The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-10-18

Tn secret and behind closed doors. It was a star chamber proceeding, where the enemies of the state could work for my conviction undiscovered
 They called it The High Court of Impeachment but history will call 1t tMurphy's High Court of Infamy.' The trial was human sha1nbles; libel on law; a, fragrant abuse of con stitutiona1 rights; a disgrace to our civilization, and the verdict over turned the safeguards of liberty and the precedents of three centuries. The judgment will not stand the test of time. The future historian will do me justice, and posterity will reverse the findings of the court.
 Higher Court Than NTurphy's.
 'HThere is a higher court than Mur- phy's-the court of public opinion. appeal from Murphy's court of poIita- cal passion, to the caIner Judgment of the future and the sober reflection of public opinion.
 When I declined to obey the 'or- ders' of the boss about patronage; when I refused to call off Hennessy and prevent further investigations of graft; and finally, when I set in mo- ton the wheels of the machinery of the courts to bring the criminals to justice and to stop the footing of the state, then, and not until then, did
 Gr. Murphy threaten me with degra- dation, and with removal from office. From that day to this all that money all that power, all that influence can has been done. It is long story, bur 1t will all come out sooner or later.
 "Mr, Murphy and the special inter ests, which I antagonized, have won temporary victory, but the fight for reform and for honest government will go on. The farce of my trial will have a good effect in the end. It has opened the eyes of the people to the graft of millions of dollars annually and 1t will hasten the adoption of the initiative and the referendum; bring about the recall of public officials, In c1uding judges and judicial decisions, and write upon the statute books oth- law, so that the voters instead of the bosses, will nominate as well as elect all officials to public office.
 Power To Control
 tfTne people now know that the pow CT to nominate public officials is the power to control these public officials; and that we cannot have honest gov .ernnlent in the state of New York until the voters nominate and control all rMblic officials.
 ..As the governor I have been hon est and faithful to my trust Nosin- fuence could control me in the per. formance of my duty, but tn. 7dic- tates of my conscience. I hav0 lost my office, but I have kept my self-re- l spect. I would rather lose the goy- 1 ernorshjp than lose my soul; and no 1 governor can serve God and Nam l mon the state and the special in.e ests; the public and the boss; the yisi- l b1e and the invisible government.
 Let us indulge the hope that my | loss of the governorship will be the 1 peoples gain. Misfortunes are often 1 Blessings in disguise. If my undoIng l farN7 Eerate boss shall be the humble means of forever destroying fbossisra. in tt,e state of New York, shall be 1 content and feel that I have not strug- l gied ;n vain for better things.
 When the court determined to ex- c1sde the evidence Of MT. Hennessy | and tE1x1s prevented my establishing | facts which would sdiscredit tna .testi- l lnony Of MT. Peck and show his mo l tive for telling an untrdth, which | would also disclose what has been dis covered in the way of crime and cor | rupt1on in the various departments of | the state government and which were largely the inducing causes in bring + to prevent further disclosures and I I became satisfied that | it was useless to present myself as a | witness, because the defense that I I could make, which considered my | best and most efficient means of clear
 
 to be told by me in. court.
 Wanted To Testify.
 eLet me say here that wanted to take the witness stand in my own to tell the story of my troubles with the boss and to deny the Peck fabrication; the ab- surd story of Allan Ryan; and to ex- plain the Morgenthau testimony. But was finally persuaded not to do so by those who have in view the real welfare of the 4state;7 and because under the rulings of the court refus- ing to accept the testimony of MT. Hennessy and other witnesses in my behalf it was apparent that my story of the reasons Murphy ordered my impeachment would also be ruled out as incompetent and inadnissible; and was further advised that as no ev1- Hence against me had been adduced of swilfuI and corrupt misconduct in office that therefore had committed no impeacha b1e offense. as the gover- nor of the state; and hence could not. on the evidence before the court, be legally or justly removed from of ice.
 sHThose familiar with the facts can testify that Peck lied about me to save his job; that Morganthau was fooled by the clever ruse of an un- scrupulous enemy; and that Allan Ry- an was in Albany several days under the tute1age of astute counsel to aid the prosecution at the psychological in any way desired.
 Suffice it to say that Allan Ryan came to see me; did not go to see him. and. I never asked him, or any other man, to request Senator Root and Delaney NicoH to see MT. Barnes 3r MT Murphy or any one else for that matter, to do aught for me re- rardfng the trial. These matters were afterthoughts of the prosecution to in- lure my cause with the public and prejudice my case with the court.
 Another thing every dollar given me- which [ deposited to my personal account was subsequently turned over oy me to the committee in my office or to an agent of MT. Murphy or to he state committee. The truth about