Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1858-12-01
The Impeachment Case in Congress-Judg
Watrous

The Impeachment Case in Congress Judge
Watrous.
One of the first duties to be performed by
the next Co grcss will be 10 investigate the
charges against Judge John G. Watrous, Unit
ed States District Judge for the District of
Texas. AS the complaints of oppression and
corruption against the Judge have been urged
in the Legislature of Texas and the Congress
of the United States, since 1913, the people
seem to thinl it is time that Congress act e.
nally upon the matter The impeachment of
a Judge is fortuatel y rare event, and as this
one is destined to excite the attention of the
whole country, we have taken pains to exam
inc into the history of the case and the char
acter of the complaints.
John c. Warous IVES appointed District
Judge during the Administration of President
Folk. He is vested with Circuit Court powers
and there is no appeal from his decisions, save
to the Supreme Court of the United Statcs.-
Ills Office consequently, is one of much i'm
portance, and before him large proportion Of
the great land cases of Texas are necessarily
brought. We are, therefore, not surprised at
the feeling OH this subject exhibited by the peo.
pie of Texas
Judge Warous had hardly taken his seat on
the bench before he Lacame involved in the
most serious difficulties. As to the character
of these difficulties we are not informed, but
we find that MIR. Evans, one of the members
from Texas, said in Congress that the Judge
"fell under suspicion, and it became the settled
opinion of large majority of the people Of
Texas that he was engaged in fraudulent cas-
es." And in the brief debate which followed,
we find no member from Texas attempting to
defend him.
ln 1913 the complaints against Judge Wa
trous were made the subject of discussion in
the Legislature of Texas, and we find them al
most unanimously adopting the following pre-.
amble aud resolutions;
"Whereas, it is believed that John G. Wa
trous, Judge of the United States District
Court for the District of Texas, has, while
seeking that important position, given legal
opinions in causes and questions to be litgatcd
hereafter, in which the interests of individuals
and of the State are immensely involved,
whereby it Is believed he has disqualified the
Court in which he presides from trying such
questions and causes, thereby rendering it nee
essary to transfer an indefinite and unknown
number of suits hereafter to be commenced to
courts out of the State for trial; and whereas
it is also believed th't the said John G. Wa
rous has, while in office, aided and assisted
certain individuals, if not directly interested
himself, in an attempt TO fasten upon this State
one of the most stupendous frauds ever prac-
tised upon any country or any people, the ef-
feet of which would be to rob Texas of mil
lions of acres of her public domain, her only
hope or resource for the payment of her public
debt; and whereas his conduct in court and
elsewhere, in derogation of his duty as Judge,
has been marked by such prejudice and injus-
tice towards the ri ghts of the State, and divers
OF its citizens, as to show that he does not de-
serve the high position he occupies; There
fore.
"SEc. 1. Be it Resolved, by the Legislature
of the State of Texas. That the said John G.
Watrous be- and he is hereby requested in be-
half of the people of the State, to resign his
office of Judge of said United States Court for
the District of Texas.
.SEp. 2. Be it further Resolved, That the
Governor forward to said John c. Watrous, un-
der the seal of the State, a copy of the FORE
going preamble and resolution; also copy TO
each of our Senators and Representatives in
the Congress of the United States"
But Judge Watrous was not gifted with the
virtue of "resignation," and declined compli.
ance with the request of the Legislature.
Though there continued much dissatisfaction
we hear nothing further of any importance on
this subject until the year 1862, when an at.
tempt was made in Congress to impeach the
Judge We have before US some of the pa.
pers concerning the step, but we learn that the
attempts failed for want Of satisfactory evidence
of the charges preferred against him.
Passing, for want Of space, over MINOR mat.
tiers, we now come TO the present charges and
memorial, and the action of Congress upon
! them The investigation is based upon the
corpain' afJacob Mnssna citizen O. Ions
/ isua. an, mt yi Elipbss Spencer, citizen @
Texss Mussiua alleges, among many mat
/ ters. tnat IN q certain ChanceTy suit m Tex
IL