Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-22

charge, let it go on but would preserve the dig
nlty OF the Senate OF California. viii take the
| word OF any Senator when he st stes that he be.
heTeS that the State Prison MANAGEMENT should
| be investigated. but object to reciting in that
resolution that the basis of it is stolen property
A SQUARE DEAL PROMISED.
! Goucher-I want to state that there is nothing
in the resolution about stolen properly The
basis OF this resolution is not stolen property.
! DO not say that there is anything-wrong in the
prison management make no charges. do
not even insinuate that the charges made
through the medium of these letters and
through the newspapers are true. but l do
say that II is known to every men,
Der Of this Senate and every reading
man in the State OF California that certain
charges, whether formally made or nos are be-
/ lore the public in reference 10 State Prison
management do not stop to inquire whe her
| the proof which lies at The bottom of these
charges are stolen, or whether it was manu- act
ured, or whether it came to public knowledge
| lesitimately. know that the charges are
pending in the columns OF the press. kno '
| that these letters have been printed. know
| that their authenticity is not publicly denied
| by the men who are the purported authors of
] those letters. know that the tendency of
some of the letters at least is cause of reproach
upon the management of the Prison and be-
! lieye it TO be the duty of this Senate without
| waiting Tor John Doe or Richard Roe to come
| here and present written charges, to proceed to
| inquire at least into the authenticity of these
letlers-to proceed at least to ascertain whether
there is any foundation for these reports. The
and believe il to be the duty OF
| the Senate committee to originate an
| investigation believe that this is the duty of
| the committee, independent of any special
| direction of this body, did not introduce the
resolution for the purpose of asking that author
ity, but 10 ask for authority to send for persons
| anu papers and hayisg the means OF presery-
| ing the evidence taken before the committee
| No man viii be reader than to vindicate the
persons who are charge with writing these let
ters. There is a mistake ahrosd as TO what the
q mi az fS md nm
sorry tosay that the celebrated expounder OF the
Constitution from San Diego is among the ua-
fortunates who thinks that committee can do
nothing without some sworn statement of
| charges presented. 7 hat is not true. Commits
tees not appointed to wait for bills or resou-
| tons TO come TO them Committees are ap-
| pointed not only to consider what may come to
them in the shape of resolutions or charges, but
| for the purpose OF originating investigations,
| to. inquire upon their own motion into such
| things.
| [Senator Wilson in the chair.
WHITE TAXES HAND
White-Mr President: l am astonished that
| any objection should be urged upon the door of
| this Senate to the disclosure of the truth Let
| tude or apparent desire for the advancement OF
the best interests OF the State disguise the fact
that there is charged against pnblic servants of
! this commonwealth grave aud serious crime.
/ Let il be remembered that there are to be pre-
sented to this Senate the names of men, citizens
/ of this State who are or are not to be confirmed
| as Directors of this prison. And let me say for
one, that l will never vote to confirm any man
against whom there is any charge or aspsr-
| sion, coming from lips recognized as belong
ing 70 person OF apparent worth,
until these charges have been investigated.
\ Who are we? The servants OF the people sent
here to discharge our duties 10 our constituents;
to see that public servants, who ere faithless in
| the discharge of their duty, shall be punished.
| If we can do 1t, for their derelict,on. Shall we
| say that because some one who lives away from
this capital, some citizen of this State. has not
| presented charges, drawn in the form of indict-
meut, good in the strictest technicality of the
| common law, that therefore we shall not inves-
/ tigate- Throw aside the cobwebs of what is
called politeness Disregard the seeming OBJ
struetion which stands between this Senate and
| the truth, and what are the bald and unvar-
nished facts? We see before this Senate names
sent in for confirmation. We see the name OF
one man witlidrawn and another substituted.
| Have we not right to ask why this is done? l
| do not say that there was good reason for the
| act in each case. No; do not charge that
/ there was anything that was. not proper in the
| appointments, or their withdrawal; but do say
| that se, upon whose shoulders is east the bur
! den OF approving these appointments, should
/ know whatever facts exist that as between us
| in this regard, not the thinnest flament.
Mr.. President, admire many of the gentl
men vino are connected with the State Prison
management of this State. | know that the
Warden of that prison is a perso whose gsner IL
temperament and executive ability would at
| tract The attention and command the admira.
charged to be written by him-which, if they
! are true, demand explanation from him for my
! benefit as Senator upon this floor. l wish to
know, sir, before vote dollar of the people S
money, whether this penitentiary is being used
| as Eolitieal machine i wish ID know what is
meant by the use of the word syndicate l
4 wish to know whether these public servants, he
| creatures of the people, have formed any com
bination to defeat the popular wiz. Look at
| these letters.
