The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-07-16

Il - NAo AAAH DAbAtAsAf WttlH AA0 MAARAH
military force in my hands has not been
ready to support the civil authorities Of
Texas in the execution Of the lawa.
And ! am unwilling to believe they
would refuse to call for aid If they need
ed IL.
There are some considerations which,
1t seems TO me, should cause you 10
hesitate before indulging in wholesale
censures against the civil nuihoritiea II
Texra. You are yourself the chief Of
those authorities, not elected by the
people, but created by the military.
Not long after Won had thus come into
office, all the Judges of the Snpreme
Court Of Texas five in numbcr-were
removed from Office, and new appoint.
ments made; twelve Of the seventeen
District Judges were removed and 9th
ers appointed. County officers, mora Or
leaa, 10 seyentyliyc out Of one hundred
and twenty ty-eightcOuptfca,s ssstsrt s.ssy,.5'',
and others appointed 10 thnir piares. Il
is fair 10 conclude that the executive
and judicial functionaries in Texas are
the pcrBens whom sou desired TO iil the
offices. 1t is proper 10 mention. .alao,
that none but registered citizens, aud
only those who conld take The tcgt oath,
have been allowed 10 serve rs lurora
during your Administration. Now, Il
Is against this local Government, ere.
ated by military power prior 10 my
coming here, and 50 composed of yonr
personal and political friends, that you
have preferred the most erievops com.
plants. II is Of them that you have
asserted they have not done their duty;
they will not maintain justice will not
arrest offenders; will not punish crimes;
and that out Of one Lundrcl homisidea
committed in the Last twelve months,
not over ten arrests have bren made
and by means Of such gross disregard oi
duty, you declare that neither property
or life is safe in Texas.
Certainly you could have saii moth
ing more to the discredit Of the ollicia's
who are now in Office II the facts b
as you allege. n mystery Is presented
for which | can imagine no explana.
tion. Why is it that yoHr political
friends, backed up and sustained by the
whole military power of The United
States in this District, should be mn
willing to enforce the laws against that
part Of the population lately ir rebel
lion, and whom You represent as the
offenders In all tie history of these
troubles, ! have never seen or heard be
fore Of such a fact. ] repeat, il the
fact be 80, il is t. Profound nlystery, ~
terry suri.assing hiY comprehension.
AM constrained 10 declare that I be-
lieve Aou ale in very great error IS e
frets. find that 1T the date OF your
letter flHr eases only 81 lisInicidcs had
i--rn reported 10 these Headquarters rs
having occurred since November %
1907. tie date OF Orders 30. aud these
eases we're ordered to be tried or inves
'igs,r.i as soon as the reports were re
eeivr,l liowever, the fact of the one
hundred homicides may still be correct,
"a stated hy YOU. The Freedman
Bureau in Texas reported oue hundred
aud sixty: low many Of these acre by
Indians aud Mexicsns, and how the re
mainder were classified, Is not known
nor is il known whether these data AZ,
accurate.
The Report or the Commanding off
Ger OF the District Of Texas shows that
since assumed command no applica
tions have been shade to him hy yot
for the arrest Of eriminah. iu the Stat,
of Texas
To this date eighteen CASTS er homi
eide have been reported to NE as hav
ing occurred since November 20. 1867
although special instructions had been
given to report such cases when the,
occnr. OF these, five were committe,
by Indians, one by Mexican, one b,
by an insane mar, three hy eolered men
two of women by their husbapds and 0
the remainder some by parties unknown
all Of which could scarcely be attrib
uted to Orders No. 80. If the Report
received since the issuing of Orders No
40 are correct, they exhibit no increas
of homicides in my time,even il you ar
correct that one hundred bad oceurre,
in the past twelve months.
That there has not been "a pertec
administration of justice in Texas l an
not prepared to deny.
That there has been no such wantoi
disregard of duty ON the part Of tn
officials a. you allege, am well salts
fed. A very little while ago you II
garded the present officials in Texas th
only ones who could safely he truste
with power. Now you pronounce then
worthless and would cast them asida.
have found little else in your let
ter but indications Of temper, lashe,
J into excitement by causes which / deen
}, mostly imaginary, great confidence il
the accuracy of your own opinions, am
an intolerance of the opinions Of Others
a desire to punish the thoughts an
feelings of those who differ from you
and an impatiepce which magni6es tn
shortcomings of officials who are pei
haps as earnest and conscientious IN tn
discharge of their duties as yourself
; anda most unsound conclusion tina
while any persons are to be found wan
ing in affection or respect for govern
/ ment, or yielding in obedience from mC
, tives which yon do not approve, wal
T and not peace, is the status, and n
| such persons are the proper subjects 10
military penal jurisdiction.
/ If l have written anything to disc
7 abuse your mind of so grave an error,
, shall be gratifed,
I am, sir, very respectfully, You
? obedient servant.
{ w. S. HANCOCK,
/ Major General Commanding.
) eMr, smith" said a lady at q fai