Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-12-09
SorIoEl
SPECIAL MILITARY TAX

a N.i,.. rsuasasaiiHE STATS h4pls a. i.s.o,, ~
rsssHis las sIAfletis $500 80 80
IAps Is..uul b. g. FsFa - tas rili9an - =. il'af
- -. r..,ls,is g. arfrag ths FAsassts - AiAisla
ts,lamis,ioa AL sisir lIsal' NsH "a ~a's - ''''
- ',,r,f.r, ,rs, la e ihFrs FsT FsHi - ~
hsnaI,l Asiiars II al tAEshlr rrsf.In s.ssA'nA iA
s.,i r,.aaiy, ss 80 ssssslaual Is'ls, - -
~Au IsT,sss s~aias y si'l - ,,.',,',','
,!r'~.,,rs .s...ss..isy .si ~ ihs ssIas, Ailis1
- 5-f.,in ~ f.ilins d pas ssit iaN siihia tA'ns
fs' d.,. iIsui alsEs asis ira 90 ~ ssa, 81! y
aAAri .ai lhsiT PIs..n 1s'''a @l'sa 49, 49, ~
'a'"R 'A' GEokGE ". FARk0N,
'si.si.l AssH', s'''' si l'A''' 's' l'-'''''-'
puauu,H
Prom lhl. You will see lha. there is 10
d.y a military commission s''ilnG u
inlesment upoa the lives ani iorIuHss ei
siiissns Of Texas snd the uhiiei states,
ash that's speei,l military tax OF 'hrse per
cent. adSalsrurs 10 being collected from ,he
.,iI,sn, Of Limestone e0naty 20 dsfFAy the
exDsn,e. Of that commission, Aud these
,ates arc being collected aI the point Of
,he bsyonsli not By al officer knowh TO the
eon,iliion ani the Laws Of Texas, not tie
,..,i.r t.x collector of Limsslone county,
but nv a spselAi agent Of the State OF IsA-
A, appointed for the county Of Limss'oss'
And by what authority are these taxes coll
leetsdg By virtue OF ehy statute o. the
STATE Of Texas3 20, by no means. Have
the Iaxes been assessed by any legal or
sonpetent authority None whaie'er--
hui they aft being collected by virus OF
and pursuant 10 orders reeei'ed by MAJOR
General A. q. Mal6y, commahding state
forces Ia Limestone county.
rnE opJEcr or aAEtiAt Law ~ TEXAS
And now, my eouulrymen, what do you
,uppose was the occasion for martial law
4, Limestone county. You will hatily
credit the facts when tell you ofthe cir.
cums,ances that led 10 this most reraarka-
HE proceeding, yeh this mast monsirous
and d.mnable yillainy. | will relate them
briefly AS / got them from as good men as
iva who reside ia Limestone county, aud
WHO have witnessed this entire proceeding
from it's earli Il inception down to this
good hour. Limestone county Is strongly
Democratic in politics. that Is TO say, tie
white population Is greatly IN excess OF
tho n.iro. while IL forms part OF the
Third Congressional District, which II was
thoupht would lie very close nt ,he late
election. Both parties were expecting TO
carry the district. The Republicans-no,
lhey are not Republicans, Tor you Kepuo-
t;,,;,-s; in Indiana would not acknowledge
or rceoguize the relationship. They are
Ibe cast OILS of all political organizations,
snoLinc politicnl power and official plum
,,or ,hronUh the ignorance and supersi.
