Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-05-05
THB LAPAXRTTE COUNTY: JUDGES
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.[From u Kansas City Times.l /

| y u 80
Now, that IL legislature is not in session,
and will, In ar fl0babilfty, not again assem-
bic for naarlJ5$Mbsyears,, the people of the
state are tnyitadto witness another exhibition
of the tuds SUf . federal court at the state
% Without ssi tie ssnbiance Of trial bv nudge Or
'uz.e, without even a charge preferred against
them for the violation Of any law of. the stAte,
the county Judges of Lafayette county, have
tn the jail at Jefferson City,
|by 0plsf9f ths jHdses Of saidiceass, ahefsjo
s s * he stssa nss1Gn% aner ~ @;sS ae
theG hPl4emSss shss are. prohibitsd sronidO1
dJf6g dkpaisk ssohJissy ing. the intenissSss ii
tthamcareeratiQn OF the judges explains fl1at
seflsing to obey g mandate aof ihs court d.
rscting them to leyy.a sReciH. tai 900 10
enx Sc suit 8o ooSns sSsnes
fsred to ocompropi:e the bonds ats 80 cents on.
tn the delist Ct which rate 81, ,10Q, ,oo9 Of its
promised1 bpt The holder Of the judgmeht re-,
fuses to take 1eis than 100 cents. The court
orders the judges confined in hail until they
obey its mandate. f Ii. .tiaE =.
the constitution of the state bfistle with pro.
visions against such csses Of farbitprNpoHer.
Section z 6r Arficle l, of the former provides
.''that tl,e privilege .of tht 9erit 'ofs AadskS
oeerPaH shlll not be suspeedsdE unless, Mheudoi
Eases o. rebellion rebellion . or invasion ths public ssfs:
courts IN Missouri suspend 1t whenever their
power Is invoked to aid specializing Shy
lockin realizing the enormotiR profits of his
investments, Article of,the9 amendments
PROVIDES that no person shall be deprived
c; s. Of law :; article 8, that the accused shall
enjoy the right to Speedy and public trial
by an impartial Jury Of the state FOR district
to be confronted with the witnesses against
him, and to have counsel, for his defense"
shall be preserved In civil cases where the
value In controversy shall exceed $50 Ar
ticle 8, "That excessive bail shall not be re-
quired, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
nnd unusual punishments inflicted" and ar
ticle 1S, that neither slavery nor. involuntary
servitude, except as punishment for crime
whereof the party shall have been duly con-
victed shall exist within the United States,
or any place subject II their Jurisdiction" :"
yet the Lafayette county judges, not charged
with crime, nor with the ioiatlon- of any
law, are condemned to al indefinite imprison-
ment at the absolute wiii0f Judge, beyond
the reach Of the writ of ia6eds corpus or bail,
and without the privilege of trial by Jury
vouchsafed in every criminal case, and in
every ciyi! case where-a yaiue exceeding so
Is invol, ed.
Asif the more completely to outrage every
principle Of civil liberty, and to mock at The
rights of q state, the civil officers of Missouri
elected, qualified and commissioned solely
under the law Of the state, are taken to its
capital, where its go ernor resides, where its
attorneyskeneral keeps his office and its
supreme court is In session, and there con-
fined IN the common Jail, in the shadow of its
state house. under the protecting eyes of its
constitution, declared to be the fundamental
laW OF the state made ito assert our rights,
acknowledge our duties and proclaim the
prime pies on which our government is found
ed. The huge professions, the grim irony of
this declaration Of principles will be ap-
preciated by Harrison, Lockhart and Prather
IN the Jese! son Jail, and may possibly afford
who occupy comfortable quarters in the other
government buildings at that place.
Section.2 of the constitution of Missouri
declares that the people Of this state have the
inherent, sole and e elusive right to regulate
the internal government and police thereof;
section 1, that all persons have natural right
to life, liberty and the enjoyment of the gains
OF their own industry; section 8, that no nu-
man authority can control, or interfere with
the rights OF conscience; section 10, that the
courts Of Justice shall be open to every per-
son section II. that the people shall be Sc
cure in their persons ssrsyelt Tor vIois:
ton of law section IL. that no person elected
or appointed to any Office or employment of
trust or profit under the laws of the state
shall hold such office without personally de-
voting his time to the performance Of the
duties to the place belonging; section "a, that
all persons shall be bailable by sufficient
sureties, except for capital otfenses when the
proof is evident or the presumption great;
section 25, that excessive bail shall not be re.
quired, nor excessive fines imposed aor cruel
and unusual punishments inflicted, section
90. that the privilege of the writ Of habeas
corpus shall never be suspended; section %,
that the right OF trial by Jury, as heretofore
enjoyed, shall remain inviolste; section 80,
that 20 person shall be deprived of life, liber-
ty or property without due process Of law
section 81. that there cannot be In this state
either slavery or involuntary servitude, sx-
cept as punishment for crime, whereof the
party shall have been duly convicted. So
endeth the first lesson.