The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-15
CRIME AND REVOLUTION.

From the n. 7. Tribune
The papers of the opposition in Mexico
have excited themselves over the so-called
'legal assassination" of three men charged
with the not uncommon conspiracy to rob a
conducta of silver and begin a revolution.
Out of nine or ten soldiers found guilty of
the plot these three only were executed; the
rest were sentenced to imprisonment for life
which act, viewing the ruthless traditions
of Mexico, might be looked upon as reason
able exercise of forbearance. The oppoSi-
tion at the capital fercely charge upon
the government that its three victims we're
not fairly tried; but how often has this been
notably the case in a Mexican court? Sus-
picion goes so far as to hint that the incul pat
ing papers found on the persons of the con-
demned were put there by guiltier persons in
official life-for what reason it is impossible
to fancy, unless il be preposterously said that
the administration fell short of proofs.
Here we have, however, q case of the grown
ing weakness of Mexico, her judicial system.
This system has all the worst faults It is
profoundly secret, it is dreadfully slow, it is
provokingly corrupt Our courts and lawyers
may be as bad as some of those in Mexico
but they have not SO much in their own
hands. In spite of the excellent project of
Minister Mariscal for judicial reform, we be-
lleve that the Mexican courts have no juries.
A judge and one or two lawyers are all that
are necessary to a case. Plaintiffs may make
their complaints from judge to judge, and so
enter upon penal round of law the end of
which 1t is difficult to foresee. The vilest
criminal has been able to claim the legal
asylum known as amparo, which is equivalent
to our right of appeal, save that it may be
enjoyed with astounding facility and before a
variety of judges.
Now, if the opposition of Mexico were in
earnest, 1T would probably have attacked with
might and main the most infamous case of
this kind known to recent crime. Mai jor-
General Benigno Canto, an officer of the
Juarez Government, took out of his bed in
August of last year, at Durango, Ex-Governor
Patoni, late a fellow prisoner with Ortega
and had him shot in horrible way. He
aVowed, when at length provoked to answ er
that the Government had given him reserved
orders for the murder. His known hostility
to his victim, the Governments indignan
demand for immediate trial, and the shame
and mystery of the event, suppressed an,
instant charge of completely against the Gov
ernment. But now, after repeated promises
of trial, and after a lapse of year and
month since General Patoni was assassinated
his murderer remains untried. The CantC
case has passed through an almos
incredible process of pOstponements Firs
he WAS called to the capital to be elected from
his seat as a member of Congress; then h'
consumed time in one of the courts OF the
capital, marrying meanwhile; next he ap
peared in Durango, where he declined tn
ordinary jurisdiction, and appealed to a .supe
rior court, which annulled the jurisdiction o
lower one and ordered that he be sublecte
to military authority; then a military tribuna
took charge of him, but, subsequently de
claring him incompetent, the affair passed t.
the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, wher
it now sleeps, 1--WE have now lost even tn
thread Of the case, says an administrator
paper calling upon the Durango authoIitie
to state what condition it is in.
But we take it that the state of the Gas