San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-01
An Open Letter.
SAN ANTONIO, August LIST, is

/ Jan hNlONlOs mug uSb 4Sp' ApVA'
To His Excellency, the Governor of the
| State OF Texas, Austin, Texas:
Dear Sir:-When the subaltern author
| lies OF a county abuse the power
| they hold, tramlping upon rights
which the laws give to man and the
citizen; W hen the tyranny of these of
| fcers reach degree that sutfocates pat
| riotism and cOrruptS public morality;
| when such degree of perversity and dis
order is reached; there is no other
| recourse left but to appeal to superior
authorities, so that they. in the legitimate
use of their power, may apply remedy
to such great wrong.
These considerations, your eXcellency,
compel me to beg of you to concede me a
moment OF your attention in order to show
you how many abuses are committed in
this city and how individual rights are
trampled upon.
to mix in the political affairs of country
which gives me hospitality; but as mem
Der of the society in which / live and also
as public writer / can and
must denounce the arbitrariness
and bad acts which are committed.
Believing then that | am not mistaken
in my views, have the honor of placing
before you the following:
On the 9th of last month there were
two affidavitS sworn out for the arrest of
two Mexican editors, Miguel Gonzales
Dena and the undersigned. On the follow
ing day at 20 minutes past in the even
ing an officer came to my house and
showed me the warrant for my arrest on
the charge of using oprObriouS language
against Ascension LoZanO. He showed
me also bond of 500 asking me if |
could get anyone to sign it. I told him
yes, but he would not admit any of the
persons which | named, notwithstand-
ing that they were all honest
people and hold property in this city. |
Offeredito deposit the 500, and this was
neither allowed me. | was conducted to
the county Jail and locked in a cell. After
remaining there some time | was taken
out and placed in another department.
On the following day, and in the presence
of the Justice of the peace, Anton Adam,
my accuser could not prove his accus-
alton, and | was given my liberty, after
having suffered twenty-four hours of in
generation.
Why were my individual rights
trampled upon in this manner? Why
was placed in jail like great criminal?
| suspect 1t was to obtain mean revenge.
As public writer, aud in more than one
occ aston have always told the tyrant
the truth | have exposed through the
press the abuses committed by the au-
thorities. have said and | sustain it,
that in this city, public immortality has
reached its greatest development. Gamb-
ling houses are tolerated where the I'M
wary are robbed with rouletts, rafles
monte, etc. When election times comes,
votes are bought with American money,
and glasses of beer American citizens
are forged with the same facility with
which the confectioner makes his ice
cream, and ignorant Mexicans are cor
rallied, like flock of sheep and taken out
next day in small herds to go and vote
telling them beforehand the person they
are to vote for.
In the name of the honest Mexicans
who live in this city, l protest against the
degradation which our race is subjected
to, and formally denounce before you
the other abuses which l have already
enumerated, expecting from your perfect
honesty and patriotism, that you apply
the remedy to these wrongs. | declare,
upon my word of honor and the faith of
gentleman. that l do not act through
malice in all have said, and that it is the
truth.
Wishing you all kinds of Joy and good
tact in the discharge of your government,
have the honor to subscribe myself as
Your most obedient servant,
PAULINE MARTINEZ