Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-12

reII timed article from the New York Transcript
N the Judge watrous case The article urges
Congress to make the proper disposition OF this
ong DELAYED and much vexed case, by sending 1t
o the Senate for trial. and in this respect,
put TO echo the almost unanimous sentiment OF
he press and Of the public. The whole OF the
last session was consumed by the Judiciary CON-
mittee Of the House In taking addinenal sestl-
mony In the watrous case; and IL would be much |
deplored IL Congress, at this session, snouio IN
termit the determ ination Of case that mas eccu-
pied SO much time in Its preparation, that has been
subjected already to many delays, that Involves
interests OF so much magnitude, and that's urged
upon Its immediate attention by every considera-
ton of duty, justice, and policy:
CoxaRKss AND THE wArRous CASE -There
seams to be a common i'm preston that the session
Of Congress Just convened will be speech
making" one, specially on aceouh. Oh me PInn-
coins election. We trust that 1t Will spare any
evaporation of difhculties already serious enough
All discussions and excitements In Congress are
at all times to be deprecated that displace It's
regular business, and induce 1t TO neglect It's
Legislative duties At this session there are legis
lative and active duties Of great Importance,
which Congress owes to the country, and which
we would be sorry to see entirely superseded by
political debates. whatever may be the doubtful
necessity or propriety Of discussing questions In
Congress which belong to the people In their
We do not propose to read a lecture to Congress
on its duties we merely desire to suggest respect
fully the legal limits Of It's duties under the Con-
stitution, and the interests which the whole
country has in the execution OF ln legisiseVe
office.
In the unfinished business of last session, there
still remains for Congression action the case OF
| Judge watrous, which has fingered for ten years
without a trial, Notwithstanding the appeals OF
| the people and Of the Legislature Of Texas, and
/ the rec concentrations Of an Impeachment twice
| made by investigating committees We should
/ be sorry to a case Of such importance and ur-
| gency further temporized with by Congress, or
lost In the whirl and excitement OF sectional de-
bates and disunion speeches Let Congress do Its
/ duty to the last whatever else may come. There
are certainly other questions demanding Its atten-
ton besides that of disunion which latter at least
| or at worst, properly belongs to the people and
| should be committed to them. What, indeed,
| are our rights, united or disunited, IL Congress
will assert no power to enforce them, and will re-
nounce the duty Of guarding and preserving the
purity Of the federal Judiciary! This is no light
question 1t addresses itself to the conscience and
the fidelity Of the representatives Of the people
| moment-if but while some action 10 accomplished
above the passions Of political controversy, which
threaten to PfeoccuPy all else
Il We have referred on previous occasions to thi
Judge Watrous case. It's importance, its profcs
sional aspects and Its especial interest In Its lega
bearings to a commercial community like New
York recommend 1t as an appropriate subject TO
| discussion I'm our columns. The vast commercial
. interests OF New York; the connections and enter
prises Of its " merchant princes" reaching to tn,
most distant States and Territories Of the Union
the expansion of its credits all the country
| conspire to give it a heavy and momentous sak
in the integrity Of the Federal Judiciary, who's
peculiar province il is to determine and adjudgs
controversies between citizens OF different States
+ Looking at the character and extent Of our vas
| city commerce, we may well ask whether tn
commercial prosperity OF New York has not al
as near to their homes and their pockets as thei
4 concern for the integrity Of their courts.
s We believe that the picture needs only to b
| understood to be manifest We believe that
could not better show itself than In connection
y | with this Watrous case, where United State
: | Judge, among various accusations, is charge,
e with be;raying foreign suitors in his court, AT
4 with opposing all unfrendly parties who al
| tempted to sue there, stripping them of thei
rights, and mocking them.
g Judge Watrous is accused Of crimes so heinoui
Il and these accusations, too. apparently so we
sustained by preliminary H. vestigations that til
case should not rest, and never rest, without
70 trial. The press Of the country, with voic,
has called and is calling for an arIaignment {
l only competent tribunal to determine it, VIII
should trial be avoided, Can any one of homo
. able susceptibilites say that man is ft incun
bent Of a judicial office, who, among the mo
IN | various and Infamous accusations fastened upo
him, Endorsed, SO to speak by the action of
re Legislature and the votes of investigating con
" mittees 10 accused In but one distinct charge
E. the double crimes Of forgery aud suborHatton
~ perjury? The charge we refer to applies to
Z, pretended power Of attorney, which is the esse
" tlal link Of Judge Watrouss title to sixty tho
vs. sand acres Of laUd In Texas. 1T was, :" sa
IN Governor Houstos, of Texas, in his exposition
lv the Senate Of the Watrous Conspiracy, sits obe
to impose upon the courts forged imminent
TX title to vast estate, and 10 snstan the forgery
as | perjured and purchased testimony. The who
be history Of the forged power Of attorney Is owe
!. wheiming in its evidence Of the black and !
doubled crime Of Judge W atrous and his cenfe
ef crates, in seeking to sustain forgery of the me
lat monstrous description, by devices Of fraud,
holder acts Of bribery and at last by direct SUBJ
re nation Of perjury "--lSenator Houston's speec
delivered In the u s. Senate, Sd February ls5.
AZ There are other charges against Judge W afro
to OF the most infamous crimes, and Of which t
We evidence is &c ually Overwhelming, as that
ferred to by Gov. Houston, to which we La
space to refer. Enough In known and proved
a demand trial. We do not pass on the questio
OF guilt or innocence-it would be improper
as US to do SO. That question is to be committed
lis the Judgment and Integrity Of the United Sta
A. | Senate. We are only for committing IL there
A. nothing more, nothing less.
We notice that one of the newspapers Of @
NJ own State, the Highland Democrat takes a DO
40 tion on the Watrous case which Is nearly SINH
We to our own; namely, that Is not uss on mer.
. | Of the guilt or innocence Of an Individual, but
Is question involving the responsibility
Judges, the purity Of the ermine, and the cor
'er dence OF the community In its magistrates.
-, upon to sustain. IL 10 this question which &C
gress Is called upon to appreciate. And il 10 Il
Vh question with reference to which both m
to adopt, as we do, the language Of the Democr
q | and say
- "'If powerful interests, corporate bodies, a
M high officials, banded together, can shield
ist conduct Of Judges from Investigation, truly m
vt corruption stalk forth in the glare Of day and
e. Government stand exposed as miserable failur,
Il n