The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-07-10
Mr.. Briggs Again.


The following communication, intended, as
we suppose, as refutation of our remarks of
week before last, on the subject of the State Sc
natorship, finds a place in our columns to-day,
as an act Of courtesy to one, with whom we are
on terms Of personal friendship.
We are sorry that we have not the pleasure
of announcing Mr.. Briggs withdrawal from the
canvass.
The nomination Of Gen. Lewis has been secured
by the legitimate and proper action of the Demo-
cratic party, and it is vain for Mr.. Briggs, or any
one else, to talk of cliques, or irresponsible bo
dies.
The fact of General Lewis holding office, at
this time, has nothing to do with his constitu-
tonal eligibility, as, of course he will resign that
office before he is elected to seat in the Senate.
Still less has it to do with his abilities to perform
the duties of the office to which he has been no.
minated We have said, and we still hold, that
the very fact of General Lewis holding office, is
prima facia evidence Of his acceptableness with
mitted to him, have been discharged with fdel-
ty.
MIR. Briggs must find some more satisfactory
reasons for opposing the nominee, than those
hitherto presented, before he can expect to re-
ceive the support of good Democrats.
For the Express.
DR.. HoLr-As you have honored my an
nouncement with an editorial, suppose you will
be fair enough to admit reply to your remarks.
You certainly underrate my intelligence and re-
Election, as well us that Of other Democrats, if
you suppose that l or they would vote for any
candidate, whose nomination we believed to be
in direct opposition to the plain spirit ofthe Con-
stitution. 1t is all very true, that no legal en-
quiry can be made into the eligibility of mem .
bers of the Senate, but by the Senate itself; and
had you said that the Floyd Convention, Sin its
simplicity, acas entirely heedlcss' of this provi-
sion of the Consultation, you would not have told
an untruth. You dodg the main issue altogeth-
err, in this NATTER and attempt to make the 'sdust
fly by eulogizing Gen. Lewis, and his prowess
as commander and conquerer in the Demo
cratic ranks-all of which we very we'll knew
before. But you seem, my dear sir, to entirely
forget that Charles xii. had his Pultoaca! and
a Bonapartc his Waterloo!
| 1t is high time, if the Democratic party are to
adopt and endorse this doctrine Of rolling an Of
fee holder out of one office into another all his
lifetime, that they should act understandingly;
and by electng Gen. Lewis. they will do so,
and set at naught the plain meaning of the Con-
stitution. 1t is nothing but sheer evasion of not
only the Constitution, but of an acknowledged
article of Democratic faith, for man to hold a
''lucrative Office until Saturday night, and then
resign for the purpose of being elected, on Mon
day, to the General Assembly.
find no fault with the Floyd Convention, or
rather the Clique which controlled it; they doubt
made blundcr this time; and if the party sus-
tains them in it, why, then they pledge them
selves to sustain an unconstitutional and an I'M
democratic doctrine, that's all Much is said
nova days about mans claims to office, of de-
serving Office for long life spent in official SER
vice. This is no part ofmy creed. 1t mi ght do
to talk thus under monarchical government
but in Republic never. A man in our govern
ment can more than do his duty in any stua
ton he can never establish claim to any office
in the gift of free people, neither by being the
''oldest CITIZEN" or having been railways arail-
ablc
l do not set up any claims to Office | merely
say that Gen. Lewis is ineligible, if not by the
letter., by the spirit of the Constitution; and also,
by an acknowledged article of Democratic faith.
The party now have both sides ofthe question:
one side or the other of which they must take.
In conclusion, l would remark, that no action
of any Convention can, in justice or equity, be
considered as binding or obligatory on the party
which violates the spirit of the Constitution, or
a fundamental article in the creed Of the party;
and the nomination of Gen. Lewis does both.
OTIS BRIGGS.
Taylor Township, June 2Sth, 1880.