The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-03-03
ence by the governor in the local ad
ministration of justice

|
and we need go no further back than
only few days since when trial
took place right under the shadow OF
the capitol, which resulted in the ac-
quittal of the defendant when public
expectation believed the result would
be different. | have no comment to
make asto the guilt or innocence OF
the defendant so acquitted. l assume
he was innocent, for he is entitled to
that presumption from the verdict OF
the Jury which tried him. But the
point desire to illustrate is that this
case had been worked up under the
supervision of the executive himself,
and that no effort was withheld by
the great and overshadoWing power
of the state to secure conviction
and yet the state was disappointed,
and the prisoner went free. Possibly
under any state of circumstances the
result might have been the same; but
the peculiar circumstances attending
this prosecution are calculated, to ad-
monish tie thoughtful citizen to pause
and reflect whether or not an UNI
due interference by the executive
in the local administration of
Justice is not frequently liable to be
misconstrued by the people and re-
sented by them as fragrant invasion
of their rights. The criminal laws of
this state have been administered
with more severity and more exact
ness for the past fifteen years than
perhaps is true of any other state. In
deed during the fearful cutlery of the
press as to the execution of the laws
in 1876 when 1 held position in your
state government which enabled me
to be conversant with the criminal
statistics of your state, took the trou-
BILE to gather those statistics from
every county for the purpose of insti-
tuting comparison as to the vigilant
execution of the laws between Texas
and her sister states, and found that
the comparison, even with Republican
Massachusetts, was most favorable to
Texas. Certainly there has been
NO SUBSEQUENT LAXITY
! in our administration, and each sue
ceeding governor and each succeeding
, Judge has preserved the record estab.
lished in that year. Crime is pun
ished here with certainty in vast
majority of instances, and the annual
influx into your penitentiaries fur
: nishes proof evident of the fact. This
inflexibility in the administration o.
, Justice to our criminal classes is due tC
, the people themselves and not to the
officers, for the latter are powerless
when tue former see fit to ignore the
law. L mention these things for two
purposes: first, to demonstrate to the
people how our laws are executed, and
! 70 hour ci1lu thn ont
cry which we occasionally hear as t.
the credit duo this governor OF thaI
q, governor for the execution of the
laws. 1t is hollow pretense, q bag
of wind which the prick Of pin vii
collapse.
4 This constitutes, my fellow
!. citizens, all that 1 have t.
Z say with reference to the present ad
: ministration. 1T may be naturally eX
: pected by you that should say some
Q thing as to what 1 propose doing il
case am elected. And this featur
a can be disposed of with becoming
c brevity. l am not arrogant enough
to think that my election would worl
revolution either in the methods 0
y government or in the prosperity of tn
people. 1 am not bold enough to as
p sert that SO humble an individual a
6 myself can accomplish this or accom-
g plish that as reforms in government
. Your governor is not possessed will
q either the power of making laws or o
: administering them. The public pol
p icy of your state is declared by you
f law makers whom you elect ever.
T two years for that purpose. Wha
e the Twenty-third legislature may d.
+ after you send them TO Austin no Nal
q can foretell. But will say this will
n reference TO myself personally, tina
p whatever of wisdom l may possess
+ whatever of patriotism may inure t
a me, whatever of vigilance / can exeI
i else, whatever of effort can put forth
: will be given solely and honestly TO
9 the best interests of the people of Tex
& as One thing L can promise witt
4 abiding confidence, that I will adher
- strictly and faithfully to the pure, un
=, adulterated principles of honest dem
y ocracy. Imay be an old fogy, bu
q this cannot help, for still believe
g WITH THE OLD FATHERS,
VI Notwithstanding the opposite tenden
Y ment for the people is the least gov
u OlhAIChVs L oUtll eiuHOlO Will dDSOluI
d tenacity to the principle that a ricl
t and powerful government ilevitabl
/ means weak and poverty stricke
y citizenship. still believe, fellow citi
y zens, and believing shall act Away
e on the belief, that government wa
n instituted among us solely for tb
n purpose of protecting us agains
: wrong doing. L can never b
o made to believe that government wa
+ organized for the purpose of enablin,
y one of my fellow citizens to use it TO
If the purpose of taking the substanc
: from another Of my fellow citizens, n
u matter how specious the pretext ma,
u be. L still believe, and shall Away
/ act upon that belief, that no depart
! ment of government can have any lie
C Ultimate concern with the business c
g the people. / still bow at the shrin
: of liberty and venerate the word a
g the snblimest and most comprehen
sive of the language. believe in j
with all the ardor of my nature, an
p that whenever it is stricken dow
\ either by law or the strong arm, tina
\ the blow, though instigated by a
II idaa Of bnnefit RI tho mn hl;o ,,o,,e+ nj