The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-08-27
Judge ]. N. ThurmOnd's Announce.
ment

Fellow-Citzeps Of Dallas:
On the 9th day of April, 1879, was cleo
ted mayor for term of two years, and since
my installation have discharged the duties of
the Office faithfully and to the best of my
ability. My judgment as the presiding officer
of the mayors court, and my record in the
policy Of the city government, and the DELHI
erations of the council belong to the office,
and are to be fouu in the record book of
judgments, in my messages to the city coun-
Gil, and in my vetoes of measures in which
felt obliged, from convictions of right and
proper policy, to disagree with the
council in its Judgment. have never given
Judgment against any man on account Of his
triendlessness or poverty, and | have never
withheld judgment from any man because of
the influence of his friends or his wealth; but
| have, IN all cases, pronounced the judg-
ment OF the law, tempered with mercy rs
understood it, and according to the testi
mony. have been the advocate Of economy
in every department of the city government
and have used my best efforts to elevate the
standard Of morality in the city by placing
wholesome restraints and prohibitions upon
practices and professions, admitted to
be antagonistic to the highest standard
Of morality. If have not been entirely sue
cessful in this can truly affirm that have
gone MS far as | have been permitted by the
city laws to go.
In my relations to the public schools of
the city | have been earnest and energetic.
| have appointed the most competent and
public spirited men to place in this depart
ment have taken deep personal interest
in their prosperity and refer to their com.
parative good condition with feelings of in
finite satisfaction. The city has never been
freer from lawlessness and crime than
during my administration, and in no period
of her history has she made such advance
ment in her material prosperity.
feel that have contributed to the ac-
complishment of these results in no small
degree. 1t is true that l have encountered a
bitter opposition on the part of the city
marshal from the beginning and in some
Instances the feeling of personal ill-will
against me on the part of certain members
Of the city council has had the effect to re-.
tard or defeat needed reforms, but
not in degree seriously to affect the
prosperity Of the city, until the councie
eSpoused and made tEeir own the privatel
enmity of the city marshal against me.
The presentation of charges against me to
the city council by the marshal, the appoint
ment of committee Of investigation upon
those charges, and my acquittal by the report
Of the committee, which was adopted by the
council, belong to the records of the city and
are known to you all.
After this, member of the council intro
duced resolution declarstory of a want of
confidence in me, and declaring the office to
which l had been elected by the people,
vacant. No charge Of any crime
or misdemeanor was made against
me. No official misconduct was alleged. l
was not informed from what act of mine this
alleged want of confidence sprung and could
not defend against it.
By every rule of right and law the alleged
grant of power under which they proceeded
was unconstitutional and void, and the reso.
luton itself mockery of all legal form.
The pretense of trial through which they
went was in open violation of all precedent.
The mayor pro tenn. voted for the resolution,
when in law he had no RICH. to vote, and the
mover of the resolution, after long adjourn
ment to enable him to visit the cities
of the east and return, took an active part in
the proceedings, thus constituting himself in
one trial informant, prosecutor, witness and
Judge. No precedent for this can be found
in any judicial proceeding. To state the
fact is to proclaim its outrage upon law and
Justice.
By these means and by influences akin to
them (which will discuss before the people
during this canyass) the resolution passed.
am we'll advised that the law under
which the council acted Is unconstitutional,
and that the whole proceeding is arbitrary,
oppressive and grossly erroneous.
But as in man other cases, for q time the