Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-16

views. The maxims that, in all in
tellectual contests, truth is mighty
and must prevail, and that error is
harmless when reason is left free to
combat it, are not only sound, bu'
salutary. 1t is poor compliment
to the merits of such a cause, tha,
its advocates would silence opposi,
ton by force; and generally those
only who are in the wrong will re-
; sort to this ungenerous means.
am confident you will not commi,
your serious judgment to the pro.
position that any amount of discus.
sion, or any sort of opinions, how
ever unwise to your jugdment, or
any assertion or feeling, however
resentful or bitter, not resulting in
a breach of law, can furnish justifi
cation for your denial that profound
peace exists in Texas. You might as
we'll deny that profound peace exists
in New York, Pennsylvania, Mary
land, California, Ohio and Kentucky
where majority of the people differ
with minority on these questions;
or that profound peace exists in the
House of Representatives, or Senate,
at Washington, or in the Supreme
Court, where all of these questions
have been repeatedly discussed, and
parties respectfully and patiently
heard. You next complain that in
pats of the State (Texas) it is diff.
ficult to enforce the criminal laws;
that Sheriffs fail to arrest; that
grand juries will not always indict; !;
that in some cases the military, act
ing in aid of the civil authorities,
have not been able to execute the
process of the courts; that petit
Jurors have acquitted persons ad-
judged guilty by you; and that other
persons charged with offenses have
broke Jail and fed from prosecution.
I know not how these things are,
but admitting your presentations
literally true, if for such reasons I
should set aside the local civil tri-
bunals and order military commits
sion, there is no place in the United
States where it might not be done
with equal propriety. There is not
State in the Union-North or
South,-where the like facts are not
continually happening. Perfection
is not to bo predicted of man or his
works. No one can reasonably ex-
pect certain and absolute justice in
human transactions, and if military
power is to be set in motion. on the
principles for which you would seem
to contend, 1 fear that 4 civil gov
ernment regulated by laws, could
have no abiding place beneath the
circuit of the sun. 1t is rather more
than limited in your letter, that there
is no local Government in Texas,
aud no local laws outside the acts of
Congress, which l ough, to respect; T.;
and that l should undertake to pro-
tect in my ora way and in an arbi-
trary manner. If such be your mean
ing, I am compelled to differ with
you. After the abolition of slavery,
Tan event which / hope no one now
regrets,) the laws of Louisiana and
Texas existing prior to the rebellion,
and not in conflict with the acts of
Congress. comprised vast system
of jurisprudence, both civil and
criminal. 1t required not volumes
only, but libraries to contain them.
They laid down principles and pre-
cedents for ascertainipg the rights
and adjusting the controversies of
men in every conceivable case. They
were the creations Of great and good
and learned men, who had labored,
in their day, for their kind, and
gone down to the grave long before
our recent troubles, leaving their
works an ines.imatle legacy to the
human race These laws, as l am
informed, connected tie civilization
of past and present ages, and testi-
fed of the justice, wisdom, humani'
ty and patriotism of more than one
naticn, through whose records they
descended to the present people OF
these States. 1 am satisfied, from
representations of persons competent
to judge, they are as perfect sys
tenn of laws as may be found else.
where, and better suited than any
other to the condition of this people
for by them they have long been
governed. Why should it be sup
posed that Congress has abolished
these laws. They have committed
no treason, nor are hostile to the
United states, nor countenanct
crime, nor favor injustice. On them
as on foundation of rock, reposes
almost the entire perstructure o.
social order in these two States
Annul this code of local laws, and
there would be no longer any rights
either of person or property here
Abolish the local civil tribunals
made to execute them, and yo,
would virtlslfy annvl the laws. ex
cept in the very few cases cognizablt
iu the federal courts. Let US for ,
moment suppose the whole local