ARE THEY GsNUISE?
| Some of them their authors have admitted
] to me are genuine. Are they false? Then let
| the authors-the alleged authors-ccme before
| this committee-this regularly appointed COM
mitsee of this Senate-and let them repudiate
i the authenticity Are they explainable? Do
| they contain phrases couched in such an bigu.
Gus terms that they may be explained? Then
| for God sake give the innocent u chancetO ex-
plain. Do not cut them OFF. Do not deny to
| them the ri. hit to explain. One gentleman
| whose name is signed to one OF those
| letters has told me thai he wanted chance to
| explain that he wanted an opportunity to
| tell TO the committee what it was that he
meant by syndicate" that existed In that
prison. He claims that the investigation will
| exonerate him. Tnen he is entitled to it. Is
not General McComb entitled to explain these
letters2 if he refuses TO explain them they
must be considered in accordance with the Ian
guage which he has written. If they are moi
what they purpo TO be- as genuine letters
then let him come up and say so before me
and before you He has not said to us thet he
| wished no investigation. ill-adyised friends
have said it. Who has antagonized it, il mat
| ters not. This arm of the government must be
exerte IN defense OF the integrity of Statehood
Il shall not fall neryeless at the dictate of cor
rupt power. 1t shall not be impotent TO exer;
the functions which called it into being un-
less, indeed, il has sunk so low that it cannot
| be resurrected by the appeals of honesty OF
called back to its proper discharge by the die
| tates OF Justice.
Mr.. President. another thing they say these
etteIs are not genuine. Granted. But. my God
| what mistake when aman whose letters were
presented here appealed 10 Couit and sought
| TO enjoln the parties supposed to possess these
letters from presenting them TO the light of day
| a man says 20 me, lou have been crirni
mating yourself" say, You are a falsifier
| Do your worst. Publish your forged documents
| and will strike them down by the lightning
thunderbolt of veracity." Will go to Court o.
my country and seek to consign to endless OBJ
! liyion the documents which fear may incul
pate me? But If am guilty will strive tc
hide the truth.
Mr.. President, let me say TO this Senate thai
this question is paramount to party. 1t is su
4 perior TO individual claim and it is Inightel
| than the mandates OF any self-constituted au
thority which may seek To invade the halls o.
legislation and dictate the votes of those who
have sworn obedience 10 the Constitution
/ which was reared By the exertions Of mel
whose souls were stainless and whose effort,
| brought freedom into practice and lis blessing
4 within the reach OF all. Mr.. President, thi.
Senate, is here now to, say whether
it will prevent the disclosure of The
truth. Whether it is the policy of these, the
delegates of the people, TO shroud in impene
trabie my ysiery these important affairs of State
1t is for this Senate to say it. For myself in al
| my life l hope ! have never done injustice tl
| any man. There is no man connected with
these affairs TO whom win not do absolutely
the fairest thing. there is no man whom viii
/ not give the benefit of every presump ion witt
which the law clothes him. But when an effor
is made to prevent the disclosure, under oath
of the truth, then, sir, let my protest be re
corded. and let it be said too, of me that have
| charged against the man who has willfuil,
sought to avoid the disclosure of the truth thai
sort of conscience which is not the kind which
must maintain the integ ity of this Govern
ment- Mr.. President, favor the motion of the
4 Senator from Fresno.
CAMPBELL. WARNS THEM UP.
| Campbell-Mr. President agree with Sen
| ator White in every thing he says but one He
| made one assertion which cannos agree with
him in. i am with him for the fullest In
| yestigasion. l would despise the party that
belong TO if it was not in favor Of inyesiigatins
| every charge made, when il comes with any
| authority or with the semblance OF truth be
cause every institution of the State should be
run for the benefit of the State. But the honor
able Senator made one admission that cannot
agree with him in. He, with holy horror arc
upllffed eye and haud, appeals 10 high Heaven
| against the presumption. even, that the Stste
Prison should be run as a political institution
il is run so, and unfortunately has been run So
Senator White, ever since il was instituted: and
the great misfortune Of our people and 0isoul
State to-day is that all institutions are run rs
political machines. II is so tight here in fhs
tSenafe chamcer where the elOGuent words d,