The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-03-16
THE HAWKEYE AND FAIRFIELD
SENTINEL.

THE HAWKEYE AND FAIRFIELD
SENTINEL.
We notice that quite warm discussion 10 go
ing between these two journals, upon the sub.
ject Of the Governors veto of the Constitutional
Convention Bill. The "Hawkeye" (whig) con.
tends that the Governor U;otated his conscien.s
g. the exercise Of his prerogatipe add he '.Sen.
tner' maintains that he did nothing Of the
kind.
To sustain its declaration Of Executive faith
lessness, the Hawkeye ventures two assump-
tons which are entirely erroneous LIST. That
the people were in favor of the passage of an
Act, submitting the qneston,o of Constitutional
Convention 20 vote; and 2ndly, that the Gov.
ernor knew this to be the state of public sent !
ment, when he vetoed the bill and therefore vic.
lated his conscisnce.
Were the premises Of the Hawheye tenable,
its conclusions might be correct; but they are
not aad therefore the whole thing falls 70 the
ground. They are not tensble, because there
| Is no evidence that any Considerable portion OF
the people desired such an Act to pass the Leg
slature. The only county represented by feti-
ton in the Legislature, upon this subject, was
Linn, and she onlysby about one fourth OF her
voters Now, would it not have been an easy
matter, had the voters of Iowa, felt as deep SO
licitude upon this subject, as is pretended by the
Hawkeye and other kindred prints, to have sent
up petitions preying the passage OF an Act sub
hitting this question to vote Of the people =
Certainly it would and most assuredly was this
the course to pursue. II is the course desired
Eby Legislators, that they may avoid errors and
responsibilities and it il the course usually pur-
sued by the people, VIII the Hawkeye pre-
: tend that some $50 petitioners from Linn coun-
, ty, were sufficient expression Of the public
sense of this State, upon the question at issue
to justify the Legislature, in departing fiom the
legitimate business of legislation, to consider
discuss and determine question OF tins magn'
tude. 1t seems to US not. Then why proclaim
with all the appearance of sincerity, that thu
people were in favor Of the passage of such al
act! The Hawkeye may reply, that the mer'
fact of majority of the members of the Gen
!, eral Assembly voting for the measure, was
:. sufficient evidence Of the popular will, indie
pendent of direct and palpable expression b.
petition We deny that this is just ground,
that il would afford any excuse for grave Leg
!, slative body TO enter upon the preliminaries Q
a radical change of the fundamental law Of tn
= state. The work Of revising, amending,
4 abolishing one constitution, and devisng an
adopting another, is ore of no ordinary impor
lance Indeed il is one Of great responsibility
4 requiring grave consideration and an exercise {
4 the sountlest discretion that people can brin
to their aid. Daring the August election,
i. which the members of the General Assembl
). were voted for, the question of Constitution;
: Convention was not agitated. There may hav
= been few counties over on the Desmoine'
whose people voted, upon partial understand
II ing of the subject, with view 10 submittin
h this question to vote of the people. AT lea'
4 their Legislative Agents SO stated But thu
4 in this way, to justify any action Of the Gener'
: Assembly, we emphatically deny.
u The question arises then, is the Hawkeye ju!
tilted, in accusing the Executive of having VII
e lated his conscience OF course not. I
have violated conscience, three things were net
l. essary lst To concede the right to the peop
:, to demand this reform, which no one we pre-
e sumo will deny 2ndly. To be entirely satisfie
!. that majority Of the voters OF the state, ha
demanded it. And 3rdly to interpoes ve
with these facts before him. Now, we submi
e had the Executive any knowledge of this kin
before him to govern his action' The answ'
g is an emphatic no Then how can the Hawk
h eye justify itself, in assaling the integrity an
fidelity of the Executive We pause for
e lrepIv.