The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-11-16
ASKING A HEARING.
Judge Vincent of New Mexico Writes
Letter to the President.
He Says the latter Needed the Ad-
vice of Bad Man.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15-Ex-Chief Justice W.
A. Vincent of New Mexico, before leaving Wash
ington on the 9Th instwrote the President letter,
of which the following is a copy:
SRI desire in this formal way TO call YOUR at
tention to the facts and circumstances connected
with my appointment to and summary suspension
from the high and honorable office of chief justice
of the Supreme Court of the territory of New Mex
leo and Judge of first judicial district thereof
l did not solicit the appointment to the Office of
chief justice, bnt while was business trip to
Europe last spring you saw fit to tender me that
position. immediately returned to the United
States and held court every day until summarily,
ceiving the telegram Of October 14th which in
formed me that had beenIsuspended. | sent you
a despatch asking the cause of my suspension and
that be given hearing as there would be no
courts for ten weeks and there was no necessity
for immediate action; You have never replied to
that telegram or to others making the same request
and it has been necessary for me to visit Wash
ington to learn the cause of my suspension and
why was not, before final action was taken,
furnished with statement of the charge against
me and permitted to answer whether guilty or
not guilty: telegraphed you on the 17th, asking
goth and 21st of October I had the following tel
graphic correspondence with you and the attorn-
sy general:
To Hon. Il. II. Garland attorney General,
Can have your permission to start for Wash
ingt0n, Wednesday. Flease answer Immediately.
w. A. VINCENT
WASHINGTON, Oct. 90
Hon. Wms 4. Vtnce1st, Sa'ate Fe..
:, have no permission to giyeas Jour suspension
by the President is absolute. Your successor
will be appointed within day or tWo
A. FL. GARLAND, Attorney General.
SANTA FE, N. NJ, Oct. 21.
Grocer CleUel0nd, WdShj1l9ton.
Attorney General Garland informs me my suS-
pension is absolute and earnestly protest against
such summary action without even hearing
whereby my reputation is ruined forever and /
appeal to your sense of manhood and justice for
hearing in order to show have been an upright
f.1Ix NT0C raefas .1oxrC
refute any charges against me. VIII you not sus.
pend action until my arrival? Business cannot
suffer as there are no courts here for ten weeks
VIM A. VINCENT.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 21[
To Hon. VDa. 4. Tince,t, Santa Fe:
The despatch of the Attorney General was
approved by me, and the same will be adhered to
because upon conceded facts we are convinced
GROVER CLEVELAND.
SANTA FE, N. NJ, Oct. 21.
Grover O1evelalad, President WaShi,agton, d. G. ::
Full facts are not before you. have sent them
to the Attorney General by mail today. | am not
fighting for the Office, but for my good name.
Please read my statement on its arrival.
VIM. A. VINCENT.
Did ask for more than was fair? Do my des-
patches read as though had anything to conceal?
The same night received your telegram | started
for this city, and since my arrival have examined
all the papers in relation to my case at the Execu-
tive Mansion, office of the Attorney General and
general law offices, and the sole charge against
me is that preferred by Mr.. Fishback Of Indiana,
one of five commissioners to select jurors for Col
fax county, and that charge was made under the
impression that he was to select jurors
for the United States Court Since it
is not charged that l am dishonest or
incompetent, you must know a great wrong
and injustice has been done me: You did not and
could not know the reasons which induced me to
appoint Mr.. Dorsey and it would have been only
fair; and it was due me- to have waited until my
exclamation was made as only asked a delay of
four days before you appointed my successor. Mr..
Dorsey was appointed jury commissioner because
state of constant turmoil existed in the county
and it was difficult to obtain any one who had
not taken part in some way with one or the other
of the many factions He had not been interested
in any of the factions and was particularly well
fitted to serve an excellent purpose in his capac
ity of jury commissioner and he was appointed
after consultation with and upon the advice of
other officers of the territory and the appointment
was regarded by every one as the best that
could be made. In appointing dorsey it did not
seem to me that fact would have any effect upon
national politics and the general policies of your
administration. This view of the case never en-
tered my mind. Preservation of the peace and
good order of the community was alone con-
sidered.e My motives in appointing Mr.. Dorsey
of the purest and best and it is cruel to have
any other imputed to me. The juries selected
were for the county court of ColfaX county, that
court having no jurisdiction of the United States
land matters or business but confined solely to
local matters arising under the laws of the terri
tory.
the charges of appointing Dorsey against me- may
be very reputable man, but he is brother-in-law
to a very dangerous and violent incendiary named
McMans, who resides in New Mexico and has
been convicted of murder there, although he es-
capped punishment upon a technicality. | have
flied with the Attorney General certified tran
script of his trial and conviction, together with
all the evidence given at the trial and from which
you can see that the murder was not only coward
1y, but cruel in the extreme. During the Septem-
Der term of court I decided two causes against
McMains, at which he was much incensed, rand
doubtless he caused his brother-in-law, Fishback
to prefer the charge which resulted in my suspen-
sion.
1t is not charged that am dishonest OF incom-
petent to fill the position, but you refuse to hear
when ii you had been in my place you would have
been compelled to act exactly as / did, because in
a frontier country you would have to deal with
different material to what you have here in Wash
ngton. You know that the public cam
not understand why such a course was taken,
unless there were charges of the grossest
immortality or dishonesty against me and you
must see that your course will injure me for all
time. You could not have acted with greater Sc
verify had been charged with being corrupt
man and even if | had beensso charged and with
fairness would have demanded that should have
a hearing before being condemned. You have
the power to put this stain on my reputation, but
you have no moral or legal right to do so and
earnestly request you will cause through agents
of your own choosing the most searching inVeSti-
cation into my whole conduct in New Mexico
whether as citizen or judge and that should you
hereafter be satisfied, as you pust be when fully
informed that have been faithful to the sacred
will do me that justice which you alone can do
and which your high sense of honor and fairness
will dictate. Very respectfully,
VIM A VINCENT.