Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-02-28
A large number of violations of the law

OF the United States were presented to us
for our consideration and investigation.
Whenever and wherever possible to obtain
witnesses, we carefully and diligently ex-
amined into the cases reported or brought
before US, and have found indictments
whenever and wherever the evidence war
ranted such course.
Probably the most important matters
that came before us, were the investiga-
tions Of the election cases. growing out
of the November, 1890, elections in Taos
and Santa Fe counties, at which elec-
tions delegate in congress was voted
for.
We have carefully, fully, cautiousy,
and we hope and believe, impartially in
vestigated these election troubles in the
counties named, and we can not condemn
in too strong terms the actions OF the
boards of county commissioners OF those
counties, sitting as boards of election
canvassers and the clerk ks of those coun
ties, during the months of November and
December last, in refusing to respect and
declare the will and the voice of the peo-
pie, as expressed in most unmistak-
able and clear manne1-"t the polls on
November 4, last.
The members of these boards and the
county clerks with them have shown
spirit of contumacious insuberddation,
utter disregard of law and the proprieties,
and of official corruption and dishonesty,
such as must and will hurt the reputation
of their respective localities and neces-
sarily of the territory at large, and is
bound to retard the immigration we so
greatly need and have sought 80 long.
Immigrants and good loyal American citi-
zens from the states look for localities to
settle in, where their rights will be re-
garded as sacred, where law and order
prevail, where there exists security to life
and property, and where the will of the
people as expressed at the ballot box will
be declared openly and honestly and the
actual result of elections will govern but
honest and lawabiding citizens will not
60 to localities where ballot boxes are
stolen from the custody of the sworn Off
cials OF the law under highly suspicious
circumstances, where legal votes are
thrown aside and disregarded by corrupt
and petty officials whose heads are filled
with pompous ignorance, partisan zeal and
dishonest thoughts and who are utterly
devoid of that love of fairness and justice
that form the very corner stone of the
grand institutions of this country.
1t is with the deepest regret and shame
that we are compelled to report to your
honor, that in the two counties named we
find that the boards OF county commits
sioners and their respective clerks have
with malice afOrethought and dis
honesty in their hearts willfully re-
fused to count the votes of whole |
precincts and have issued certificates of
election to men who have failed to receive
q majority of the votes cast and who have |
not even pretence whereupon to claim
such certificates, but were repudiated by
he people at the polls; these county COM
nissioners and other officials have openly,
1otoriously and with very dangerous and
lnarchistic spirit defed the solemn orders
md commands Of the legally constituted
authorities and courts; they have availed
themselves of ignorant and debased men,
Unfortunately holding office as justices of
he peace, to escape deserved punish
nent and incarceration and have resorted
o trickery so low, and pretenses so de-
picable, IN endeavoring to father and fur
her an election steal of the lowest order;
lave impliedly sanctioned the stealing of
| ballot box and the returns have openly
,oasted of their corrupt acts and brazenly
launted them in the faces of respectable
,eople; have az officers of their counties
et such an abominable example of law
moral degradation and forgetful-
less of their sworn duties and solemn
aths, that we can not wonder at subse-
uent murders, attempted assassinations
nd spirit OF lawlessness that must and
oes necessarily follow.
Even among the most ignorant of our
'eople such acts would be severely CEN
ured; but when done by sworn officers
f the law, holding Offices of trust and
'onor, it becomes crying shame, a great
eproach and an almost irreparable injury
0 the communities electing such UNIV worthy
ervants.
1t is true that the ignorance of these
fiicials may palliate the offenses shown
0 us TO havo heen committed. but when
comes to their advisers, aiders and I
bettors, whom we understand are men,
ersAf the bar OF the territory, attorneys
worn to obey the laws and advise moth
lg unlawful or dishonest, to whom the
,norant people look for advice and good
nd honest counsel, we are compelled to
ssert that we consider such actions as
imply damnable and outrageous. The
pectacle of supposed reputable lawyers
dvislng men to disobey the lawful and
sgal orders Of the courts; the spectacle 6
such lawyers applying to three ignorant
nd vicious justices of the peace to over
lle decision of an associate justice of
ne supreme court of New Mexico and to
how the effrontery and disregard for law r
nd right displayed by them, is one which ).
l our estimation is not only wholly
in the extreme, but of great
etriment and injury to this community
nd to the people. We say to your honor,
pom our oaths, that we earnestly believe
le state of feeling in this district requires
le strong and emphatic language we
ave used in this report.
In conclusion we beg leave to thank
our honor, the U. s. district attorney,
le U. s. marshal, the clerk of the court
nd the employees generally for courteous
nd kind treatment, for advice requested
nd given and for aid in our labors.
With much respect, your honor's obe-
lent servant, JULIAN PRovENCIo,
Foreman.