The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-09

Following is the message sent to
| the legislature Yesterday by Cover.
nor H0gg on the Paris affair in lull:
ExrCU IvE oFFrF. |
AUSTIN, Tex Feb. g. lS9. J
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Repre-
sGntdtives:
1t becomes my painful duty to en-
| phaslze To you the necess ty Of taking
some steps 10 prevent mob Violence III
| Texas. rhe recent terrible holocaust
at Paris Is but an illustration to what
extent the mob spirit Will go when
the laws are inadequate to check it.
| While the vicrIm OF that affair wa
guilty of ali atrOciOus, barbarOus
crime, appalling to contemplate, for
which he was certain of full punish
ment under the constitution and laws
Of our state, civilization stands as a
helpless witness to the most revolving
execution of the age, in which large
numbers of citizens openly, in broad
day, publicly became purderers by
methods shameful TO humanity.
Brushing away sentiment, which
should never acc 'mpany punishment
for or me, the public murder commit
ted at Paris is a Disgrace to this STATE.
Its atrOcity, iDhumauity and sicken
ing effect upon the people at large
cannot be Obscured by reference 10
the savage act 0f the cul prit himself
in brulally taking the lite of an in0o-
cent child. For his deed the death
penalty awaited him under the Law.
rhe imputatiun that he co I'D not
have been legally executed in any
court in this state is q SANDER upon
the integrity of every citizen. To co..
tend that his executiOners, who pub.
licly murdered him, can either he in
dicted or tried in the county where
that crime was committed is pre-
tenseand mOckery, So the condition
exists in our state that, while one man
may be convicted for murder, a hun.
dred men who publicly commit muir.
d9r cOnnot be. The laws, therefore,
without further legislation, may he
held in defiance in any community
where the forces are strong enough
to Overawe the local officers and let
aide the legal machinery of justice
Our constitution is not so hide-bOund
that this condition NUT continue. 1t
is in the power of the legislature to
adopt suitable measures to
either prevent mob law, or to bring to
all murderous execution.
era. No combination of men should
ever hs so strong in any government
~ to successfully override the law
They should never he so numerous as
to make 1t impossible to bring then,
to trial for their crime in the proper
court.
The constitution provids that in all
for u felony the accused |
hall have a sp edy public trial by an
impartial jury on Indictment duly |
onnd; that he shall have the right to |
demand the nature and cause of the
accusation against him. and have
'opy thereof; that he shall not he |
to give evidence az ainst
that he shall have tho right
If being heard by counsel; that he
shall he confronted by the witnesses
against hi n, and shall have compul-
'orv process for obtaining witnesses
n his favor, and that no cruel or I'M
usual punishment shall he inflicted on
any eli izen OF this statefor crime.
Mob0cracy overri'es all these guar
antees. II was donein this Paris case.
II has been done in many Others
where the victims were innocent of
'rime. So it bids fair TO continue
The question presents itself: Are the
people willing to submit to this ? ri
they are, they should have the conr-
lge, the manhood, the Justice and the
patriotism to repeal the hill of rights,
and permit each lncsl community to
dispose of all real or sup.
posed offenders.
This late execution at Paris is rot
tht only one that has been performed
by mob in that county Within the
past twelve months; for within that
period three other men were hanged
to death in that neighborhood, who
had committed no crimes. Their
presence in the community was of.
fensive or perhaps mPnaCing to the
pleasure and eQuanimitv of the hand
ot murderers who took their lives.
There have beeI other instances in
this state where innocent men
have been executed by mobs.
and no puniahments Therefor have
heen possible. The condition has
grown TO his. that if enough mon in a
choose to DEFY the whole
law, they can go on in their nafarious
executions ut will. The action at