Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-30
VOORHEES, on BREWSTER.
The Special Counsel in the Star Route
Cases Denounced.


The case of Hallett Kilbourn AGAINST
EX-Sergeant-at-arms Thompson came nm
before Justice Cox in the Circuit Cf 1rt
to-day, on motion for a Continuance
Senator Voorhees, and Colonel Fnocb
Totten appeared to-day for the comnlain-
ant, and District Attorney Corkhill. for
the defendant. Senator Voorhees,. after
asserting that this was not a claim
against the government, as Ewhateve
Judgment might be obtained would be
against Mr.. Thompson, proceeded TO COM
ment very sharply upon letter from At
torney General Brewster, which was the
OASIS OF the application for continuance.
saying:
''1n this letter the ATTORNEY General
asks for delay for the reason that he had
no money at this time to hire sDecial
counsel to attend to the government busi-
ness. The case was tried year ago in a
day and a half. 1t was tried by District
Attorney Corkhill and Mr.. w, B. Smith
eX-SolicitOr of the Interior Department.
Ihe case was at one time case full of
grave legal Neutrality-suspicious. as far
reaching as the question of civil govern
ment and human liberty. 1t is now one
OF the simplest cases that can be tried
III court OF Justice, and vet here
we nave the Attorney General of
tne United States asking for delay
OF miles, asking it to be POSTPONED until
the Treasury is replenished, until its
exhausted Golfers are somewhat filled to
employ special COUNSEL If your Honor
please, this question of-the enrI,ioyment
of special counsel is attracting some at
tentlon IN this country, and it might at
tract a little more. The people of the
United States are paying for the support
OF the government, and paying for the
# 70
The Department of Justice is am organ
lied body of lawyers, consisting
OF an Attorney General and seven
teen Assistant Attorney Generals, any
one of whom is liable TO
the order of the Attorney General at any
moment, and the pay roll amounts to
YoO,O0O year for Assistant ATTORNEY
Generals. Seventeen of them and the At
torney General make eighteen legal Off
GERS IN the employ of the government, to
whom the people pay So, 900 a year, and.
my word for it, that there are a dozen OF
these distinguished gentlemen this day
who are not doing two full hours work in
the twenty-four, any one of whom could
be detailed to come here and assist in this
intricate question.
add to these eighteen distinguished
gentlemen, headed by the ATTORNEY GEN
eral, drawing out of the Treasury Se7, 600.
VHO DiohACb AGtOTneg, VINO gets S6,UOU,
and two assistants well paid, making a
pay roll to attend to this case of twentv-one
gentlemen, drawing out of the Treasury
about $4,000 year, and l am brought
here time and time again to meet with
this objection, that this corps of twenty
one men cannot furnish one, two or three,
or 0ne-haf dozen to come here and try
this case, but it must go over in order for
the public Treasury to be replenished and
to be drawn on to employ special counsel.
L am weary of it. and the people are weary
of it,.
''The first duty of government is to
protect its citizens, and it is decided
question, not an open one, but thor
0ughly decided question by the highest
tribunal of the government that Hallet
Kilbourn has been wronged, illegally
imprisoned, oppressed, his fortunes and
health broken. For seven years he has
been pursuing his rights, and it is not de-
cent for the government to interpose an
obstacle to the course of justice at this
late day, on the pretence that there is not
force enough IN the employ of the govern
ment and not money enough to get gem
tlemen to come forward and try the case.n
District Attorney COrkhiIl replied. and.
after hearing the statement of the case.
Judge Cox declined to try the suit until
the government had opportunity to pre-
pare for the trial. The case was, there
fore, postponed until the 29th of October.