Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-01-13
A REPUBLICAN SPEAKS.
Caustic Criticism on EX-GOv. Princes
Interviews Touching the Frank
Chavez Assassination.
To the Editor of the New Mexican.

To the Editor of the New Mexican.
Santa Fe, Jan. l3.-My attention hat
been called to the Albuquerque Citizen'l
report of an interview with ex-Gov
Prince concerning the killing OF Hipolite
Vigil.
am astonished at the purport of the
governors remarks, as there given. If he
said what he is declared to have said, he
has taken his impressions from clique OF
prejudiced politicians, and has entirely
misunderstood the sentiment of the best
men of beth parties in Santa Fe.
voted for Abraham Lincoln, and am q
Republican, so far as my agreement with
the great moral and political principles
that characterized that party in former
times, aud still characterize itin some parta
of our land, can entitle me to be so-called
I know many of the best citizens OF
Santa Fe whose political derivation and
character are like my own. On their be-
half, as we'll as on my own, wish to make
plain to Gov. Prince and to the public
that we have no sympathy with thugs and
assassins of either party. We dislike them
more cordially if they profess to belong
to the party of which we are members
than if they are found in the other party.
The black sheep of our own flock cause
Us deepest distress. We have no appro-
baton to give to any Republican leader
yphn ahon fn onn1nrivn for ont.
laws of any party, or to condemn Sheriff
Cunningham and his posse for vigorous
and successful performance of duty.
So far from being indignant at the
sheriff's employment of men who can
shoot straight, and who are not afraid to
shoot when the execution of the law re-
quires the use of firearms, we should
consider him fool should he do other
wise.
The time has come in this community
when the opinion of all the leaders of
both parties, if that opinion gives aid and
comfort to the lawless, does not equal q
feathers weight to influence the really
good men of either party. We condemn,
in toto, the lawless and murderous acts
of the base members of both parties; and
if leaders of either party shall try to de-
fend outlaws and murderers, and to
weaken the arms of efficient officers of
the law, we unhesitatingly condemn such
leaders. 1t is time this should be under
stood. l speak for scores of men who
will be trihed with no longer by poll
ticians of any party or any degree.
Enough blood has been shed by cow
ardly assasslns. If life is to be taken in
the future let it be taken legally and
justly. ...
In conclusion, I wish to distinctly say
that express no opinion whatever as to
the innocence or guilt of the men who
have been arrested and imprisoned for
the murder of Frank Chavez. In the eye
of the law they are innocent until proved
guilty. Let justice fall to the plummet.
If any political party or leaders suffer
from the result, they ought to suffer.
Trains of cars do not exist for their
own sake. Engineers do not run them
for their own pleasure or emolument. As
little do parties or party leaders exist for
the benefit of their own machinery or
managers. If they do not serve the best
interests of the public and promote
purity and patriotism and secure faithful
execution of the laws, they are worthless.
. If good, they must be good for some
thing else than their own ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
When they are not good for anything else
they court humiliation.
GEO. G. SMITH.