Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1894-07-27
| LETTER TO CLEVELAND
Declare Prosecution Of A. L. U. Lead.
ers an Outrage methods Adopted
to Crush the Spirit Of Free and
Independent Workingmen.

A mass meeting of sympathlzers with
Debs and his fellow officers of the A. r.
U. now in the county Jail, was held at
Ogden's Grove, Chicago, last Friday
night. About $500 enthusiastic persons
turned out and cheered every mention of
the names of the 'myrtyrs."
Richard Powers Of the Seamen's Union,
was president of the gathering.
The following address to the President
OF the United States was read and adopt
ed and then the crowd cheered for fully
five minutes at such good piece of work
performed. The address is as follows:
s'To Hon. Grover Cleveland, President
of the United States: We, the people Of
Chicago. in mass meeting assembled, rep
resentatives of every vocation, enter our
protest against the palpable purpose of
Federal officers in this district to subor
dnate the functions Of their Office to the
wishes of the Pullman Palace Car Com
pany, the railway corporations now seek
ing to destroy the organization of trades
in this city. We submit that improper
persons are engaged in the prosecution
of r. Y. Debs and his associates. Edwin
Walker is the retained attorney of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul rail-
way. His engagement as representa-
i've of the United States government was
needless Of the law requiring impartial
prosecution, and his presence in the grand
jury room during the hearing of the con-
spiracy case was, as you must know, in
direct violation of the letter and the
spirit Of the law, and without parallel in
the history Of the United States courts.
The character of Judge Woods is
thoroughly understood from his career
in Indiana, and especially his conduct
regarding an election in which you had
a personal interest. 1t is well known
that Judge Grosscup was placed upon
the bench at the request and solicitation
of George NJ. Pullman, as return for
the latJers contribution to the campaign
fund Of your predecessor in office. and
| Allo Ghl oiSA SNoaOh Ah pioSSSSaius,o W WAiCh
Mr.. Pullman is a party is in direct con-
travention Of every canon of honesty and
decency. The character of Judge Seaman
as corporation lawyer and corporation
Judge Woods or Judge Grosscup.
We desire to point out that Mr.. Debs.
Mr.. Howard, Mr.. Keliher and Mr.. Rogers
have been placed under unusual bonds
and subject to unusual penalties by
means OF processes unknown to the Con.
stitution of the United States and in
direct violation of the Fundamental prin.
cipies Of justice chat every citizen shall
be entitled to a trial by u jury of his
peers when accused of offenses agains,
the law. 1t is proposed to punish these
men at the instignation of corporations
without trial by jury, merely on hearing
by court corrupted by arrogation with
the vicious methods Of the railway cor
porations of Chicago. They are IN Jail
! for the alleged violation Of an injunction
directed against an offense for which
punishment is provided under the statute.
They have been already indicted for the
same alleged offense. The more recent
proceedings Of Judge Seamans court
make them liable to two punshments for
one offense. There was never a more
vital usurpalon Of authority.
1t is determined effort of banded
capital to break the spirit of organized
workingmen in Chicago. A packed grand
| jury, guided by = disreputab]e railway
| lawyer, brought in a procured indict-
ment against American citizens whose
corporate greed. We are aware that you
have no power nor inclination to inter-
| fere with the functions of the United
States courts, but we are also aware that
those tyranlcal proceedings just inaugu-
rated were taken by the special prose-
cutting officers of the government, and as
American citizens we demand that the
executive officers shall withdraw coun-
,, that government by injunction which
Thomas Jefferson characteriZes as one Of
the greatest menaces to freedom in this
republic. Weask fair trial by fair
Jury for Debs and the others, and we
demand that the prosecution shall te
conducted by the United States uf Am
erica and not by the tools of interested
corporations. We offered to you to save
the government from the outrage to Its
justice and the danger to its ability in
volved in its appearance in concerted
movement to cruise the workingmen of
America.
These resolutions were prepared by
Com mitteemen A. r. Adair, T. |. Kidd.
Samuel Jones, w. c. Pomerey and NJ.
Y. BritZius,-Inter-Oc