was the propo-
sition of Mr.. Benton to create another
princely School Officer for the State, with
another comfortable salary of tw o thousand
dollars and contingencies. This was a
most glorious conception and eminen'ly
worthy the gentleman who usurps the
privilege of presiding over the Common
School interests of our State. How very
agreeable it would have been for Mr. Ben
ton, (who cannot live on 81 200 year,
with interest and contingencies, for some
other faithful partizan, to have obtained
this office and lived in luxury, doing no.
thing. =..
But we have other matters to speak of,
and must needs quit this part of our Adj
dress, which we fear is already too long.
You can clearly see from the instances
given, that if new offices are to increase
expenses and eat out your substance, the
majority of this General Assembly have
not been wanting in efforts to create them
Increase the offices, and we all know that
our taxes must increase. The more hands
you have in the public crib, the more they
will steal. We have too many Offices ra-
Their than enough. Let our object be to
decrease rather than increase them, and
our word for it, our State debt will de-
crease, our county and State affairs will be
more prosperous, and many men will be
compelled to obtain living by honesty
and industry, instead of hanging as leech-
es around the Halls of Legislation. and
other places, where Offices are dispensed.
Another matter, in which we believe
your will has not been carried out. The
circumstances under which our present
Constitutions was adopted, are we'll known.
That there are many elaring defects in it,
every unprecedented mind must admit
That it tends to cripple our unbounded re-
sources, and hangs as an incubus on those
who might be disposed to employ their
capital in objects of public good and i'm
portance, is as plain as noon-day. That
it will forever prevent the formation of
companies for purposes of internal i'm
provement, and other objects of great pub
lie utility, cannot be successfully contro-
verted. Believing this, and very conf
dent that there could be no improperly in
giving the people an opportunity to ex-
press their opinion on the subject of call
ing a Convention to amend the Constitu-
ton, especially when that expression, if
against Convention, would be attended
with no expense, bill was introduced by
Wings into both branches Of the Assem-
bly, to give you this privilege. A propo-
sition so plain and reasonable. it was con-
fden'ly hoped, would meet with general,
if not universal favof But strange to say,
but one democrat in the Senate, and three
in the House, could be found in favor Of
tHe Dltl. u US IL Is d sti dHeC DCuloSin-
cy that denies to the people the poor pri-
vilege of expressing their opinion as to
their organic law, and particularly when
the taking of that expression was to be at
tended with no expense. 1t is hoped that
this bill will be published. By it you will
see that little expense would have attend
ed the Convention if it bad been called;
and inasmuch as the people themselves
had decided on calling the Convention,
they of course would have been willing to
pay the expense. But you are TO have no
such privilege so long as things remain as
they now are. With an extraordinary te-
nacity they hang on to our present Consti-
tuition with all its defects. Processing to
believe in the doctrine that to the people
belong all power, and the right TO change
the Fundamental law in the manner point
ed out therein, they invariably practice
different doctrine-exemplitying the truth
that democracy as pro es,ed and as prac-
ticed are quite different things. We say,
take these matters into consideration; if
you wish change in your Constitution, or
believe it is right that the people should
have the privilege Of expressing their
opinion thereon, elect men hereafter whe
will carry out your will, and the result
will be what the best wishes of our inter-
est AS a State so ardently desire.