The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-09-12
ATTACK UPON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JU-
dietary BY THE "REPUBLICANS, In CONGRESS-.

ATTACK UPON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JU
dietary BY THE REPUBLICANS" IN CONGRESS-.
The constitution of the United States provides that the
judges ha at stated times receive for their services
compensation, which shall not be diminished during their
continuance in office" On the 2stb of March, 1856, Mr.
Campbell Of Ohio reported the Legislative executive and
judicial BILL providing ten thousand five hundred dollars
or salaries of governor three Judges and secretary of
Kansas This bill was subsequently, amended by "repub-
can" in the House, by adding the following pro-
viso:
Provided That the money hereby appropriated shall
be drawn from the treasury any part thereof and the
any part thereof shall not be paid of appro
priaon made by Congress, until all criminal prosecutions
now pending any of Territory of Kansas against
charged with treason against the Uni
ted States and all criminal prosecutions by information or
Indictment against person or persons for any alleged
violation disregard whatever of the professed laws OF
body of assembled Shawnee Mission, in said Ter
rory claiming to be the legislative assembly of the said
Territory shall be dismissed by the court and every person
who is or may of his liberty by of
of said prosecutions shall be released from confinement
The legislature of Kansas met at "Pawnee city" Gov.
Reeders farm and passed law his Veto to adjourn
the Shawnee Mission The former being far west of the
most settled parts of Kansas without the accommoda
tons necessary the legislature while the latter pos
sessed those which appropriate for such body Gov
heeuer Haue no ConpalHt aShust ING ieSsaluEe uuul
they left his for the mission when his sole objection
that they met in the wrong place AT Shawnee they
passed both civil and criminal laws which be objected
in his solely upon the ground that the Legislature
were acting at Shawnee instead of "Pawnee city" The
laws thus passed provided for Furnishing crimes
(see Kansas Statutes pp 200 to 254 including MURDER
manslaugher arson rape, burglary larceny, false pre-
fences forgery perjury, bribery, obstruction of
,;,c tn hiyauv kc Un-I
der these statutes offences charged have been
committed, and many indictments were pending For
stated the provso above quoted required the
judges to dismiss all indictments preliminary oond
ton to receiving their salaries. When grand jury find
and certify indictment true BILL the court receiving
it is bound to believe that offence has been proved
have been committed Neither the court petit jury
investigate the truth of the grand urys finding except
trial But the provision in question requires the indictments
found by the grand juries be dismissed BY M court
outstanding the finding of the grand jury, and without
trial or investigation Of any kind Those guilty of any
Of the crimes above specified all of them must be dis
missed without any lawful apology the judges
20 without their salaries and be starved into the
mission of the crime Of violating the law by dismssnr In
dctmen against those declared by the grand es to have
violated the statutes They required to do this with
out an examination OF the law, or an nVesugauon OF the
facts The requirement to dismiss not confined TO
any particular class of offences but included those Of
every character enumerated in the statute Neither the
governor secretary to receive compensation until
all indictments found should be dismissed by the court
The provision TO contemplate that the influence
Of the governor and secretary would be added to
their pecuniay wants to induce the judges to dismiss
all indictments, right wrong, for every crime. The
annals Of Legislation do not present another instance
Of such naked attempt to sarve public officers into the
commission Of crime This item In the republican
creed inserted in the Philadelphia platform. 1t seems
be elementary principle In their legislation to pros
rse the Independence Of the Judiciary by starving them
into compliance with their wishes growing out of their
political promises and necessities VIII law-sbding
and orderovng people give their sanction to this
mode Of conducting Judicial proceedings so to make
them the instrument Of screening crime How long
would the Judiciary and laws command respect II admin
istered in the proposed Crime would soon
stalk abroad at MONDAY and the peace Of society be pros
raed under the operation Of such vicious and wicked
principles This item in the political creed of the repub
lcsns" Ia ndsfensible.