Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-04-29

To The EDIToR OF THE JoURNAL-Sr:-l hnd IN
the Journal Of this morning an article entitled = Mr.
Greggs reply to Mr.. Owen, the subject Of the ex-
penses OF the Committee enrolment and publication
charged the editor OF the Tribune with having yo-
lated the commandment Thou shalt not bear false wit
ness against thy neighbor." He has repeated the Of
fence, in yet more aggravated form.
The facts OF this lie in a nutshell. The Conven.
ton after ordering the enrolment Of two copies Of The
Constitution parchment. and the publication OF fifty.
FIVE Thousand copies in pamphlet FORM to be contracted
for by the clerk Of the Convention, appointed Com
mittee of Enrolment and Publication; expressly charg-
ed with the duty the important document which
had Just been completed correctly enrolled and correct
ly published. This Committee had to do ono OF two
things either to neglect this duty, discharge il.
stated, that Mr.. Newman excused himself on ac-
count Of professional business. The Tribune says,
stis man be true" but he adds 1--WE have right to
conclude that he left because the labors oil the Commit
tee were completed" He has right to do no such
thing As an honest ne had right to do thing
ouly and that was TO CA. upon Mr. Newman TO state
the truth. do ask Mr.. Newman to give his tes
A copy OF the new Constitution on parchment had
been commenced before the Convention adjourned, but
three four pages only were written Several errors
occurred: and as il was considered important have
no material erasures, the enrolling clerk instructed
to commence il again. Enrolling on parchment, IN a
suit able hand for document OF such Importance, is nee
essarially very tedious task. The second copy was
not completed until the second third day after my
from Cincinnati. went over both copies some six
eight times make that they corresponded to
single word and even in punctuation, with the origi
nal cOny enrolled paper, and with each other. As
each was to bo deemed official copy, 1t was OF the
very greatest Importance that not word letter
should vary Constitutional difficulties possibly nvolv
ing hundreds of thousands OF dollars, might have grown
out Of the variance OF single word.
The very day completed this revision returned 10
Cincinnati; and within honrs alter the last revised
proof of the German copy reached my hands, lett that
city. The printing itself not under my control
but visited the printing Office daily TO urge IL forward
From the day the Convention adjourned until the day
got that last proof, was twentysix days II the FRI
bune editor thinks this too long time to get out
fifty thousand copies English, and five thousand in
German, that least, is not my affair. was made
responsible not for the printing, for the time Of run
ming the pamphlet through the press with which had
nothing do but only for its absolute correctness when
it did appear Yet will say that, so far as could
Judge every reasonable dispatch used / charged
three dollars day for twenysx days, and no expenses
whatever, travelling any other. l had right to
charge expenses, but l did not do il.
Now sir, | repeat it, here case in which had
choice but either fagranty to neglect an important
duty officially confded to me, slse-t seems-to OIL
lend Mr. Gregg!
Sir there are some men in this world whom TO offend
speaks we'll for conduct The editor Of the Tribune
is Of these. When, in Convention, every man
with spark Of honest patriotism in his bosom, fe that
we had come together not Wings not as Democrats,
but S fellow citizens Of one common State, charged
irrespective Of party with the duty Of preparing or
ganc law for that State; Who frst,-almost alone
saborned the spirit of party to cast
fire brand into our deliberations Every member o
the Convention the editor of the Tribune
Milton Gregg. Icharge it upon him; and there is not
who with us but knows the truth Of the charge
Little wonder that who, after having taken an
oath faithfully discharge his duty delegate to
Constitutional Convention, could prostitute his ofhcIa
station the manufacture of party capital should ioI
the same purpose. make attack upon man engaged
in the SIMPLE and faithful discharge Of imperative
duty. Little wonder, that delegate Of that Conven
ton, who, during four months session. nothing found
more important engage his attention. fill his speech
es than the pay Of reporter or structures anony
nous letter-wrter country paper, should take
up his time, and fill columns which ought TO be devoted
purposes Of public utility with allegations false
they frivolous against one whose greatest sin in the
premises take to be this that he had occasion, now
and then during the sittings of that Convention raT
a fellow delegate from Madison the knuckes
though never assuredly except when he most especial
! ly deserved it,
am, sir, your ob't sery't,
! ROBERT DALE OWEN
! Lii A.. D