The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-12-10
"Is 1T sor,

ast Fairfield Ledger, which calls IN question
The propriety and honesty Of our course, towards
the present incumbent of the Surveyor Gener-
ais Office. 1t is claimed in tins article that
Senator Jones, Col Booth, and their friends,
have been induced TO favor the confirmation OF
Gen. Sargcnt's appointment from motives OF
pecunary, or political advantage, and that we
as the especial organ of these gentlemen, have
been moulded into friends of that functonary
and received instructions to be silent upon his
confirmation or rejection. We must confess
that we are astonlshed that such an aftic'e
should eminate from any gentleman VINO claims
responsibility and honesty, and especially are
,ve snrpriscd that one who has known us tor
wears. and who has yet to discover sing lie fca-
iure in our character or intercourse with society
which can Justify such an insinuation. We are
we'll assured in our own mind that no just ground
of suspicion can rest against these gentlemen
But whatever their course may be, it affords no
criterion for ours and the editor of the Ledger,
when he knows us better, may be willing to
concede it. The course Of public journalist,
is one which involves great care and RESPONSE
bilny, and although we disapprove oftbe official
conduct Of the Surveyor General, as much per-
haps, as the editor of the Ledger, yet we think
we may claim the privilege OF exercising our
own iudg ment as to the time and manner, that
we shall canvass the characters and conduct Of
asserts, that we had much to say Of the official
conduct of this gentleman last Spring, and in
all candor we may add, that we have witnessed
nothing in his public career since, which could
induce us to retract one iota of what we then
believed and recorded. On the contrary, we
have had additional evidences of proficiency and
faithlessness, in the Administration of high
and responsible Office; but il does not follow,
that because the editor of the Ledger has chosen
to arraign that gentleman before the people Of
Jefferson county and vicinity, that we must tax
the people Of Dubuque County and vicin'y,with
column after column of matter upon the same
SUBJECT This may be a subject Of vital impor-
lance and very general interest to the people Of
Southern Iowa. If so, then may the editor
very properly exercise his discretion, in pres
cribing for the public malady in that vicinity
We of course claim the same privilege in the
North Whenever we can be persuaded that it
is for the interest of the community, that we
should tell what we know of the management
of this Office, we shall most certainly do it.,
whether the editorials of the Fairfield Ledger,
or any other journal, afford us an excuse for so
I II, Il 4 h,
cion. of .follo,oing the Iced Of any one; and es-
pccially an obscure member of that party, which
we have been taught from lnfancy, to regard as
politically unsound, willy and trcachcrous.
No, Mr.. McCraney, you have mistaken your
men, if yon suppose that our course is shaped
by either Senator Jones, Col. Booth, yourself,
or any one else. This has been frequently charg-
cd upon us, and we have upon more than one
occasion, hurled it back at the authors, as an
infamous SANDER.
So far from having ridiculed your structures
upon the Surveyor General, we have commend
ed them, because we knew them to be inst and
trustworthy, and IT is for this, and our general
disapproval Of that officers course, that we have
been styled his arch enemy.
We trust this plain statement of facts, will be
satisfactory apology TO the editor of the Ledger,
and the public generally for our course. lfnot,
we must still rest under the suspicion, of Aaramg
been bought up BY the Surveyor General; a
suspicion which fails heavier upon our moral
sens:bility, than any other which human ingenu-
ity could suggest for to be bought under any
have the reputation of being bought by the pres
ent incumbent Of the Surveyor Generals Office,
is immeasurably worse, than 10 be caught rob-
bling a hen roost, or vending unwholesome fish.
The article of the Ledger, which has called
forth these remarks will be found in another col
umn.