Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-28

Altogether, the speech OF Mr.. Hicks was one OF
the most impressive and best considered efforts |
questiOnably one of the most logical, ornate |
and effective speakers of the House.
Mr.. McDermott moved to take recess to
o'clock, which motion prevailed.
EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. Richardson moved call of the House, |
which was ordered.
During the intermission the speaker sug-
gested that if anyone felt disposed to speak, he |
could do SO now, although not strictly in order.
Further proceedings were then dispensed with, |
when Mr.. Colvill proceeded to address the
House. He said he had not intended making |
any speech. The House was there in the ca
pacity of jurors He considered great many
things had been proved on the accused which |
were worthy of reprobation. He could not
say Judge Page, however, was corrupt in
his motives although many of his
son had very favorably impressed the COM
mittee as an honorable, upright man. He re-
ferred at length to Ingmundson's case and paid
high compliment to his integrity both a
citizen and an officer. The judge had no right
to require the grand jury to bring. in a state
them to bring in an indictment. The real facts |
of the case that the judge thought Ing
mundson corrupt, and when the grand jury re-
fused to bring in an Indictment against him. |
ed to shield an offender against the law. His
interference into the functions of the grand jury
was undoubtedly wrong, but this does not Justify
the presentation of articles of impeachment.
In this case the House showed strong proof of
q malicious intent. That Judge Page had
strong prejudices does not prove any guilty in
tent, and believing this he should vote against
impeachment.
MIR. Purdie said the House was getting tired
of this matter, and he would be brief. He had
Lzc,.l e TIL. /
tain newspaper, and also of the meeting of the
bar of the district, and their almost unanimous
exculpation of the Judge. That was all he
knew of this matter, and when those charges
were brought here, and the investigation or
dered, he believed they would find Jefries
here in Minnesota.
Yet the committee had found nothing of the
sort. Some gentlemen had said they must
send the case to the Senate in order to get rid
of that Austin lobby. That was one of the
| ment of Judge Page. The speaker then pro-
ceeded to review the testimon in reference to
the town order of the town Of Clayton, and
claimed that Judge Page had only done his
duty in seeking an investigation Of the facts
! of the case. On motion, Mr.. Purdie's time was
extended, when he commended that the matter
grew out of personal hatred. The committee
did not accuse Judge Page of any crime. He
| treated his friends and enemies impartially.
No higher encomium could be passed upon any
| Judge IN GnlS STATE or ELSEWHERE. Everybody
| outside of Austin is satisfied with Judge Page.
! This local ring at Austin were as anxlons to
get Judge Page elected five years ago as they
| are now to get rid of him. He hoped the
House would not be influenced by any of these
himsy charges against Page.
Mr.. Sanborn said nine-tenths of the people
of Mower had become convinced that Judge
Page had outlived his usefulness and de-
stroyed his efficiency. They believed he had
used his position to crafty his personal enmity
and ill-feeling towards those whom he regarded
| as his enemies.
Mr.. Colby had attended Judge Pages court
as witness and juror, and had never seen him
do single act either meddlesome or arbitrary.
He had instituted inquiries, and yet he had
never found man who had been interfered
integrity and capacity.
Mr.. Rahilly felt inclined to be charitable,
and to give the accused the benefit of the
doubt. We're he a judge, he would prefer i'm
prisonment for twenty years to impeachment.
He had not the slightest idea the case could be
sustained in the Senate. Every county in the
; State had its court house ring, and experience
led him to say woe unto him who undertakes
; to fight them. He should vote against i'm.
parchment.
Mr.. West did not understand that because hi
felt friendly towards Judge Page, it any
!, reason why he should not be impeached. HI
, would be pleased to see him acquitted and HI
believed it would be a good investment for The
l State to have the character of one of her judges
indicated. The misconduct of Judge Pag,
t had been confined to Mower county, but tn,
r fact that his conduct elsewhere had beer
f blameless does not help him. If he could &C
i with decency in other counties, it only make
t it worse for him that he did not SO act in Now
h er county. The fact that money had bee1
n raised and an attorney secured to prosecute thi
e case against Judge Page ought not to weigh
e feather-in fact has nothing to do with the case
# The grand jury found there was no irregu
6 larity in the county treasurer's Office, an
d Judge Page had no right to question their find
d ing. The speaker then alluded at length t.
S. the Stimson case, and charged that Judge Pag
It had given him no opportunity to be heard i
1t his defense, and that Pages general conduc
4. towards him lad been simply outrageous, es
r. rested for circulating q petition asking him t
As resign, and where Page had played the role 6
l. judge, prosecuting attorney and witness all i
N one. This too, two months after the allege
al misconduct of Stimson.
pit Mr.. Purdie called MIR. Vests attention to tt
n report in which it is stated that Judge Pae
ut had acted without malice.
in MIR. West rejoined that the report ha
re been made to consolidate the divergent view
O. of the committee, and that it did not rehet
u his views, in this particular, when it was state
be that Pages conduct was arbitrary and oppre
sive, and still that he had acted without malic
to The thing was absolutely impossible. Mali,
IN must accompany such arbitrary and oppre
ne slve conduct. He wished Judge Prge no harm
no yet he believed the evidence was sufficient
send the case to the Senate.
he Mr.. Miller said when he came to this Hou
he was unacquainted with this case. He ha
e. tried to look at the case impartially, and he d
not believe he would be justified in placing
he man on trial for high crimes and misdemea
ors when there was no reasonable hope of Co
id viction. The committee in three instances on
ut had found his (Pages) conduct censurabl
e- and those not cases which would subject hi
to criminal prosecution. 1t was person,
ng local or family quarrel, which should not ha
of been brought here. He could see nothing tn
lis would Justify him in placing Judge Page
his trial, and he should therefore record
he vote in the negative.
re- Mr.. Teller said he supposed the finding
20 any one of the charges would Justify Il
NJ House in sending Judge Page to the Senat
cts Pages admission to Stimson after keeping hi
in in duress for three weeks, that he Stimson, "
Eli not the man he was after-that she was ali
to others, and would not rest until he had the
up behind prison bars, was enough to stamp Pa
of rs wholly unfit for the position he held, a
the deserving impeachment; He then gave q !
! tailed statement of Judge Pages conduct
ity the grand jury case, and concluded by sayi
ak he considered his behaviour arbitrary and
as pressive, and should receive the disapprobati
age of this House.
de Mr. McDermOtt was no admirer of JUG
by Page. He adverted in strong terms of Gems,
svi- and closed by saying he should favor impea
lite ment. 1t was easy to see how Judge COZ
ma abuse his position, and he felt inclined to