The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-07-12
CAUSE FOR IMPEACHMENT.

Dan VOORHEES,, who has been prose-
cutting case against John S.
Thompson, at Washington, took occa
sion to preach very homely homily
to the court, over which Judge Cox
presides, on the practices of the De-
partment of Justice. He said;
eff your honor please, this question
of the emp. oyment OF special counsel
is attracting some attention in this
country, and it might attract a little
more. The people of the United
States are paying for the support OF
its different departments. The De-
partment of Justice is an organized
body of lawye rs, consisting OF an at
torney general and seventeen assist
ant attorney generals, any one of
whom is liable to the order of the
attorney general at any moment,
and the payroll amounts to
generals. Seventeen of them and the
attorney general make eighteen legal
officers in the employ of the govern
ment. to whom the people pay $67 900
a year, and, my word for it. there are
a dozen of these distinguished gentle
men 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 dis
tinguished gentlemen, n AIDED by the
attorney general, drawing out of the
treasury $67 600, the district attorney,
who gets 5000, and two assistants
" ell paid, making pay roll to attend
to this case of twenty-one gentlemen,
drawing out of the treasury about
$4,000 year, and ! am brought here
time and time again to be met with
this objection, that this corps
of twenty-one men can not furnish
one, two OF three or one-half dozen to
come here and try this case, but it
must go over in order
that the public treasury may
be replenished and then be drawn on
TO employ special counsel. | am
weary of it ald the people are weary
of it. The first duty of "a cavern
ment is to protect its citizens, and it
is a de, ided question, not an open one,
but thoroughly decided question by
the highest tribunal of the govern
ment, that Hallett Kilbourn has been
wronged, illegally imprisoned, OPP
pressed, his fortune and health broken.
For seven years he has been pursuing
his rights, and it is not decent for the
government to interpose an obstacle
TO the course of justice at this late
day, and the pretence that there is not
force enough in the employ of the
government and not money enough
paid to get gentlemen to come forward
and try the CAFE. Both parties are
here, Mr.. Thompson is here from
Ohio, the witnesses are here, the law
yers are here, the jury is here, the
court is here, and there is no time
equal to now for the trial of the
case"
And such is the department of JUS
tice. 1t is thus presented in shame
full but 1.-THE same time truthful
light. Here is the government pay
ins $4,000 per annum for the services
OF attorneys retained as otfici i attor-
neys, They draw their salaries as
regularly rs the months roll around
but do no service, unless it b.. to pro-
tect criminals. In the Thompson
case Mr.. Brewster would have en-
ployed additional aid, but the empl y
ment of extra attorneys in the star
route trials had exhausted the money
to the credit of the department. There
is enough in the conduct of this de-
pastment to warrant the impeach=
ment of the fancy old gentleman who
presides over it.