The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1871-11-09

Both parties seemed to be anxious
to proceed to business without fila
clustering.
Mr.. Plumley moved to amend thr
resolution so as to read as follows:
WHEREAs, His Excellency E. ]. Davis, Gov
ernor of the State of Texas, did, on the ninth
day of October, 1871, declare martial law IN
the counties of Limestone and Freestone, and
cid suspend the privilege of the writ Of hd6edS
corpus in and to said counties; ard,
Whereas, an armed force has heen quar-
tered upon the people Of said counties for
several weeks past, at heavy expense TO
said counties, and the limitations of the per
sonal liberty of the people therein; and,
Whereas, the Governor did, in his said
proclamation of martial law, direct a penalty
of $50 900, to be levied and collected from
the citizens of Limestone county; and,
Whereas, in pursuance thereof an assess
ment of three per cent. upon all the taxable
property of said comfy has been levied and
is being collected, to the great detriment and
ruin of said county; and,
Whereas, the Legislature of the State was
in session at the date of said proclamation,
and was in nowise consulted with, as We be-
lieve it should have been, to make said proc
lamation legal, with reference to the said
declaration of martial law; therefore be it
ResOlued By the House Of Representatives, the
SenUts concuTring, That the action of His
Excelency E. j. Davis, in declaring martial
law in the manner aforesaid in the counties
of Limestone and Freestone, be and the
same is hereby disapproved.
RESOLVED further, That the Governor be,
and he is hereby requested aed instructed to
restore civil authority in said counties and
to withdraw all armed forces therefrom, and
to disband the same, and that he inform this
Legislature of the expenses of the same, that
action may be had with reference thereto.
Resolved further, That the Speaker of the
House of Representatives furnish Bis Excel
lency the Governor with a copy Of this reso-
luton.
On motion made to adopt the
resolution, Mr.. Schutze advocated
the bill in a most able and eloquent
speech.
G. D. Morris attempted to reply,
said reply consisted in saying that
the Governor must be sustained.
The Governor would not be sus-
tanned in the House but that the
Senate would defeat the resolution,
and that the Governor had accom-
plished all he desired to accomplish,
and said he would resign, rather
than vote in favor Of the resolution.
Morrison and Dick Allen followed
in the same strain.
Robertson, of Robertson, consid-
cred this the gravest question ever
before the public. He says:
"The counties of Limestone and
Freestone are charged with certain
grave offences; and to justify the
Governor in his acts, we have the
testimony of certain witnesses. As
we are a grand inquest, I shall
briefly review the character of these
witnesses.
CHARACTER OF WITNESSES.
S. NJ. Jones, was Justice Of the
Peace and judge of election. This
man came to Texas with power of at
torney to sell land belonging to par
ties in Alabama, and to this day has
never paid over and is a defaulter
and swindler and detested by all who
know him.
Next comes W. 3. Bonner. The
records of the city of Houston and
Criminal Court CT Harrison county,
show him impeached by the council
for dishonest conduct as Treasurer,
was indicted by the grand jury ii
Harris county and only escaped by
a technicality.
Next, a Jew by birth, debarred
from the synagogue by his own pee
pie for notorious dishonesty anC
abandoned character. This is the
Mayor of Groesbeck, appointed by
Davis on recommendation of Oliver
He came to Bryan as three care
monte player; was known as a com
mon thief; records Of Brazos ant
Robertson counties, are black will
his name-haVing been charged will
every crime known to the calender
including murder.
Next, John L. Baling, bogu
lawyer. He began life as slight o
hand performer. Then baptis
preacher, and jack leg lawyer. H
has been everything by turns, wing
Democrat, unionist, seces8ionist ant
Ku Klux-a Radical, a drunkard
gambler and proprietor of q catfsl
tavern. This is the only man VIII
was hardened enough to afix hi
oath to statement made.
Next, James F. Hustin, recent,
appointed by Oliver Treasurer 0
Limestone county. A deep sense 0
duty compels me to state that he wa
first known as physician in the cit
of Waco, where his wife is advertise
as professional abortionist, was in
dicted and prosecuted as such; no,
keeping house notorious throughou
central Texas.
Next, the chief instigator of tn
whole trouble, ], W. Oliver, Judge
who to defeat Giddlngs and cleo
Clark to Congress, in the Third Di:
trict, made this whole statement
which is false. He basely lied an
knew it, and the falsehood is prove
by the whole testimony before thi
House. Witness upon witness swea
that this Oliver obtained their sigma
lures to statements by fraud, or mad
the statements himself without thei
knowledge or consent.
Who is J. W. Oliver? lie wa
educated in Mckenzie College b
Mckenzie, who took his note fo
board and tuition while in College
Four years afterwards when aske
not to pay the note, but to renew il
he repudiated it. Afterwards, as
lawyer at Fl. Worth, collected none
On sundry claims, embezzled the pre-
ceeds and applied them to his own use