The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-08-19
SOME VIEWS ON IMPROVEMENTS.


confidence in the mayor, j. M. Thurmond.
The motives which originated,o or which finally
operated to induce the resolution, the guam
tum of evidence to sustain II, or the propri-
ETY., expediency and justice in the passage
thereof, are matters which the city charter
has left the intelligence and the consciences
Of the members. These saw At to vote, by q
tally of 8 to l, including the mayor pro tenn,
for its adoption and for BUSTING Of the mayor.
A resolution of this nature is akin TO that
historical remedy known as impeachment,
and provided for by our several states and the
national constitution. Impeachment is
resort of rare occurrence, and
is one of the harshest remedies
known to the entire jurisprudence. 1t is
one of exceeding delicacy, and is never in
voked for any but crimes or conduct of the
utmost enormity on the part of officials
in certain high places. 1t is a trial which
puts at issue the good name, the fair fame,
the honor, the emoluments of Office, the rep
utaton for all time to come of trusted
servant of some community, and for this
reason there is required for the jury or the
commission an exposition Of the specific
charges, together with their exact nature,
magnitude, tendency and effects of the crime
or the conduct, It's likewise trial that in
wolves the question of constitutional rights
and the great principles of justice, as we'll to
the individual as to the state. 1t is serious
business, 'nd one Of which Lord Macaulsy
has said an truth, it is impossible to deny
that, though it is fine ceremony,
yet it is not one from which
much good can be expected. Whatever
confidence may be placed in the decision of
ones peers, it IL certain that no man has the
least confidence in their impartiality when a
public functionary charged with great
crime is brought to the impeachment bar.
They are all politicians, and there is hardly
one among them whose vote may not be
confidently predicted before a witness has
been examined" The most celebrated cases
that We have on record are those of Warren
Hastings, which lasted from the time OF the
resolution Of inquiry offered by Edmund
Burke in parliament in 1885, until 1895; of
Lord Melville, treasurer ofthe British navy, in
1906, and which lasted for series of years; of
Andrew johnson, which begun in February,
1868, and which terminated on the Goth May
following of King Charles l., of England,
in l640, and who was subsequently decapi-
tated on the scatfold. With the exception of
this last case, acquittals followed all the trials,
so 10th are men to apply this severe remedy.
In each and every one of these cases the
grounds upon which the proceeding was re-
sorted to were most carefully and deliberately
and were invariably asserted to
be because of most pressing occasion" or
"the most urgent necessity" involving "the
f.te Of the nation" or "of the state" Lord
Melville lived to a green, old age, respected
by the entire country, and won friends be-
cause of tho persecution to which he had
been subjected. Hastings the Rev. Mr..
GlSig, tells us "went down to his grave in
the fullneas of years in peace, after 80 many
troubles; in honor, after so much obloquy."
The morale of all these cases is, that while
the power to impeach or Dust high official
from his post is power that ought to exist
yet it IL one that should be in
voked only on occasions ofthe severest emer.
gancy and used with the EXTREMIST caution
and the utmost liberality toward the defend.
ant. 1t is one that besides iDjuring the ind-
vidual is in the nature Of q scandal on
the community that entrusted the power.
1--WE know" says Burke, "as we are to be
served by men, that the persons who serve us
must be tried as men, but with very large
allowance indeed, to human infirmity and b H.
man error. The offences should be no marc
lapses, defects or errors of human fralty, but
crimes that have arisen from passions which
1t is criminal to harbor, offences that have
their root IN ayarice, rapacity, ferocity, ma
Lightly oftemper, that argue total extinc-
lion of all moral principle, and that manifest
an Observation-Disclosures of heart dyed in grain,
Vitiated and gangrened to the CORE" These
are OF the sort and these alone. be thew
treason, bribery or such other high crimes .
Tart II, Sec. Nv CON- that the law Of this
nation permits impeachment for. If this view
be constitutional one, humanitarian one
then no matter how sweeping may be the
permission under state or city government to
pass resolution of want of confidence upon
some high officer, each member of the COM
mission ought to be directed by tho influences
as above urged. Whether the city council of
Dallas duly and fully appreciated the mapni-
ude, the delicacy, the responsibility, the .f-
feet of their work on Tuesday evening, is
matter residing in their own breasts.
Whether their actions will be approved by
the people who placed thsm and the
mayor in position is yet to be developed.
They have set an example, the first OF its
kind in many day,so that hereafter DEM
ocratic mayor, let us say, may be silently but
effectually voted out of office by Rspub)i.
can council at its pleasure. In Lord Nuaent's