The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-06-18

| order by Professor Sandess chairman. Rev.
followed by some excelleIf vocal M 4 Selections Sc by
qnartette, composed OF Misses E. HargroYe
and s. aRd When M ssa
tary Of the meeting. read stioS ' Of ofC de-
efintnal eaisi seaSd eass ba the ant t iq fsst
| ify in his own behalf and announced Mr.,
Warren d. Wheeler, of the Alamo = ety. as
Mr.. Wheeler said he knew there very many
before him that gave negative a"TcTonse to
the query. simply because it wasA ",ohange Of
known as the Common Law. He Ought that
such decision was from each vi cOnsidera
ton rather than dOgmatic love for that old
custom which he regarded as tyranicsl while
the change would be a blessing. The principles
underlie the trial of criminals, and the object
of Judicial trials is to arrive at the truth; and
OF obta ming that truth the better the ends of
justice are subserved? A few years ago hue
and cry was raised against permitting de-
fendant to testify in civil cases. The grounds
of objections in that case were the same as i'll
this, such as the perjury that elf-intereSt
would prompt. But now all acknowledge that
admitting such evidence Is the keynote Of
wisdom, and as the aim II both cases Is the
same, aud all evidence necessarily alike, why
admit the interested evidence in civil suit
and exclude 1t in criminal ase? Property
and honor are as great an incentive to some
men as life and liberty. This law would
perhaps allow some sharpers to
maxim OF the law, 1t is beTter that ninety
Inc criminals should escape than one innO-
cent man be condemned" he question is
general, confined not only to Texas but to
wherever Justice regnS; and taking the world
for our field we plant our feet firmly on our
platform and challenge cur friends to battle.
MIR. Emmet Heightower of the San Jacinto
society was next called and with grace and
asy self possession said that to consider the
quest on properly we must contine our selves to
some system OF jurisprudence, 1t cannot be
considered in the abstract since the code of
each state Is different as well as the Federal
choOse one and as the question was suggest
cd by bill introduced in our last
legislature, OF course we shall confine this dis
cussiOn 10 Texas. And, further, as Green
eaf says, the burden of the proof is on the
side which atfirms, we have simply to deny its
benefits, and they must prove them.
AS some favor defendants making a state
ment, not under oath, we call your attention
to the distinction drawn by Mr.. Webster when
he says testimony means "a solemn dsclara-
tiOn under oath or affirmation Fiut we op-
pose this law for many reasons. First
Usually it would not throw any additional
light on the cases on trial: SecOnd-lt would
turn loose ahorde of criminals to prey upon
society. Third-The laws OF Texas, at present
are equitable and just. Fourth TIL. people
who rule have not demanded it. Fifth-0ur
laws nOWare too lenient and too many crimes
go unpunished. Sixth 1T would place bribe
and premium on perjury. Seventh-The
witnesses. In conclusion, invoke you never
to give your cOnstnt to the passage of any
law, whose effect would dim a single ray of the
Lone Star State, that went down i'll blood at
the Alamo. but rose to its zenith over the field
OF San JacintO. Let her laws be just and
right to suppress the crime or reclaim the
criminal, wOOing the white winged angel of
peace back to the halls of liberty, and daWning
The day when the wicked CEASE from troub
ling and the weary are at rest" lAppluse).
The next speaker was Mr.. ID. ii. LIE saeur,
OF the Alamo. who upheld his reputation as
q fine logical debater, and argued that while
Eiae present law was good. the change would
B1r, w. L. Lott, of the San Jacinto, conclu-
ded the list OF set speeches, and his many
Hisnds applauded his effort, He CLAIMED the
many advantages were given the criminal to
escape, more so In Texas than any other ate.
to testify the TRUTH Such men know ~ penalty Iaa
Is before them, and they will simply add anoth
er little crime to the one they have already
committed They will lie out o: 1t. We do not
favor offering prenlinm for such to pesmirch
the flag Of Texas. May her laws remain har-
monious and may we soon see her the be-t
state in the best section OF the grandest nation
After the leaders had responded, the debate
was declared closed. During the -deiberation
o. Sda the committee, committee, the ,I audience was
Hon Asa Hott, Rev. F. I Mitchell, Judge i ' I.
lay. The vote stood three for the i affirmatiYe I've
and two for the NEGATIVE, scoring for the
alamo" second victory.
The Booty society prize OF twenty
volumes of books was awarded by Rev j.
W. Binkley to Mr. M. g. McKamy, the presi-
dent Of the victorious society. /
Mr.. r. E. Brooks then awarded the society
essay medal: given for the best essay written
in the College Monthly, to Mr.. K. C. Porter of
Caldwell; The meeting adjourned with a
benediction.
lhe late arrivals are Rev. r. r. Powers, Ter
rell; Rev. A: Davis, Corsicana; Rev. X. N.
Nelson, Hillsboro; Rev. &. w. Wyatt. of Alb
bott; Rev. Horace Bishop, Waco; Rev. T. r.
Pierce, Paris; Prof. s.. j. Jones, Salado; frof.
Smith Ragsdale, Austin. Judge Organ. Of
Bastrop; Hon. Asa Holt, Terrell: Judge M. NJ.
ShiVes, Mexia and Hon. Jno. X. Henry, Mexia.
Prof. Jno.H. Mclean, president Of the facul-
ty, has received the honoraryIdegree of D. D.
from Centenary College, La. Il