,ion of u semi barberous race. In Texas
wa cnli them radicals, while they call
themselves Republicans, ana iooK 10 Inc
administration at Washington 10 sustain
Them IN their frauds. l Will cali them
Radicals. Well, they began to realize
few weeks prior TO the election that their
cnu.e was weakening; that the German
element could not be relied upon % sup
nor, their little man, while tie repuoii-
cans of standing and respectaoilily, num-
herring among them Senator Hamilton, VINO
ism violent republican, but an honest man
IN financial matters, was openly opposing
clark the Radical nominee. Tomething
had TO be done. According TO an election
law AZ their own framing the State Board
or convassers. composed of the Governor,
,ha N,,ornoy General and Secretary CT
State. both Of the latter holding their OH
ces by virtue Of an appointment from inc
,ormer-hnd the power TO throw ou, the
votes or refuse to count them In counties
where, in their Judgement, free eleclioh
w,s moi, had on account OF maud, intlmi-
Jo,ion, or violence. They knew that
nuiot election, with no man killed or inJur-
eJ would result in the defeat OF their can
diiate and the consequent election OF q
nsmocrnt So they flooded the distctr
with nepvo militia and State police, VINO
we're ihsolent, overbearing, ana insulting,
thereby hoping to provoke the white peo-
nle IN some demonstrations OF violence
In this they failed. Our people rhosed
above them. They we're determined not
- he ;nsulted by them, or be betrayed in
~ n resistence which would give their en-
om;ss the slightest shadow of an excuse to
somtesi ,be election. Maddened AMI pro-
vohcd At the tbrtiearahce of the white citi-
7ens and becoming desperate in their en-
deayors TO carry the THIRD District, lhe
Radical leaders resolved that some life
should be sacrificed. They knew tfat
marital law would follow, ana the conse-
ouont throwing out of the vote OF Tue couh-
~ where the disturbance Should occur
So they settled on Limestone as strong
Democratic county, without when they
fell certain Of g victory. The CITY OF
Groesbeck is to BE tbs scene OF the tragedy
the murder. The day arrives. A negro
State policeman, displaying the badge Of
oficisi power and authority, shoots down,
in cold blood, an unarmed citizen. The
Mayor of the city, also an appointee OF Inc
Governor, summons posse OIL citizens 10
arre.t The policeman murderer. A show
of resistance follows, but no one is hurt
AKu Klux bulletin, previously praredep
for the occasion is .eiegraphed to the Gov
orpor He answers wits proclamation
ot martial lava military commission is
orgnnized taxes collected, the people rob-
bed. lii. aad property rendered insecure
anarchy is established. :.
And now. Gentlemen, you have the his
,orv of martial law as 1t prevails to-day
in Iiu eseonc county, Texas. And, after
nil. Col. Giddings, the Democratic candi
date. ia elect,d BY 1000 majority, inde-
ncndsn, of the vote in Limestone county,
though h. had not yet received the certifi-
cats ot election when left the State. 1t
..moins to be seen whether he will be for
cod ;nIo n contest IN the face of all that
ha. occurred. Speaking of martial law
calls TO mind the fact that the fathers had
something TO say upon that su9lecs. You
ali unaors,and that declaration of mar
tial law involves the suspessiea OF the
privileges of
THE WRIT OF HABEAs coRrUsi
with all civil courts aud civil tribunals
And what is this writ Of habees corpus =
II is everything. Without it no man can
be n freeman, and human liberty becomes
extinct. James Kent, the great American
commentator, says ait is writ Of right,
rhish tsefy person is entitled TO. IL IS
ibe base Of English freedom and is older
thau the Government OF the United States.
IA was ertorted by our ancestors, the Bar
ous Of England, when they gathered Arrears
the throne Of their King atRubny sead,
Ion, before the establishment Of 3 white
settlement on this continent; are when nee
ing frea, British oppression tsey same 70
seitle in the wilds Of this Western land
they brought with them that sacred guar
autps Of English frsemen, and bnally hav-
;sS achieved their Independence OF the
Ho,her oountry-hhFing cnr'ed out = ma
tiouslitv with the sword, thsy framed .
constitution for thsir gover>menti Ana iH
il ther PLACED these words;
sur5~r,r. of fhs ~rit of hris-- s.rrss shall
A. --aosrIi-f urIls-s uh-n in cs-e 81 r.-iiiln
On ii-rsios he Tiiilir srisig rnAg fs1nirs
This. NJ enuntrymen is ths iangroFe q
= 80. Fl1r~f r.