, 1856-02-15
HON. A. A, DENNY,


As Indicated in our last issue, we feel called upon
this week to pay Our respects to Mr.. a. A. DENNY
late Speaker of the House of Representatives-(by
way Of inquiry and comment) AS to how he discharg
ed the duty, conided to him by the people, and his
own honor during the session of the late legislature
Of this territory This is question which, as pub
lie journalist We feel it duty to furnish all the
light and facts of which VIC are in possession.
A member elected to represent his constituents in
the legislature takes OATH to discharge his duty,
fully feaessly and faithfully to the best OF his abill
ty Mr.. DENNY may have done so, to the hest OF has
ability and understanding; but if So he was not t tn
be member of that body much less to be the Speak
era still more responsible position.
Facts are stubborn things as Mr.. DSSSY will
find out before we have done with him; and history
Of his shameless course, and that Of his coadUorS,
this winter-to pass over much in his manner as
presiding officer in legislative body that Is objection
abe-we will leave at rest for the present and hasten
to the main point at issue-a rOiaiin Of his oath Of
office! And here we assume the ground he pleads
ignorance of his duties then he was not qual9l for
the position he occupied If he did know betfer, and
under rtandingy uioated his oath of Office, by oyerri
ding all precedent, trampling the laws under foot,
cOuntcnancing an open violation of the rules adopted
for the government Of our territorial legisature-with
his obligations resting upon him as representative
then he was only disqualified but totally u'roThy
in every sense to be permitted to exercise the high
trust confded to him by an honest but betrayed con-
stituency
Let Mr. DENY take either horn Of the dilemma"
and he stands before the public, either political
fool and his Ignorance unpardonehlc and u ko did
Lliotp better ard yet act he has in the premises
then has he legally and justly earned for himself the
brand of political knave and trckster. One thing
is certain he has dsgraced hinself aud the position
he occup.cd-yioated rule and law disregnrded prcce
dent, nsulted the Intelligence Of the people, and
thrown discrelt and dishonor upon the proceedings
of the territorial legislature Let the people look at
the facts, sworn to by six members of the council,
who under oath say, substantially, that the Council
ne7er did help the House TO eject territorial printer,
whilst Mr.. DESSY gives Col. WALLACE certificate
that in joint convention he (walace) elected the
printer; and the six members of the Council thus
tesifyhg constitute tcOtirds Of that body In this
TRANSACTION Let ask, how does Mr.. Denny stand be-
fore the world in point of veracy honor honesty Of
purpose and integrity? Look at the facts His
paltry statement to the contrary does not weigh a
feather against sreh accumulated testimony; and he
stands before the people Of the territory as beteycr
Of their rights and interests and having dsgraced
the particular body he presided as speaker and
bTed the reputation of the whole legislative assem-
bly,. And for all the odium which attaches ~ him
fer his late legislative career his following in the
leadership Of Frank Clark-a political Tenegad-will
fully explain to what source he Is indebted for it.
Let the people look at It A man Of Mr. DFSSY's S
former character and position In society, TO enlist
under the nonyrel banner Of know.ntotng whiggery,
and black repnblicanism, carried by Frank Clark
the leader in the House, Of the
all the consemptible and despicabe i-ms that iniest
and disgrace the political world! Is ii not matter
of astonishment that the late speaker could far for
get and iumlliae himself to follow bndly, in the
wake of sueh leader to his own ruin, and the dis
grace Of the honest, honorable and intelligent mem
bers Of wha; remain Of the old line whig partyi
Without expecting answer, let us inquire Of Mr..
DENNY II he has not at various timcs in conversation
with respectable and responsible citizens Of this place.
expressed opinion-actno'ricdgsd that he believed
all the proceedings Of the assumed joint convention,
far as concerned the election Of printer, &c, was
illega9 And did you not remark to one gentleman,
substantially that you would nat stand in the shoes Of
Col. WALLACE for one thousand dollars +? That you
did not believe he (Wallace) could ever obtain pos
session of copies of the laws journals &c for publ
cation? and Il he did, that they would be furnished 10
him ilegalyl II you deny this have the evidence,
and witnesses than one to prove that you did 50
state And yet, with your own admission against you,
and your oath staring you in the face you, deliberately,
with open eyes, gaUe Col Wallace certificate Of an
election territorial printer By JOINT convention Of
de Legislative assembly, ttat you knec al s me
falss and u1foundsdl Now how does such conduct
comport with your pretentons Of morality upright
and straightforward conduct and dealingG Your past
standing as leads'us to regret that you hold the
least possible claim to political honesty and integrity
by the most himsy and uncertalp tenure. We were
not prepared to believe that yoy regarded Osih as
so trivial and in the light that Frank Clark Is
represented to attach to IN obligation We have II on
Information which Clark dare not confront refute,
that during the session Of the Legislature Of 1s5ls
at time when kuow-nothingism was encirclng into
lis embrace many Of our citizens and members Of the
Legislature Clark approached, in the usual know-noth-
ing method, stern old democratic member for this
county to join the unhOly concaye when after vari
Gus inquiries by democratic friend, to It's aim
and object Clark in the course of reply, represented
to have remarked in substance that he believed there
was an oath or obligation connected with gaining ad-
mission; but (preisndhg he 'rds not then me;5er),
Is said to have continued something like this that
he had as leave take the oath as not that the Oaf did
not amount to anything that he did not care d--m
for the cath -
For the recent Infamous aud outrageous conduct Of
the speaker and the opposition In the House, pal
laton or Justification be found in the annals Of
any legislature unless its counterpart be already fore
Swallowed in the motley low-nothng and kinky-head-
ed band now assembled at Washington city, plotting
treason against the constitution and the government