The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-12
A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

twill be a grard day for this country
when the memories Of our civil conflict oil
is6i-s5 cease to play active parts in infiu-
encing popular and official action. IL is
the unwisest course imaginable TO permit
sentiment aud prejudice to supplant reason
ana high sense of justice in the determi-
nations necessarily occurring In the various
spheres of active life throughout the coun-
try, whether social, commercial or poliii-
cal. To allow a mans past associations
and conduct TO operate rs an excuse for all
his after life, Is absurd, both as matter OF
reason and policy, and yet there are rabid
politicians and sectionalists who know oil
no other or better criterion OF the present
motives and eulpability of man in any
given case than his antecedents politically.
A striking illustration of the remark was
furnished in the action OF the atlor-
ney general of the United States the
other day in the case OF COLONEL
THOMAS REYNOLDS, of Madison, Wisconsin,
who was under indictment for perpetrating
frauds upon the pension bureau. The case
had been pending for some time ana the
political friends of REYNOLDS had been
actively at work in his behalf IN the matter.
Finally the efforts were successful, and rem
dered so upon the ilimsiest pretext ever
urged in behalf OF criminal. ATTORNEY
GENERAL BREWSTER directed the district
attorney of the United States for REYNOLDS
| a al
defendant, late pension agent ut Madison,
pro, ided the latter should return to the
government 81, 20S, which he was alleged 10
have collected on pensions OF widows VINO
had been dead for years. II is said that the
case could easily have been sustained, aud
| the case was dismissed upon the refund
| ing of the money, upon the simple
ground that the defendant COLONEL KEi-
HOLDS, had been gallant U nion soldier dur
ing the late war Of course he and his lrlencs
readily raised the money and the peniteh-
| tiary was cheated of its legitimate property.
| The precedent is an extremely bad one, In
prosecutions of such character the question
| IL not one of sentiment but u matter BIT
| tween the majesty, wisdom aud policy oil
the law and the reckless misconduct OF u
private individual. There is no earthly
reason why the case of COLONEL REYNOLDS
should be placed upon any other footing
than the cases OF all other offenders against
the laws II insanity or some extraordin-
airy status Of affairs could be urged in his
| defense the recommendation of the attor-
ney general would be excusable, but to dis
miss criminal upon his returning the
spoils, simply because the general of the
army and other influential citizens testified
to the fact that eighteen or twenty years
ago the culprit was "a gallant Union SOL
der" Is an unheard of proceed.
ing. The same excuse could
be urged in behalf Of every man who fol-
lowed the lag OF his country uncomplain-
ingly in the past, but has since been guilty |
of gross criminal conduct. Upon tho same
principle and by parity of reasoning, any |
one of the two million men who COMPOSED
the Federal armies in 1865, but who had
gu bsequently been detected in thieving !
ought to BIO and could be turned loose upon
society again. The fact is not one of any |
widespread importance In and OF itself, |
but as precedent, and as.outlining policy
1t is Of general significance. The duty
resting upon public officials is to enforce
the law without fear or favor. and such tri-
fling with the statutes as this chr0nicled Is
criminal in tho negligence and disregard
manifested MS to the obligations of the Off
cal oath and the force and elect
OF the statutes. The fact betrays a
narrowness of vision, political
corruption and All unpatriotic
and bitter sectional prejudice that are, at
this late day, as contemplate rs they are
hurtful. A mans antecedents ought never
TO be known in criminal prosecution.
The highest and the lowest in the land
should DO reduced to the same level at the
bar OF justice, and the only facts to DO in
quired into in their trial should be the TACT
of the comm ission OF the oileuse and the
motive inducing or causing II. To look
upon or treat criminals case In any other
light is frozen mockery Of justice, trans.
gression OF the law itself and and precedent
that may work very dlsastrously If suffered
TO have any weight whatever In official cir.
cles. Until the courts, ana the people par
tioularly in the Federal courts, forget that
there ever was civil war in this country
and determine questions coming up 1or
adjudication before them upon other than
bitter partisan grounds, We may not only
expect to hear of a continuance OF such
conduct, but the mockery of justice will
daily become more and more glaring. The
part played in the transaction by Mr..
BREWSTER is but another illustration Of the
utter unfitness OF that gentleman for the
great position he occupies and the preiu.
dice, weakness, narrow mindedness and
reckless disregard of the laws of the land
that have characterized his conduct since
his entry into the cabinet.
| Tup ant;ra nxtant If nvr hnunJary linn