Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-02-28
Legislative OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ticc versus Promise.

I
The people, before elections, hear a
great many loud and noisy complaints
from our Democratic brethren about
Wing extravaganza, and Galphanites,
and receive great many precious prom
Uses TO reform these abuses and lessen
the burdensome taxes, if they are but
placed in power. a I'D ..... ....
Well, the people gave them the power
in the last Legislature. They had every
Thing their own way, aud we wish to in.
vite The attention Of those who elevated
them TO power, to few of the eviden.
ces of their hatred of Extravaganza and
| their love OF reirenchment.
George G. Wright, Zone of the er-
nauagant Whigs you hear so often
cried down by these men, Senator from
| Van Buren, county, moved 10 reduce the
salary of the Superintendent Of Public
Instruction from 81 200 to 81 ,o0O.--
The duties Of that officer are no greater,
if as great. as that Of our Judges, who
receive $1,000 each; and i, is a fair
compensation for the people TO pay
This reasonable proposition to lessen the
taxes was rejected by the Democratic
majority, every Wing in the Senate vo-
ting for it. -... ... ........
A Democratic membe. of the House,
reported in favor of paying the members
So per day for the time over and above
so days, in drec, violation of the Con-
siitution; and the Democratic majority in
| the House voted for il and sent il 10 the
Senate. where it was stricken out. /,
is reported that the said member, when
detected in trying 10 smugple in 50 in
stead Of one dollar, made sport of ii as
something smart. 's s"...# a
In relation 10 the unusually large and
ertrauagant allowance of Si2 per day
to MIR. fIendershott' of this county, the
Commissioner on the part of Iowa to
superlntend the running of the Southern
Boundary line, we are not sufficiently
acquainted with the. history Of this al
lowance to say much about it at the
present time. So soon as we can learn
all the facts i'm the case, so as to prevent
our doing injustice TO any one, for
we would NOT knowingly injure any man
or Sc, Of men, We will lay them before
the people, who are deeply interested in
The matter, they have to foo, this enor.
nous bill.
| We have heard il said tina. those who
pretend 10 justify This allowance. lay il
a, the door of the Supreme Court of the
U. S., and that our Legislature had no
alternative but to allow il. As we before
stated, We are not now prepared TO say
who made the allowance, or by whom
instigated. But we are prepared to say,
and we feel well satisfied that we but
speak the sen,imen. of large majority
of the people. tina, made by whatsoever
influence or authority il may have been,
i, is unjust, unusual, and dispropor.ion-
ate TO the sers ices rendered.
We will merely state few facts to
satisfy oil who wish to be satisfied, tina,
our language is not whit too strong
The Surveyors, who actually did the
work, who acquired the scientific know
ledge at much trouble and expense, TO en-
able them 10 do il correctly. got the usu-
al allowance of % per Gay, while the
men, without this knowledge, and who
depended on the Surveyors to tell them
when j, was done correctly, got for &C
companying them, sl2 per day and ex-
penses paid besides. Commissioners.
who make treaties with Indian tribes OF.
our frontiers, settle claims, &C., going
through many hardships and priva,ions,
receive, invariably, only 50 per day.
This is also the pay Of Members of
Congress, and if anything is said abou,
their mileage, the allowance to the Com
missioners for expenses will at least bal
ance part OF that.
A number of gentlemen, some from
this county, (sood Democrats. and as ca
pable Of experimenting the running of
roads and boundaries as the Commits
sioners) laid out a State road from this
place TO Traders Point on the Missouri
River, wen, through as many hardships
and priva,ions as the Commissioners,
and received ouly % per day. There
is a, vast difference between TWO and
TWELVE, DOLLARS per day. The