New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1859-09-23
VOL. NEW OREGON 23, 5 6.

mated do not include all, or there has been q
leak somewhere, and this becomes more appa-
rent on examination Of such acts as section 2 of
chapter Al of the memorable special session of
1856, stealing from other funds indefinite
amounts that do not 60 into this account, but
through the message of Gov. Grimes to the next
regular session thereafter, we are enabled to get
at about $4,000 of it. But it will be said that
there was a special session Of the legislature,
and constitutional convention, that helped
swell these enormous expenses. True, and the
way they helped swell them is terror to all
honest men. By reference to the appropriation
sion, it will be found to foot up near S ,000 but
it will be found that the members made no ap-
preparation for themselves, as is usual, thinking
no doubt, at the time, that their services were Of
so little value to the State that they would give
them in, and in this conclusion I think the peo-
pie would have been willing to have agreed with
them. But it is rumored that they afterwards
changed their mind, from some cause, probably
from being little short of funds and being too
honest to sell their notes to railroad companies
exchanged a few polite notes with the auditor
and treasurer of State, with regard to the pro-
priety of taking for their 13 days service, Sun
days included, not the insignificant sum Of $500
per day which the constitution provides, but as
suming the air of members ofscongress, proper
to take $500 per day, or an aggregate Of 800
each in addition to their mileage, which would
probably average $50 each, making the small
item for the one hundred members Of $15,0 900,
and it is further rumored that the result of this
correspondence, aided by the act found on page
81 Of the laws Of that session, was an amicablc
adjustment Of the matter upon those terms. But
this was, after all, an economical body, for, after
having completed the object for which they were
called together, by giving to four railroad com
panies over 100000 of acres Of Iowa lands at
an expense to the State of near $4,000, with
out requiring any portion thereof to be borne by
said companies. We will find as we pass o,
through that volume of laws masterly spirit o:
economy governing their deliberations, for near
ly half of the acts provide that the expenses of
their publication shall not be borne by the Salc
but by the parties interested. ,r.. ,.i+ H.. gl.
I think they ought to have all the pay they
claimed. What think you, voters! Fey men
would have thought Of such saving to the
| State. +2a5ylta- Aa~AD l2Tao-l .a.5 G4.rgl0 q
But to the constitutional convention the mem
bers of that body were surely economical men!
True, they were, and they proved it by using
the funds Of the State instead of their own to buy
them each a law library at a cost of some $50;
but think this would have been wise and
economical expenditure for the State, had it been
made by the legislature that provided for their
election, and had they been apt students, | az
prehend that they would not have deviated s.
far from the land marks Of constitutional govern
ment that for years have been the sailing marks
and guide of our sister States. 7I1 - w. M. &