The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-09-19
October Eleeaon-Inportan. information.

October Eleehon-hnportant Information.
We call the attention of the people of
those Counties that have not completed
their organization, TO the following facts:
There are many Counties in the Territory
where the Judges, County Commissioners
and Sheriffs have refused TO act. and
there Is but one legal way in which they
can avail themselves of their right, which
IN bEef Is pointed out in this article.
And as IN those Counties there NAV he
mlsappreheasion with regard to what
omcerS are to be elected on that day. we
call the attention of the people in those
Counties to this subject.
Whatever Counties fail to vote on that
day and elect their county officers. must
walt until after the meeting of the Legis-
lats,re before they can have such ofncers.
as there Is no way provided at present for
hlllng the vacancies which exist.
! Those of you, therefore, who are with
out law and are desirous of legal protec
ton, and to have it at home in your own
Counties, and administered with the least
! possible expense, should carefully attend
to your own affairs, and not to the advice
OF disorganizers, whose whole object is
to keep you under their own control by
mob violence.
/ The first Territorial Legislature appoint
ed the following officers in the different
Counties in the Territory, and at the same
time provided that at the October election
in 1857, the same should be elected by
the people, viz: One Sheriff: One County
Treasurer; One Judge of Probate; Two
County Commissioners. These last three
officers together constitute the County
tribunal for County purposes; and the
Judge of Probate holds court which is a
court of record, and has original exclusive
jurisdiction in all matters relating to wills,
letters of administration on estates, ap-
pointing guardians, &c. This court has
also jurisdiction on bonds, notes, &c where
the demand, exclusive of interest, does
not exceed one thousand dollars, and an
open account or unsettled demands to the |
amount of five hundred dollars.
The Judge is authorized to administer I
oaths--take acknowledgment ofdeeds, &C., |
and holds four regular terms annually, on /
the first Monday in March, June, Sep
tember and December, for the purpose of
attending to the estates of deceased per-
sons, and the court shall be deemed at
all times to be open.
There are also to be elected in each
municipal township, two Justices of the
Peace, except in such townships as have
an Incorporated city within their limits,
in which case they are entitled to four
Justices of the Peace
As there are some Counties which have
no officers in them, and are completely
without law, and as there are no provi-
sions at present whereby the vacancies
can be filled until the next meeting of the
Legislature, unless they should be elected
in October next; and as there seems to be
some difficulty in arriving at knowledge
of the proper course to be pursued. whefel
there are no officers in the Counties to in |
form the people of the necessary steps to
be taken in order to secure to themselves
the benefit of the legal provisions already
in existence for self-governmeDt, we sub
join the following directions:
First ascertain at..what place the Legis-
lature located the County Seat, which is
by law an election precinct, for where the
officers have been driven off, refused to
serve, or resigned without successors be-
ing appointed by the County tribunal,
there can be no other precincts established
by law, and the whole county must vote
at that precinct.
In such cases there can be no officers
appointed to hold the election. and the
people by law are authorized to elect their |
own judges, who must take the election |
oath, if possible, before proper officer. |
which, in this case, must be Notary pub |
lic as all the officers which can admins
ter an oath are the judges of Probate or
the justices of the peace, and the latter
being now by law appointed by the
county tribunal, cannot have an existence
where there has been no such tribunal.
The Notaries public are appointed by
the Governor, and upon proper recon-
mendation, we have no doubt he will APP
point suitable persons to be on hand on
the day of election to administer oaths;
SO that all the legal forms may be COM
pied with.
And as there can be no election in the
different townships for justices of the
peace, where there are no election pre-
cincts in the seperate townships,-have a
seperate box for Justice of the peace for
each township, and let the citizens of each
township vote for justice of the peace of
their several townships separately.
If the above directions are complied
with, there can be complete county or
ganization in each township and county in
October by the people themselves, and
the administration of justice and the hap
piness and comfort of the people thereby
prompted.
In fact it viii be the Inauguration of /
self-government in Kansas Territory.-I
National Democrat.