Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-08-01
Report of fSommiitee on Law
IessneSs ana Crime.


dent Democratic Convention,
Your committee, 10 whom wal
referred tho subject OF tho investi
CATION Of crime aud lawlessness ia
; the State Of Texas, aud the charges
, contained in the message OF L, M
Peaso, Military Governor Of th'
) State, aud tho late report Of judge
. Caldwell t. the Convention now 10
session at Austin, respectfully 70
port, that they have given the mat
, ter such consideration as the limited
/, iIhe aud facilities at their disposal
would allow. The principal sources
from which our Information Ia dc
rived is personal observation and
tho evidence of gentlemen now pres
ent in tho Convention from every
portion of the State, and from the
report of Judge Caldwell to tho Con-
yuntion in session ut Austin.
Ii is but due 10 truth 10 say, and
wo admit il with sorrow, that for
the past three years crimo has been
too prevalent Ia our State, and We
deem il the primary duty OF all good
citizens to give thoir hearty sup.
port towards its suppression by sus-
tnining tho civil and military au-
thoritics in tho discharge OF their
duties. After careful consideration
We are fully satisfied that the report
Of Judge Caldwell grossly misreprc-
sents our people in cxaggerating the
amount Of crime, and unjustly and
falsely attributing il to the Conser-
vative party of the State and TO the
disloyal disposition of our people
and personal animosity to freedmen
and white radicals.
The true causes of the great in.
crease of crime in the State of Texas
are patent 10 every honest mind and
will be readily appreciated when
stated. We of our personal knowl-
edge, are familiar with tho facts and
causes of alleged crimes in many
cases, and very rarely, if ever, have
political differences had anything
whatever to do with originating
or pcrpctuating these difficulties
and in this conclusion wo are borne
out by the testimony of the most
reliable members of this Convention
from different portions Of the State,
who bear unbrokcn testimony to tho
fact that no one has within their
knowledge been prescribed, perse-
cuted or molestcd, for political opin-
ions. We attribute the increase of
crime ia our State to the following
causes
l. The general Generalization
resulting from the war and the alb
sence Of any government, civil or
military, for months after the con-
clusion of the war, and the disband-
ment of a large number of Confed-
crate and Federal soldicry in our
midst, thus suddenly releasing them |
from military restraint and being,
without tho checks of civil law to
restrain them. In this social and
civil condition, it is not surprising
that personal feuds and animosities
should be engendcred, and that out
RACES against persons and. property |
should be frequent |
2. These disorders have been in
creased by taking from the civil au-
thorities in many instances and To-
calitics the execution of the laws,
without supplying a sufficient sub,
stitute for such authority.
3. Much of the lawlessness and
crime in the State has resulted from
the inefficiency of the judicial and
ministerial officers appointed by
the military authorities Of this State.
Many of these officers are not only
corrupt, ignorant, and inefficient,
but having no acquaintance or sym
pathy with the people, they have
been VIGOROUSLY derelict in the dis
charge of their duties. In many
of the counties the intelligent class
of the people have been excluded
from service on the juries, and none
but negroes or such white persons
as could subscribe to the most rigid
test oaths, who, in almost every in
stance, belong to the inferior class
of citizens, have been permitted to
serve on juries. Before such ijuries
it has been almost impossible to
procure conviction for offences,
which has greatly tended to increase
crime in, the State. By reference
to the report of Caldwell, it will be
seen that he states, with how much
truth we are notprepared to say, that
only 402 offices in this State are held
by military appointees.l This may
be true, but the unfair inference
which it was intended to convey
should be exposed. OF these mill
tary appointees nearly all of them
hold the most important offices in
tho State. All of the District At-fl
torneys, nearly all Of the Chief JUS
tices, and a large number Of the Su-
preme Judges, are military appoin-
tees. These men are interpreters
of the laws and the conservators of
the peace, and upon them devolves
the punishment and the suppression
of crime add to these the Governor Il
of the State, and it will be seen that
in truth the government is in the
hands. of the military and radical ]
By reference to the !
same report it will be seen that it is
stated that tho following number of
have been perpetrated in
Texas since the conclusion of the
war, viz; 1857; 1s66-142; 1867
331; 1S6S-304. Gov. Pease took !
his seat-as military governor of the
State in August, 1867, and very soon
thereafter, upon his recommeRda- !
ion, the removal of incumbent Off |
,ers commenced, and military aP- {
were made 10 I'll the ]
twill be seen that upon
n