Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-05
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Memorial by District Attorney Evans
Checking the Negligence and
Nepotism OF Judges.

trict of Texas, calling attention. W WV
abuses existing in the administrators
of justice in the U'.ited States district
court, was presented to the senate TO
day by Senator Coke. He alleges
first. that the Judges in Texas, while
drawing pay, frequently on slight cN'
cusee fail 10 hold court rs provided by
law. and there exists no net to remedy
the matter. second, that the Judges
persist IN appointing incompetent rel
;,tiyes to Office and in holding them
there in disregard of the convenience
of others. ana cause prisoners 10 re-
main an unnecessary time in coniine'
ment. He states that i'll Western
Texas, the district judge has held but
two sittngs i'm the last three years at
Brownsville, and In the Eastern dis
trict of the state the judge failed TO
hold any court for the last term Mt JEFF
ferson, although prisoners were con-
fined for trial. He charges that the
Judges make sham of holding courts
by having Jurors and witnesses SUM
nioned, and at the last hour get up II
pretext of sick child or other excuse
and adjourn, the cause being laziness
and the fear of spending few dollars
while away from home. Severe Ian
guage was used, and the memorialist
demands in the name of justice that
the law should compel the judges to
act differently. He says that appoint
ing relatives has baneful influence,
and asks what chance has the govern
ment or an individual against
a dishonest clerk who is the depository
of public money and who steals, when
the Judge is II relative of said clerk.
He says the chief reason for the judges
remaining in Office after seventy IL To
protect relatives. With the petition
Evans forwarded bill to check jul
dicial incapacity. The bill prohibits
judges from appointing relatives to
places under their control, and pro-
Vides for the removal of those relatives
now in office, all judges violating the
law to be subject 10 a fine OF not less
than $500 or more than $1,000. The
memorial caused much excitement,
for district judges everywhere are de-
nounced. IL Is well known that
Brewster has also many relatives in
office.
lBy Associated press.l
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH BILL.
Washington, December 4.-The pos
ldl lclcEIbpn DiIl ihIipuuNtb ny iAu-
munds provides for \ board consisting
of the secretary of state, secretary OF
war and postmaster-general, who shall
cause to be located and arranged four
trunk lines of postal telegraph, con-
Meeting the northwestern, northern,
western, southwestern and southern
parts of the United States with she
city OF Washington. Along such lines
offices are to be established ut such
places rs shall be for the public inter-
cot for the time being. From time to
time lines are to he extended with
additional facilities such rs congress
may provide. Rates are to he estab-
lished by the board and lines con-
structed and kept in repair under the
of the secretary of war and II
corps of engineers. The secretary of
war is authorized to acquire by pur-
chase, subject to the approval of the
president the right of way for the
of extension of lines. and
for purposes OF location he
Is authorized TO take and Use
such lands, tenements and heredita-
nents as may he necessary and pay
such conversation as may he deemed
The clerks, operators,
aud others employed shall
he selected under the provisions of the
civil service law, after examination by
a board appointed for the purpose
- ,00D, 900 Is appropriated for the fiscal
year ending June, 1851. The work
ng aud operation of The lines shall be
under the direction and charge of the
acknowledgement, and nothing in
his act shall be construed 10 prohibit
or corporations from carry
ing on the business of operating tele-
graph lines.
INGALLS, PENSION BILL.
The bill introduced by ingalls, to re.
move certain arrears of pensions pro-
vides tuuJ all pensions which have
been or may hereafter be granted In
of any death occurring,
the cause of which originated in the
service since March !, 1861, or in con-
sequence of wounds or injuries re-
ecived or disease contracted since then,
shall date from the death or discharge
of the person on whose account the
claim has been or Is hereafter granted.
{ the disability occurred prior To dis
charge, and II any such disability oc-
Cured after discharge, then from the
date of actual disability.
THE PoLyGAaIY bill.
The bill relating to bigamy and 20
lygamy, introduced by Edmunds, does
not differ materially from that intr o.
duced by him last session.
\ NEW AMENDMENT.
Senator Wilson offered Joint reso-
luton proposing the following amend
ment to the constitution: Congress
shall have power by appropriate legis.
lation to protect citizens of the United
states in the exercise and enjoyment
of all rights, privileges and immuni-
ties, and to assure them equal protec-
ton of the laws.n
THE NEW CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
Edmunds' bill, providing for the fur
ther protection of colored citizens, be-
gins with preamble stating that
doubt has arisen whether the laws
of the United States now in force
are in all respects adequate To
the protection of citizens of any race.
color or previous condition of servi-
tude, and provides that whenever In
any case now pending, or which may
hereafter be pending in any court in
any state or the issue shall exist or be
made, or any material question shall
arise concerning any civil right of
person or right of property. which
shall he assailed or maintained or AS.
....r Il \ Il