Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-01-30
Minority Hepagts.the Commits

ln iht ifrsllehA VI tue Aphstilu
lioHal CunyoUllun-
Tho undersigned, nemlers Of the
Special Committee 10 whom was re-
irrrsl lho resolution offered by Mr.,
Burnett, requiring said COMMITTEES
to rypnrl the condition OF the State
as lo .gw aul order, aud tho pr0ba
Lillly of Ihe registered voters being
guaranteed i''rc speech AMI free bal
lot, i'an imp0rlial election can bo
had for n constitution and State and
county o!llccrs at an early day, and
ifanY additional legislation bc need
cl, etc, and the resolution of Mr.,
Wilson, at BmEoria, for the election
nr iunr members of this body To pro-
coed 10 Washington, aud present Ia
Cougrtss all such matters relating
"a Texas etc, have considered
these resolutions, and respectfully
present ihcirrepprt, dissenting from
The report of the majority, and offer
their opinion orlhe matters involved,
IN very brief manner:
From the official reports ofBureau
agents for November last, in tho
counties of Polk, Pamela, San Au.
gus,inc, Rnstrop, McLcnnan, Gray
son, Hopkins, Houston, Harrison,
Washington, Fayctto, Smith aud
Rcd River, there have been disturb.
anccS, caused by unruly men, but
that these men are leaving or bo.
coming moro quilcly disposed; and
from the testimony of witnesses in
the counties of Lamar, Grimes,
Houston, Washington, Harrison,
Gruyson, aud Tarrnt, somo distur-
bances have existed, but seem quite
tranquil at present. In view OF the
evidence relating othcabovc sixteen
counties it might be proper for the
civil authorities to provide specially
for the preservation of order in case
of mn election therein. From the
Official reports of other Bureau
agents for November last, in the
counties of Austin. Jasper, Caldwell,
Brazoria, BeXar, Travis, Liberty,
L,vaca, Calhoun, Guadalupe; Kauif-
man, Galveston, Nictora, Colorado,
Falls, Harris, Robertson and JefIcr.
son, law ANA order prevail. And
from the statements Of witnesses, in
the counties Of Frccstonc, Lime
stone, Montgomery, Hill, Parker,
Denton, Cook, johnson and Navarro,
law and order prevail.
Also two letters from District
Judge west Of tho Trinity river
were presented, containing nothing
of importance in this inquiry. Also
the petition Of nine persons, pur-
porting to be citizens of Milan
county, asking Gov. Pcase for sol.
dicrs. A petition of certain resi-
dcncc Of Hampstead, Austin county,
asking the Governor for soldiers,
and a letter from an officer Of the
court Of Milan county, giving in
formation to the Governor ofa COM
biuativn of three or four attorneys
at the town Of Cameron, conspiring
to let their cases remain untricd by
negro jurors. With this ended the
reports of the subordinate officials,
the examination of witnesses, and
individual communications. The
undersigned think proper to say
that the said Bureau agents and
witnesses are reported to be in SYM
pathy with the republican party.
After deduction the first sixteen
counties referred to, the testimony
Of the said subordinates, witnesses
and communications leave no doubt
in the mind Of the undersigned that
law and order prevail, and that fair
elections, for the benefit the Greg.
istercd voters in the remaining
one hundred and six organized
counties Of the State. can be holden.
and with as little probability of
interruption as in past times Of
quiet. And in case ofunfairness in
any election holden in either or all
Of the sixteen counties, the statutes
provided the manner of correction,
so that no real impediment may be
found to the speedy reorganization
Of cur State.
Tho beliefs of the undersigned,
with all due respect, are not weak
encd by the conclusions of the civil
military Governors on which the
majority of the committee seem
mainly to rely. For it must be
presumed that all the evidence in
reach WAS conclusions of the mill
tarv Governor, and that all the in
formation had by these Governors
was obtained through their subor-
dinatcs. the same presented to this |
committee, and which furnish moth
ing sufficient upon which to found |
such unfavorablc charges and con
cIusion And it suggests itself to |
our mind that the term of office of
the civil Governor depends, perhaps,
on the duration Of the provisional
and that his action in
this re pect might be supposed not |
uninflucnced by reasons
best known to himself In his re-
port the military Governor has |
made passing reference 10 the mur- /
dcrs and other dcpredations of the |
Indians on the frontier, but took I
special notice of the killing of Geo. /
w. Smith, at the town of Jefferson,
in Northeastern Texas, Ito which
killing the undersigned would make .
no unkind allusiOn, but believe that !
time will disclose another side Of
that individual affair.) and speaks I
Of the wholesale murder of freed 4
men and other "loyal" innocents, /
ia number too many TO enumerate
upon his reckoning board. In his /
report. besides Geo. W Smith. some .
one person who has been banished,
or selected for murder
since the summer session, should
have been described by name or
aud by whom committed,