Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-10-21
RepsT ef sub Conmiii0 "a
TaNpaSeFs, Son.eniio
NII-INNNllItt IlUnMl
AI,IIN- -lrNas. SnnI -. ~

man ~ lho General COMMITTEE q
rWenly-ono'
SiR; Tho sub committee appoint
el 10 take into consideration an,
report 10 the General Commilleo'hl
several violations oi the State gn,
Federal Constitutions aud 0lhoI
fagrant violations Of law, by th'
present administration Ut the Stat
Government, beg leave to sublni
ihe following report;
The violations 0i the Constitution
aud disregard of law have been very
frequent aud arc numor0usi but ire
auent as they have been, and M
morous as they are, We have been
unable TO fini Il single one ot either
class, based on IN honest desire u
accomplish good T. the people oI
the State or TO secure prosperity T.
tho country on the contrary, theiT
apparent cause seems to uniformly
spring from one grand purpose, viz
e concentrate power into the hands
Of ono man, and TO cmascnlatc thg
strength of the citizens Of Texas rs
II free people.
However hopeless such n design
might have appeared, aud however
little feared by the reasoning aud
intelligent mind eighteen months
ago, yet ut this day, We must con.
fcss, the scheme has iar progressed
toward consummation, aud the pco'
pie stand stripped of many of the
inai;cuablc rights OF ircemcn, while
he who is now clothed with those
lost rights of tho people, gloats on
their humiliation and congratulates
himself on the possession Of kingly
power.
We may safely state, that the
practical effect OF each Of the acts
We shall name, has been, and is now,
to abridgc the rights ofthc citizen,
and to enlarge, solidiiy and confirm,
the power of the Executive. And,
/. Duly elected and qualified
members of the Legislature, in both
Houses, haze been expelled or de-
MED seats, to give place to persons
who were not elected by n majority
of voters, and who were not in law
entitled to seats. Case Of Afford IN
the Senate; case of Plato in the
House.
.. At time when measures OF
grave Importance otthemsclvcs, and
of vital interest TO all the people,
were under discussion and not ma.
turcd, the majority in the State
Senate, arbitrarily and without au-
thority of law, placed nearly all the
minority under arrest, and deprived
them of voice, in behalf Of the peo-
pie: and 80 held them in arrest, and
silent, until the Militia Law, the
Police Bill, the Enabling Act, the
Registration Act and the Election
Law were passed, and until NOM
nations for Judicial and other, I'M
portant officers were approved OF,
all of which measures go to the OPP
pres: ion of the people, and many
of the officers confirmed were un-
qualified as to capacity, corrupt as
to morals and entirel y unfit fer high
position in any State.
3. i multitude of now officers
have been created and officers ap.
pointed to fill them, without the
consent and against the will Of the
people. -, -,
4, Important and needful legio-
lation to the country has been post
poned and delayed at great expense,
until odious and oppressive laws
were fastened upon the people.
5. Without authority of law, and
in violation of the Constitution, tho
term of office of the present, mem
bers. of the Legislature has been eX-
tend ed one year, They were cleo
ted on the - day of 1869, and now,
under an act passed and construed
by themselves, claim to hold until q
general election in the year, 1872,
Notwithstanding Sec. 4, Art. B of
tho Constitution. The executive
has omitted and failed to order el-
ections to fill vacancies in the Leg
islature caused by death or other
wise, within the time prescribed by
law, and has thus for many months
denied representatives to large bod
les of the people, although they
were taxed, and have been forced
to perform militia duty. Sec. 10,
Art. 3 of the Constitution. Sec. II.
p. 130 laws 1870.
Z. The present State administra-
tion loses its authority on the claim
ed results of the general election
held on the Both of November, and
lst, Cd and Sd days of December,
1869, and yet has omitted and re-
fused to order and provide for q
general election until the first Tues
iay after the first Monday in No
1872, thus throwing the
second general election nearl y three
years from the first. Section. 4,
Article 3, Constitution Laws of
1870, p, 129, sec. Z.
8. The State of Texas is practi-
ally left without a Legislature from
December 1871, until November
1872. and that too while the Execu-
i've is clothed with despotic power.
9. Newspapers have been estab-
ishcd in the several judicial districts
If the State to bolster up the pres
mt despotism, and to familiarize tho
people with Executive usurpation
ind thus forced patronage TO gain
yreat profit, and thereby help to
mpoverish the citizen. Laws Of
1870, p. "A. 80
10. The courts Of the State are
,fIectuaIly closed against the ap-
lroach oftke citizen, and prohibited
rom extending relief for an exist
NJ wrong. in this, that through a
udre Of election may wilfully and
.orruptly refuse TO permit a quail I
fed eleetor to vote, yet their courts
ire forbidden to compel such officer /