Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-05
CASE OF JUDGE JOHN c. wATROUs


Ia Me House of Representatives., Dec. 20,
1S6O-Ordered to be printed, and the fur
ther consideration postponed to Thursday,
9th December next.
Mr.. ]. II. Reynolds, from the Committee on
the Judiciary, made the following Report:
The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom
were referred sundry memorials preferring
charges against John G. Watrous, District
Judge Of the United States for the eastern
district cf Texas, and praying for his i'm
peaohment, having had the same under con-
sideration, respectfully report:
That in view of the previous proceedings
touching the matters committed to them, they
entered upon the investigation at the first ses-
sion Of the present Congress in the belief that
it was Of the highest importance to the public
interest, as well as to the accused, that some
definite result should be reached, and some
action taken which shsuld be regarded as final.
In the 35th Congress much time was expended
by the Judiciary Committee in the investiga-
tion Of the charges preferred, upon which
Judge Watrous was heard in person and by
counsel before the committee, a large amount
of testimony was taken, and the committee
were equally divided on the question of i'm
peachment. The House, upon consideration
of the case, refused to adopt the resolution for
an impeachment. Upon the present inyesti-
CATION the committee came to the conclusion
20 proceed er parts, and they have accord
ingly taken additional evidence only in sup
PORT Of the charges against the accused They
have also considered before them the evidence
taken during the 35th Congress, and the re-
ports made TO the House thereon, to be found
in vol. Of the reports Of committees of the
House of Representatives for 1857 and 1853
sDd their proceedings are more properly to be
regarded as q continuation of the former in
yestigstien than as an entirely original one
The additional evidence taken by the commit.
tee during the present Congress, in respect to
the charges upon which four members Of the
Judiciary Committee Of the 35th Congress
(Messn Chapman, Billinghurst, Miles Taylor
and George >. Houston) recommended ths
adoption Of resolution Of impeachment, dee
not materially change the facts as they ther
appeared. But considerable evidence has beer
produced showing the connexion Of Judg,
Watrous with Transactions Of q character I'm
fitting judicial oficsr or an honest man, anc
which may not only present an independen
ground Of misbehavior deserving impeash
ment. but tends also to shed light upon tn,
nature of his associations and private interests
and enable rs the better to estimate the judi
cial integrity Of Judge Watrous 50 far as it i
called in question by the memorials or the evi
dence.
In respect to the charges contained In tn,
memorials Of jacob Mussina and Eliphas Spen
Ger. the committee do not deem it essential Z
enter upon any discussion Of the evidence, bu
views thereof presented in the report signe
by Mesrs Chapman, Billinghurst, Taylor an
Houston, Of the Judiciary Committee of tn
Thirty fifth Congress, upon which an impeach
ment was recommended, and also to concur i
the recommendation with which that repor
concluded, in respect to the charges there coz
sidered
The committee have had before them on th
present occasion the memorial Of VIM. Ale,
snder, member of the legal profession and
citizen Of the State Of Texas, in which il
charged, among other things, that individua
constituting a board of land commissioners
the then republic of Texas did, in violation
Law, make and issue fraudulent certiicat,
Of head-rights te persons not entitled to th
same, and 10 fictitious persons, to an amour
Of about q, 600, 900 Of acres Of land, and b
means Of fraudulent or forged assignmen
cold them in the market. This frsudulei
transaction having become known to the Coz
gress Of the Republic, various laws were el
sstei to obyiats the evils arising therefron
aud to punish such persons as might atteml
20 make the alleged frauas and forgeries
source of gain; aud among others, an act WI
passed on the 5th Of February, lSi0, eatitls
An act to punish individuals concerned