New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-05
INDICTMENT OF HON. JACOB HAWKINS

The House committee has reported
rather more special counts in its declara.
ton against Judge Hawkins than the
declaration Of independence brough.
against George III. The following para
graph in the report, however, in effect
dismisses the greater part of the charges
Your committee, though having failed to
find an instance among several cases in
which a general suspicion Of improper con-
sderation has been evolved, ia which it has
been edduced in the testimony that any
money or payment has been received by the
said Judge. such cases are hardly suscepti-
bic OF direct proof or OF proof at all, since
the evidences thereof weull exist only
within the breasts Of those who were par
ties 10 it.
As far as we can gather the purport of
this comprehensive charge, it means that
the want of evidence is sufficient to justify
conviction. The statute We have sug-
gested should be passed so soon as the
Democracy shall have sufficiently thinned
out the Republican voters. 1t will SO
save money and simplify public affairs.
Were such a statute in operation, the
report Of the Democratic committee would
be somewhat like this: "He hath con-
stantly and consistently consorted with
the Republican party, and hath voted the
Republican ticket without scratching"
This conclusive evidence Of incompetency
could be transposed, and presented in as
many phases as there are substantives in
the sentence; but conviction upon the
fec. OF Republicanism would decide the
guilt or innocence Of the official indicted.
The predetermination of this committee
to convict is intimated by another in
cident. Hon. Mr. Hahn asserted that
This report was not submitted to me till
after the House met. nor to the other Re
publican member. We have not been AFFORD
ed an opportunity to read the bill and see
whether we would concur in it, or concur
in a part, or dissent to the whole.
The Picayune says this plea SIS e1-
rloaed" by the assertion Of the chairman
that he had hunted for Mr.. Hahn the
night before, and it was his own fault If
he had not examined the report, of which
he had been advised some days before.
As LIr. Hahn asserts, he had "not been
afforded an opportunity to read the bill. "
When Mr.. Walker subsequently states
that the report contains some $50 pages,
we are surprised that it should have been
prepared, discussed and adopted without
the presence or participation Of the Re-
publican members Of the committee.
It is a new and mischievous mode Of
preparing committee work. The COM
mittee degenerates into secret party
club. If the party majority holds meet
ings of which the party minority are not
advised, why appoint any party minority
at all?
In the practice of the law it is held, We
believe, to be professional duty to file a
declaration sufficiently long before the
trial and to allow the defendant to con-
slider the charges and the possible de-
Tense. In the constitution all persons
charged with offenses are to be confronted
with their accusers. To prepare an in
dictment Of 4So pages conceal it
from the minority" as Mr.. Hahn init
mates was done--and, then, to expect
even an intelligent dissent from its con-
clusions, within few moments, might be
very sharp practice at the bar, but seems
wanting in that sense of justice and
courtesy expected among the members Of
q parliamentary body.
The same policy was continued when
the matter came before the House yester-
day. No discussion was attempted by the
Democratic members, and but little al
lowed the Republicans. The whole ques-
ton had been canvassed in caucus, the