Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-05-01
To The Voters of the 10th Judi
cial District,

The Office of District Attorney having be-
come vacant by the resignation of ID. Z. Dade,
Esq, and an election having been ordered
by the Governor Of the State TO fill the va
cancy, which will take place upon the Sd
dnv of June, lsUl, | take this method Of an
nouncing myself candidate for that office.
The office is II judicial one. 1t is general
in its character Has for its object the en-
forcement of the criminal law and the pun
ishmcnt of criminals, let the offender be who
he may whether influential or unintlucn-
tial; whether Jew or Gentle, christian oil
pagan, whig or democrat, scccssionist or
Unionist; all are alike and should be anne
nable to the laws Of the land There are
none 50 high as to be above the laws and
there are none SO poor and humble but that
the strong arm Of the law will protect them.
The law is not sverved by the alurlng
charms of majorities; neither is it deferred
lest it might be upon the side OF lean mnor-
tiles. Its object is and should be to protect
the good of whatever name, order or dcnom-
ination they may be, and to punish crime,
from whatever source it may originate. In
Republican Governments the elective fran
chise being in the people, aspirants and
dcmagogucs frequent ly, for the purpose OF
self.aggrandizcmcnt resort to popular hob
bies court the influence and support oil par
ties supposed to be in the majorltyi resort
TO deep laid schemes and wirc-working, for
the purpose of carrying their point The
parties to which | resort are the lovers of
Justice, of whatever name, order or denoml-
nation-those who desire to see the good
protected and the criminal punished, III or
der to deter others from the commission OF
like or greater offences. With my view OF
the case, the only inquiry necessary to be
made is "Is he competent, is he honest
Men may differ about their politics, about
their religion, about the policy of Govern
ment, about sovcreignty-whati it is and
where it resides but they all agree that
crime should be punished-that the law
should be enforced. We all love life and
liberty, and love to live in those countries
where our lives, liberty and property are
protected by law. Law is to government
what the main spring of a watch is to the
watch. Destroy the main spring and the
machinery stops. However wise and just
the laws of State may DO, unless they are
enforced the machinery of the Government
ceases the criminals 60 unwhpped of JUS
tice, and crime stalks abroad in the land.
Then it is that men take the redress of their
grievances in their own hands, and resort
to the double barreled shot gun, the revolt
YER and the bowic-knite, acknowledging no
other law but the law of ght, and Govern
ment proves failure.
1t is the duty of the District Attorney 10
represent the State in all criminal cases ~
the District Court of his District, IN an
criminal cases before examining Court''
and unon writs of habeas corpus, II ne is
,t the time in the county. He is the legal
adviser of the Grand Jury, and prepares
all hills of indictment found by them. The
District Attorney in being the legal adviser
of the Grand Jury, may do much goodi IT
is lamentably true that men sometimes, TO
crafty their ambition, or through some pc
cuniary motive, seek the Grand Jury room
to vent their spleen upon their neighbor.
And it ba. been we'll said that mems good
depds are often inferred with their bones,
but their evil deeds live after them. Men
NAV be indicted through malice, and the
neople will soon forget the nature or how it
was disposed of, but they will never forget
that they were indicted, and perhaps it will
bs thrown up to them and their children for
ages. This the District Attorney should
guard strictly against, and as much as pos
sible prevent the finding Of frivolous in
dictments that run the county to consdera-
BILE exprense, and disgraces innocent par
ties.
If | should be so fortunate as to be your
choice shall ever feel grateful, and use
every eIertion in my power to see that the
law is enforced. Nothing more will | de-
mand with nothing less will be content.
WA1AHAcAIE, April 25th 1861.
AMI BRADSHAW.