Arizona silver belt., 1897-07-01
THE GAZETTE'S vApORING.

sach thing violates Dunbar's sense of propriety, and he gives vent to his in- jured feelings and cavorts around like trick mule in a circus. Like the aforementioned mule, John is an 'amusin' cuss," end as to tricks he can give the mule points. It may be that Dunbar is covertly poking tun at the governor by investing him with infalh- bility, an attribute which heretofore has been recognized as belonging to the Pope alone. There are good and sufficient grounds for the belief that Dunbar in this instance seeks to bird lime the governor, for did he not only few weeks ago severely criticise him and accuse Franklin of conspiring to defeat the confirmation of Colonel McCord?
 But aside from every consideration save relevancy, Gila county's grand jury report is timely and merited protest against fragrant abuse, and the case is so fully covered and well stated in that report as to disarm criti. cism and carry conviction to every i'm partial mind.
 There was time, during the admin istration of President John Adams, when the alien and sedition laws made it crime to criticise the government, either house of congress or the presi- dent, but so obnoxious were those laws to the people and so opposed to the spirit of the constitution. that they aggravated the alleged evils which they were intended to correct, and they were responsible for the overthrow oi the Federalist party. The most memorable case that arose under the sedition law was the prosecu. tion of Matthew Lyons, member oi congress, for letter published in the Vermont Journal, criticising Presiden, Adams administration. Lyons, al. though convicted and imprisoned, became a hero in the eyes oi the people, and while serving his sentence in jail was reelected to congress. The sedition law expired by limitation within three years of the date of its enactment and no attempt was made to revive it. The right of the people to criticise the acts of officials will never again be denied in the United States let us hope.
 Certainly there is no subject O! greater concern or more pertinent for a grand Jury to discuss than the ad- ministration of the penal affhirs of the territory. While county matters, and especially alleged infractions of the law, may more intimately engage the attention of grand jury, yet the coun- ties as integral parts of the territory are closely identified with its interests, and what is material to the territory concerns every county and every citi- zen in every county.
 As usual, the Gazette is talking through its hat It is customary in 
 grand jury investigations to hear only testimony against the accused, but in Governor Franklin's case the grand jury showed great magnanimity in that his own record of his acts. in which his reasons are stated in justification, was the only testimony considered, and upon that record the governor was rightly censured.
 In giving expression to their views on so important question, the grand jury was not actuated by any personal animus against Governor Franklin. Some of his predecessors were equally if not more to blame than our present executive, for it might be claimed for him that he was following an estab. lished precedent, although g very bad one, which ho should have renounced. The protest is against specific abuse of en executive prerogative and is ( warning to future governors as muct as It is criticism of Franklin and hIs predecessors. There is no justification or excuse for pardoning criminals tc restore their citizenship. Such 6 violent interpretation of the pardonina power was never contemplated in law, and the Gila county grand jury in con. demning this pernicious practice has vindicated the law and rendered q great service to the people of the ter. ritory.
 SENATORS OPPOSE M'CORD.