The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1871-08-31

vent that free expression or to prevent any
voter from giving his support or advocacy 10
careful way to the candidate of his choice.
2. That we regard the circular order OF
Governor Davis, issued on August IA, 1871,
so far as it prohibits peaceable citizens from
assembling together and from standing
| quietly in the neighborhood of the polls,
without interfering with any one, and watch
ing their servants discharge their duties ana
conduct their election, as ill>advised, illegal
and we'll calculated to irritate the voters,
and that efforts under that order to drive
peaceable citizens from the polls, who are in
terfering with nobody and violating no law,
will most certainly tend to breach OF the
peace, and to deter persons from voting, and
prevent a free, fair and peacesble election,
and any officer seizing such peaceable citizen
will do so without authority CT law, and such
officer will be liable to indictment for false
Imprisonment, and an action for damages.
3. That the first clause of the said circular
ordering all persons not residing at the
county seat "to return to their homes and
usual employments with the least pos IDLE
delay after depositing their votes" they re-
gard as an insult to the common sense OF
the people of Texas, as they are well aware
that there is no law in this State interfering
with their right of peaceable locomotion
about the streets and public places OF the
county either before or after they have voted,
and they feel deeply mortified and Inundated
that an order exhibiting such Ignorance,
shall have emanated from the Executive
Office of this State.
4. That the Taxpayers Convention, when
it assemblies on the 22d Of September, be re-
quested also to take into consideration this
election order and memorabilia the Legisla-
ture for its annulment ia the particulars
above referred to, and also 20 request that the
| election law be so amended as to provide a
mode by which each voter may recognize his
ballot which he sees it again, by having the
said ballot properly numbered and identified;
and also for the preservation for at least
twelve months after the election of the orig
inal ballots cast so that they can be inspected
judicislly, if necessary, in any future criminal
or civil proceeding or contested election; and
also to provide for the repeal of those silly
and wicked provisions of sections 2lst, 22d
and 35th of the election law, by which, under
pretense of riots or breach of the peace, the
returning officer has it in his sole, absolute
power 10 exclude all the votes polled in the
whole country, and the courts are absolutely
prohibited from forcing him to do his duty in
this respect.
| .. 1uhl 5dlu ClICuldE OEuO- anu ouSh
wicked and mischievous provisions and sus-
picious omissions in the election law as are
above referred to, seem to indicate a settled
purpose to corrupt and misuse the ballot
box in the coming election; we Their efore
urge all good citizens to vote peacesbly and
to prevent no man from voting, but at the
same time to observe closely every violation
of the law, with a view to indicting and
publishing the guilty parties under the en-
| forcement and Ku-Klux acts of Congress an
the amendments to said acts.
6. That we disapprove and condemn the
circular of the Chief of Police of August /,
1871, calling into service for twenty-iour
days, twenty special policemen in every
county at the rate of So er day, as oppres-
sive and insulting to our people, and above
all as placing upon our already over burthen-
ed shoulder, the additional sum of at least
$4,000.
7. That the Secretary of this meeting be
requested to furnish to our Senators and
Representatives copy Of these resolutions,
with the request to present them to the Leg
islature.
Major c. S. West, chairman of
the committee, then proceeded to dis
cuss and urge the adoption of the
resolutions; he also dissected para~
graph by paragraph, Governor Davis
election circular, and also the circu-
lar of the Chief of Police, providing
for calling into service special police
men in every county. He then dis
cussed that provision of the election
law that prevented the judges from
putting a mark oa the ballots (sec.
19) together with sections 81 and
35, that give the returning officer the
power to exclude the vote of the
county on the ground of a pretended
riot; and the clause prohibiting the
courts from issuing any remedial
writ to compel the officer to do his
duty, and coupling with these the
Governors order prohibiting the
people from assembling for twenty
or thirty days before the election,
and driving the country people out Of
town Immediately after they have
voted, and the order of the chief Of
police, detailing special extra police
men for duty, as indicating deep
laid conspiracy and predetermina-
ton, either to carry the election by
fraud, and by scratching and alter.
ing the ballots, or else by means Of
his order with the assistance of the
police, to create riots and distur-
Dances, and then refuse to count the
vote. In conclusion Major West said
cit is high time, fellowscitizens
that all of us, native and foreign
white and black, were looking intC
this question. This is a matter tina
alike concerns US all. Let US SCI
where we are drifting. The Bibl'
Gays ga tree is known by its fruits.
Is it possible that the fruit of all on
struggles for the last four or fv,
years, is, that we have lost the powe
of free locomotion, that the Cover
nor can order the country people GU
of town, and dispense them with hi
police if they don't go? Is it pos
{ sible that power has passed from tn
people, and that the Governor cal
forbid you from assembling together
and proclaim silence foreign through
out the State of Texas, for the spac
, of ten or twenty days? If, then
the Governor has the power to orde
you from the county seat, if he ha
the power to keep you from tn
: neighborhood of the polls after 20
have voted, if he can prohibit 20
, from assembling together, and ca
, empower policemen to dispense 20
, on the judgment of the policemen
{ and without warrant, then 1 say
| we have lost the power of self-goy
I eminent, we have been robbed of il
for we could not part with the right
! if we would, being part of our man
, hood, we are slaves in every sense {
the word, and the Government tina
can forbid free locomotion, free as
: sembling, free speech and free ballo
9 is an unmitigated despOtism, an