The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-18
OBSTRUCTION IS CONFESSION.
Erom tla Ne.earh pallg AaverlLser.

From. the Netcdrk Ddil3 Aduertiser.
In his famous speech in the White MUIR
der case, IN Salem, Massachusetts, Daniel
Webster, depicting the flight, terror and
monetary dread of q murderer, said
that there was no refuge but suicide for
the poor wretch; land" ne added. sui
eide is Confession We can imagine that
an innocent man, accused OF crime, may
be so horror struck by a false charge that
he would seek relief in self-des5ruction.
But nobody can possibly fancy an 1nno-
cent man taking refuge i n dilatOry tactics
when brought to trial. Confident of his
rectitude, even when appearances might
be against him, he would be glad to have
in sorder that he might be vindi-
Gated. While he should rest under
the stigma of an accusation, he would
fret unrfl the time should come when his
innocence should be established. Is this
the manner in which the persons accused
of committing crimes againstthe eiectlve
franchise il Jersey City are behaving
themselves? Do they entreat their coun-
sci to hurry forward matters and al
every possible means to expedite their
cases? Not by any manner OF means
They object at every step OF the way.
When the damning evidence OF their con-
spiracy was published they all with one
consent shouted s'Poohi poohi" They
courted the fullest investigation,
they said; and if they did not
appeal to heaven to witness the
rectitude of their intentions, it was be-
cause they had not lately been familiar
with that route to vindication. Now that
they are on trial, they object to the law,
the facts and the methods. As q last re-
sort, Mr.. Garretsen, in behalf of the NO
vember gang, objected to O struck jury,
yesterday. He did not want a select jury
to try his innocent clients. He insisted
upon q jury that should be picked out for
Them by their co-conspirator, Sheriff
Davis, the Hudson county Democratic
Boss. III like manner, Mr.. Hudspeth,
Mayor Cleveland's counsel, consumed
nearly the whole of yesterdays session in
making objections in the case before the
Commissioner.
The laws of the land allow these men
to bs tried by due process. They are gem
orally believed to be guilty, and, If Jersey
City We're governed by a popular tribu-
nal, as San Francisco has been at differ
emit times in its history, the trees OF that
misgoverned municipality would bear
strange fruit; the names of the thieves
and rascals who would swing from Judge
Lynch's gallows-tree would include
many of the men who manned the polls
at the elections of last November and
last April. But this sort of thing is not
tolerated in a community which pre-
serves the outward appearance of law
abiding. So the rascals, given the privi-
lege Of trial by a jury of their fellow
citizens, avail themselves of this Glenn
ency to escape the penalty due their
crimes. Blocks-of-ten Cleveland knows
that he was not lawfully elected Mayoro of
Jersey City; 6nd he fights the inevitable
day of dismissal by all manner of legal
subtleties, postponing his fate by OBJ
.structive tactics. IT he believed that he
were legally entitled to his seat, he would
be impatient to have the cloud removed
from that title. Innocent and self-con-
scious of being in the right, he would
interpose no objection whatever to
the course of even handed justice. If
he were we'll aware that he had obtained
office by fraud, he would do precisely
what he is doing. His course in the mat
ter is as clearly a confession of guilt as il
he were to stand up in court and say, II
have stolen this office, but | defy you to
prove it" To all intents and purposes,
the accused officers of election in Jersey
City have already confessed their gnilt.
To all intents and purposes, Mayor Cleve-
land admits that he holds office in viola
tion of law; hut all Of these men defy
conviction in the courts.