Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1859 — SECRETARY OF STATE. [ARTICLE]

SECRETARY OF STATE.

The “State Journal” gives the fol- ■ lowing reasons for voting for Secretary of State: Ist. We shall not disturb the harmony of the party thereby, as the party have decided to leave the matter just where it was. 2d. Every Republican paper within our knowledge that has alluded to the matter at all, has expressed the opinion that a Secretary should be elected, and concurring entirely in that opinion, we feel disposed to act upon it. 3d. The question involved in Mr. Dunham’s title to the office is a very i important one. It is nothing less' than the right of the Governor to I take from the people the power to ■ fill the full term of an elective office. . We don't believe that the Governor , has any such right, or that the Constitution ever meant his appointing power to cover anythin" but a vacancy in a term; and we believe that it ought to be decided authoritatively whether he has that right. By voting for a Secretary this fall we get the means to present a case to j the Supreme '3aurt which will com- j pel such a decision. I* will cost no trouble but the insertion of one Ptt tb G epviqty tickets, and that is too trifling to he as as an objection. 4£h. If the Supreme Court decides that Mr.'Dunham cannot holdga full term without an election, the Republican candidate wijl be the Sec-

’ retary, and in that position he can Ido a little toward deranging the plans of the Governor and his friends to Lelo out the campaign with State funds. If, on the contraI ry, the Court decides that Mr. Dunham can hold a full term by Governor Willard’s appointment, in spite of the people, we shall understand at least that the Democracy of the ■ State believe that the people have no rights which his Excellency is i bound to respect. We have some reason to think that the Supreme Court would a good deal rather not have to make the choice between these evils. For these reasons we are most clearly of the opinion that the Republicans should vote for a Secretary of State this fall; and as Mr. Jas. M. Hill, of Jennings, county, was the first man named, and has been pre- : sented by several papers at both j ends of the State, we propose to vote for him. Therefore we put his name at the head of our paper Jo-day, and solicit the attention of our Republican brethren to the reasons for electing him.