The advocate., 1891-06-03

which tho hungry lion gives to the tender
lamb. There wan not wanting single ele-
ment Of prOof-ofprOof overwhelming and
cOnduAiye- chat the city Of Springfield was
systematically robbed Of +morothan 81, 900,
knowingly and purpoSely, by Judge BOtkin
ana his iconfederates. And Iy# thA Senate
Of Che state OF Kansas sitting for his trial
di Impeachment BY Che House of Repre-
sexitatives, failed to convict him.
F-ESIlOw citizens, you may wen ask how
this result was reached. We win endesVOr
to explain. The Senate is composed of
forty members, and under the constitution
it requires tho votes of two thirds Of all the
members elected, voting in.ths Affirmative,
10 convict. Itwps therefore necessary for
the board Of managers to secure twenty
seven votes TO convict ON any 'article. One
senator haa resigned 90, ii the, respondent
could obtain and hold the votes Of thirteen
Senators, no conviction was possible. Only
thirty-five Senators were present when the
vote was taken, and Of this number nine
votSs for The respondent would prevent a
conviction. Of these nine votes, he, was
assured at the outset Of Ave noisy partisans,
,whOy ObliviouSnof their Oaths 20 faithfully
and iE1psgtially Ey the case, and do justice
according 10 the law and evidence" were
ready TO exhibit, and did exhibit their in
'tense partisan liberalization to acquit
Judge Botkin, regardless f.the law and evil
denCe-and right royalty they stood and
voted together. To recruit and increase this,
partisan band became the daily and hourly
task OF personal and political friends Of the
respondent. Senators whose sense of hon
or and Justice compelled them to
arrive at the determination to vote
Tor ConviCtion were bullied and threat
ened. All sorts of influence, political and
otherwise, was brought to bear to acquit
this Corrupt and oppressive drunken tyrant;
and well did they succeed. But be il said
TO the honor of the state, that notwithstand-
ing all This, there were yet found in Israel
eighteen righteous men who could not be-
persuaded, bullied or bribed to violate their
Senatorial Oathsl All honor to these eigh-
teen upright imenp The votes of those
eighteen Senators, a majority of the Sena-
tors voting, and of whom seventeen were
Republicans, justified the course of the
House of Representatives in impeaching
Judge Bohkin. Although the state failedto
secure the twO-tbirds vote necessary to a
legal conviction, yet the majority vote go
cured was equal to moral conviction.
The official reportrof the, trial win soon
be issued by the public printer. 1t will fill
two large volumes. We are confident that
il will fully justify the action of the House
of Representatives, and will furnish abund
ant proof that the board Of managers, lay
ing aside all partisan feeling or prejudice,
entered upon she duties assigned them and
honestly and impartially discharged such
duty 20 the best Of their ability; and 70 the
candid and intelligent Judgment Of the peo-
plO OF Kansas, regardless Of party ties or
sympashies, we submit the account Of our
stewardship.
7rrm'l AN. WH1TTINGToN, Chairman, 4
Ns Lincoln County.
VIII. MITcHELL, Z
Reno County. e Y
a., ,,'~s' s.,.,s, - y ,.sv o,o GEo, II. CouLsoN,
- 7s'i' I, Cd -" ..'}' o., Harper County.
,s.is. +, II ",~a4i WIN. q, WEBB, =,
"at' sss.iN ',ar'' '~''''a'" Shawnee County.