The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-23
THE FORTY-FIvE THOUSAND.
What a Citizen Thinks of the
Excessive Bail.

SALT LAKE Cry, February 20, 1886.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The circumstances connected with the
arrest OF Hon. Geo. Q. Cannon are of
more than passing Importance. Here
we have an honorable gentleman mi
versally respected, both inside and out.
side OF the religious community of
which he is a prominent member, of
blameless life. weakened more OF less in
mind and body by disease accounted
incurable and frequently fatal. A price
is publicly set upon his head he is
hunted down Ike wild beast Of prey.
anu wnen he IS arrested the arrogant Of
iicers OF tne law override the civil laws
anu customs and send the Federal mill
lary ior MIN, IN fact, thus ignoring the
III ~ Id" ana lnaugurating martial law
wItnout the slightest necessity or the
'n iWu gnost OF provocation.
huen the prisoner is brought into
couIS' tne inonstrous sum of S45 .u0O is
asAeI Ior pan. 1t is useless to say
f fn ucu ABOUT the constitutional provision
AZ DruuIng excessive bail, as. in these
tSee eIate Gays, the Constitution is so
onUrouenIy ignored in Congress and the
courts. Ihere may come time when
that once honored Instrument will he
again respected and reyered leglsIa-
lively ard judicialiy, notin its EXPRESS
provisions only, but in its essential
spirit. However, much as we NAV re-
greet II, that time is not now.
A man may simply ask, what offence
Is the gentleman charged with? Theft?
NO. Swindling? No. Forgery? No
burglary? No. Highway robbery?
NO. Is he a 70, d agent? No, A train
WreckerI No. a >educer? No. Did
ne run on with the wives of his neigh
9orS NO, the courts would not care a
ng IL ne did. Is he a whoremonger? If
ne were, the courts would be likely to
reuse ITO prosecute" him. Moreover. if
ne were a typical American gentle
man OF most pronounced and perfect
Lrtou'e type, he might be guilty of all
tnat sort OF thing with IMMUNITY. Is
ne an aoortionist? No. If ne were,
grand Jurles would be apt to ignore the
charge. A rapist? If he were. he
might not be sorely troubled by the
0Incers OF the law. A murderer? No.
II ne were, he might have half a dozen
separate and distinct trials, and every
effort be made 10 effect his escape from
merlted punishment at last.
In heavens name, then, what has he
done? What is the enormous charge
against hlm2 What heinious crime has
ne committed, that the entire republic
should De aroused to anger and yenge-
ance against him? Well, stranger. if
you won talk too loudly aboutit, | viii
Just Whisper in your anxious ear the
tremendous crime with which he is
charged! Hell not Tribune .'gen tie
man, but Christian gentleman of the
good old fashioned Bible type He is
married man, is the father of several
children, all of whom he owns. He en-
beavers to provide reasonable susten-
ance for his family. all who are materi-
ally dependent upon him. and to bring
them up soberly, respectfully, right.
eously, and relIgiously in this ungodlv
generation. Is that all? That is ali.
That is tie awful, the objectionable
crime with which he is charged. That
Is the crime for which the machinery
and the power Of the courts and of the
army were invoked and employed in or
der to effect his condign punishment.
For that reason money reward was
publicly advertised for his capture. his |
counterfeit presentment was distributed |
throughout the length and breadth of |
the land, he was reIentlessly, vindict
lvely, and brutality pursued, arrested,
and held, the soldiery were sent after
him, and the unprecedented bonds of
$4,000 were exacted for his restricted
liberty for month, being at the rate of
Il 500 a day, Sundays included. All
this was done by Federal officials, in
his land of liberty par excellence.
Is that all? That is all, stranger
That is the atrocious crime with which
'he gentleman s charged, and that is the
ltrocious manner in which he'll pursued |
or it. Well, well, what's the country
coming tol What indeed 1 think the
Federal officials in and for Utah ought
% call monster indignation meeting,
o extol and glorify the great American
agile, and to protest against British
tyranny towards poor, old, downtrod-
len Ireland, and subscribe lots of money
md pass red hot resolutions in favor of
ocal self government for that afflicted
md unhappy country. 1 think so too,
tranger. Good day. Good day.
CITIZEN
THE WTEE MnTurD AOn 1rArn