The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1893-03-23
Judge Nugent, the Able Jur-
ist, on Bribery.
The Investigation Should
be Thorough.

Ada county grand jury, Judge
Nugent dwells at some length and
with able elequence on the charge of
bribery and corruption brought
against the late legislature. We
print below two extracts from the
judges charges, which are sufficient
to give it's general drift:
''If, therefore, these
charges have any foundation in fact,
it is matter of regret that these
generally understood conditions were
not properly appreciated while the
legislture was in session, and the
real or supposed offenders, together
with the necessary witnesses, were
within the county, But the APPALLING
charge has been made that the last
Legislative assembly, the very heart of
the boy polite, without whose healthy
action all else falls to hopeless ruin,
was to greater or less extent corrupt;
that men, dead to every sentiment
save the sorbid one Of gain, dealt
this deadly blow to honest govern
ment, and now laugh to scorn the
threatened penalties of the law.
"This charge, coming as it does
from the highest official source and
given to the world as it has been in
the most public manner that could
have been selected, demands immedi.
ate and exhaustive investigation.
cit is the crime of crimes, besides
which of all others of a private nature
sinks into insignificance, since they
are miraculous of individual rights
and their effects are in the mair
confined to the actors in them. Sucl
charges, if true bid us declare ou
actions whether the principles upol
which this republic rests, while il
practice fully adapted to its early be
ginnings-those days of simple man
ners, modest longings, and heroi
deeds-are utterly incapable Of re
sisting the corrupting influence o
wealth, and the unholy ambitions o
those who would mount to power up
on the ruins of the coutry.
s'In word, is it true or falls
that the innate depravity of man rer
ders him incapable of any prolonge
| effort in the direction of populs
government.
cit is such and like outrages upo
the rights of the people strewn thickl
: as they have been over the past thiT
of a centuy that are bringing us wit
rapid strides face to face with IL
issue of national life or death. Und'
e the influence of these charges soci
J. political differences are dissolved; ii
o. dividing walls of parties are levele
Q to the dust and one and all we star
opon the broad common level
IL American freemen.
n "Divesting yourselves, therefor
!. of all personal likes and dislike
70 of all social and political ties, yt
will rise to the gravity of the sit
alton; you will calmly and impartial
!, examine all accessible legal eviden
and never abandon the task uni
N the truth is reached, for this is one
II those supreme moments when, to bo
row the sentiment, the country e
ID poets evry man to do his duty.
'It is among the possibi
ties that these charges may rest on
- firmer foundation than political sea
dals, and it is also possible that
As found sufficiently well grounded
e, call for a critical examination, 70
Of investigation will have to take
g. wider range than is at present CO
60 templated In the interest, thel
~ fore, of both time and economy,
suggest that it might be better
t. look into the matter first in genel
re way, and then give the preference
NO minute examination to such cases
~ are palpably the most gross violatio
" of the law, and in which the eyider
ea is Immediately attainable.
II. "The law of bribery extends
in beyond what the average legisla'
has apparently the most remote 81
picion of, and hence there is in c
yo sense distinction in point OF mo
ier turpitude between those unconscic
nd violations of the law and those VIII
every man of common sense rec
ed nizes at once crime
ad 'In conclusion, | give you
usual injunctions to examine e'
e? case, seriously entertained, exhau
lively; hear both sides whenever pr
n ticable and only find an indictm
a when, in the language of the statu
sh all the evidence before you, raken
, a gether, would, in your judgme
warrant conviction by trial iur