San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-05
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

What the People are Saying.
The intelligent. thinking mass of the
people feel gratitied over the action Of the
late grand jury. The magnitude of the
result remains TO be developed.
All attempts to belittle the work done
will only intensity the severity of the final
judgment.
The city organ, the Daily Express,
likcnS the work OF the grand jury to the
labor Of mountain and the production OF
mouse. The mountain may fall on the
mouse.
The attempt on the part Of Mayor Cal
lagham 10 PREJUDICE his case, by the resort
to the ridiculous proceeding of calling
special session of his city council, before
whom he arraignS himself, acts as his
own lawyer, and directs them 10 bring in
resolution vindicatng his character,
must create only feeling of pity and con-
tempt for the man.
Mr.. Callaghan should have waited
with dignity the results of the trial, and
not called together a city council. motor
iouSly subSprvient to his will, for the pUr-
pose of vindcating him in the face of an
indictment not yet tried.
Mr. Callagh0n perhaps imagineS that
his city council is a: far more power
full body and more to be believed than the
grand jury, and he has added another
feature to his remarkable administration,
by calling on his city council to repeal in
advance the indictments found by the
grand jury
The grand jury found sufficient test
mOny to Justify the presentment of MIR.
Callaghan: his city council has taken the
word of their master and acquitted him
on his own assurance to them that he be-
lieved he was doing nothing wrong in
paying out to Mr.. Gurguin salary as act
ing mayor for the same period for which
he Callaghan had already drawn the
money.
The people will not be blinded or pre-
JUDGED by this action to fOrGStall the OPP
GRAFTON of the law. The childish subter-
fuge of fishing up an old ordinance, passed
in 1872, authorizing the mayor pro TEN to
be paid salary, must cause only feelings
of disgust and humiliation. This ordi
nance was repealed years ago, and really
never had any charter authority. The
charter has been amended several times
since 1872 and the ordinances revised sew
eral times, and published in book form,
and this ordinance quoted by Mr.. Callag-
han does not exist in any of the reviSionS;
but Mr.. Callaghan will have abundant
opportunity to meet the indictment
against him with this ordinance when his
case comes to trial.
4 X
The silly subterfuge of Alderman Greg
DRY in presenting an ordinance to author
iZe the mayor pro tenn to draw a double
salary, will only be judged by the people
as an admission of guilt: as a reckless act
In perfect keeping, however, with the
reckless character of the administration.
x
Mayor Callaghan claims to be some
what of a lawyer himself. He assumes to
be man of superior genius. The people
have entrusted him with a responsible
position, and the aw has laid its hand
upon the key to the peoples money and
plainly warned him not to miSapply one
cent Of it. He will not attempt to tell an
intelligent jury that he hunted up an old
repealed ordinance of 1872 in order to
find authority to pay Mr.. Guerguin
the salary Of the mayor, as well as alder
| man. He will not plead that he was
crazy WueD ne SlPDeu LDe warrants; on
the contrary this is only sample of the
| reckless disregard for the charter and
laws that has marked Mr. Callaghan's
| career. it is an unfortunate state of
| things, and now that it involves the per-
SOnal liberty of Mr. Callaghan. individual
| opinion should be suspended until the
| case comes to trial.
But for Nh Callaghah'S attempt to
| make political capital out of every act of
| the grand jury; to resist its efforts to ex-
| anime into the public records: to create
| public opinion in advance Of trial. it
| m light be improper to discuss this indct-
| mpnt. But the people can rest assured
| that if Constable MARITIME case developed
a state of things that aStOuiShed Judge
| NOOnan. it is best to wait for future de-
| velOpnentS before taking the conclusions
Of Mr. Callaghan'S city council as finays
| ity of the case. This is not the way the
law operates.