Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-02-20

printer, the delay thereby caused
would simply mean no report at all
from the committee on internal inn
provements i'm time for Legislative ac-
ton this session. In permitting this
the subcommittee would justly invite
the serious criticism of the house OF
representatives aod the people OF Texas,
who have, i'm every way possible, de-
manded necessary legislation on the
question intrtisted to their considera-
ton. With sentiments of highest es-
TEEN. | am, dear sir, your obedient
servant, J. q. CHENowEfTH.
Governor j. G.. Brown, city.
Austin, February IL, lsS3.-Dear
Sir: am Just in receipt of your
favor OF the 18th instant, for which
please accept my thanks. regret that
your committee have felt constrained
to deny to us most reasonable request
To be heard in our defense. But you
will certainly pardon me for saying
that | respectfully dissent from the
soundness of your statement, that to
grant the request we have made
would prevent a report from your
committee in time for Legislative
action this session, which for pur-
poses of general public interest, is not
limited TO sixty days. But even If
that were true, ii does not, in my
opinion, form sufficient reason for
denying the very reasonable and just
request we have made. We are not
responsible, in any sense, for the late
hour which the subcommittee reported
to the general committee. The house
has been in session more than a month
and we have interposed no obstacle
that hindered, in the slightest degree,
the reference of this question 10 Il
committee at an earlier day, and be-
cause action has been delayed until
/ this time we should not be prevented,
| ior reasons that attach the responsible
| ity 10 us, from examining the testi-
mony which has been taken with
| closed doors, when. with few eXcep-
| tions, the names of the witnesses were
| unknown TO us, as to all of them, no
! opportunity was offered for any
! rnilrold representative to hear the tes-
tinony, and. if desirable, to cross-eX-
anime the witnesses. The evidences
having been elected under these cir
cumstances. we desire most respect
| fully, but at the same time earnestly
to insist that ut least the same period
ms was occupied by the subcommittee
be allowed US to examine the evidence
and cross-examine the witnesses, if-w
deem necessary, for our defense, and
take such rebutting evidence as The
facts may justify. We cannot believ,
that either the house of representa-
tives or the people of Texas, who fully
appreciate the rights of property L
full and complete protection under
the organic law, would perceive
anything inf the granting o
this reasonable request b.,
the committee demanding their crit
cism. All that we desire Is that you
committee should suspend action unit
the railroad companies shall have hat
ample opportunity to analyze the evi
dence already taken, cross-examln,
such of the witnesses as they may
| deem necessary to their protection
/ and examine,in chief other witacsse.
who might explain or rebut the adj
verse or huTlful evidences, if any al
= | rcatty committed, and then, with al
the facts before the committee, tina
our views may be fully and freely ex
pressed TO the end that the verdict o
, your committee be made up upon tn,
, evidence and argument on both side
i and not BON eX parte testimony alone
This will be more likely TO produce re
suits more satisfactory to tn,
PEOPLE and just to cap tai / beg
/, however, to assure you that the appli
! cation we have made is no
supcrinduced by desire to produc
/ unnecessary delay. | have the homo
, | to be, yours, etc, very respectfully
, your obedient servant,
!, j. C. BROWN.