Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-04-11

Is, neither You nor ] may d's'A"''
ically affirm.
II vlu deem them constitutional
laws, AMI beneficial % tho country,
Won not only have ihr right a. pub
lish your ol'uinRs, hut il might be
your brunlvn duty as citizen Ia
d. So. Not less Is il the privilege
and duty of any nnd every c'liNel,
wherever residing, Ia publish hi-
his opinion freely aRd fcarlessly on
this and every question which he
thinks concerns his interest, This
il inurrly la accordance with the
principles of our free Government +
aud neither Won nor ! would wish
TO live under any other, Ii Is time
now, at the cnd ofalmost two wears
from the close Ur the war, We should
begin To rccullcct what manner OF
people We arci 10 tolerate again
free, popular discussion, and extend
some iurccargncc aud consideration
to opposing views, The maNlms
thatin all intellectual contests, trnlh
is mighty, aud must prevail aud
that error is harmless when reason
il left free to combat Il, are not only
sound, but sanitary. Ii is II poor
compliment TO the merits of such u
cause, that It's advocates would 81
lcnco opposition by force; and gen
orally those only who are in the
wrong will resort to this ungcncr.
Gus means. am contidentyou will
not commit your serious judgment
to the proposition that any amount
of discussion, or any sort OF opln-
ions however unwisc in your indg-
mcnt; of any assertion or feeling
however rcscntiul or bitter, not re-
sulting in the breach of law, can
furnish justification for your denial
that profound peace exists in Texas
You nigh. us well deny that pro-
found peace exists in New York,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, California,
Ohio and Kentucky, where maiori-
ty OF the people differ with minor
iiy on these questions; or that pro-
found peace exists in the House OF
Representatives, or the Senate, at
Washington, or in the Supreme
Court, where all these questions
have been repeatedly discussed, and
parties respectfully and patiently
heard. You next complain that in
parts of the State, (rcXas) it is dill
ticult to enforce the criminal laws
the sheriits fail to arrest; that grand
jurors will not always indict; that
in some cases the military acting in
hid Of the civil authorities have not
been able to execute the process OF
the courts; that petit jurors haYe
acquitted persons adiudged guilty
by you; and that other persons
charged with offences have broke
Jail and fed from prosecution.
know not how these things are; but
admitting your representations lit:
orally true, if for such reasons |
should SCI aside the local cival tri,
bunaIs and order military com
mission, there is no place in the
United States where it might not
be done with equal propriety.-
There is not State in the Union
North or South-whero the like
facts are continually happening
Perfection is not to be predcated OF
man or his works. No one can rea'
sonablc expect certain and absolute
Justice in human transactions and
if military power is to be setin mo
ton, on the principles for which
: you would seem to contend, | tcai
that u civil government, regulation
by laws, could have no abiding place
beneath the circuit of the sun. Ii
is rather moro than limited in youi
letter, that there is no local State
Government in Texas, and no loca
laws outside of the acts of Congress
which ought to respect and thai
| should undertake to protect the
rights of persons and property II
my own way, and in an arbitrary
manner. If such be your meaning
| am compelled to differ with you
After the abolition of slavery, Car
event which | hope no one now re
grets,) the laws Of Louisiana ant
Texas, existing prior to the rebellion
and not in conflict with the acts o
Congress, comprised vast system
of Jurisprudence, both civil anC
criminal. 1t required not volumes
only, but libcraries to contain them
They laid down principles and pre-
, cedcnts for ascertaining the rights
and adjusting the controversies o
men in every conceivable case
They wero the creations Of great
and good and learned men, WHIT
had labored, in their day, for thcll
kind, and gone down to the grave
) long before our recent troubles
r leaving their works an incstimabl
5 legacy to the human race. Thes'
t laws, as | am Informed, connected
} the civilizations of past and pres
Q ent ages, and testified of the justice
: wisdom, humanity ana patriotism
$ of more than one nation, through
= whose records they descended t.
9 the present people of these States
= am satisfied from representation
: of persons competent ojudge, the!
= are as perfect system OF laws a
l. NAV be found elsewhere and bet
b ter suited than any other to th
condition of this people, for by then
: they have long been governed
= Why should it be supposed Con
: gress has abolished these laws
= Why should any one wish to abol
r ish them2 They have committee
r no treason: nor are hostile to th
= United States; nor countenanc
!. crime; nor favor injustice. o.
4 them. as on a Foundation of rocli
5 rePosOs almost the entire super
struction Of social order in thes
D two States. Annul tins code Of 10
- - l...~-. .,,1 4irar-a Mould ur no I0uu