The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1871-10-05

of his Adjutant General large sums
of money from citizens while under
arrest, and without a judgement of
any court of competent jurisdiction;
and under the same arbitrary power,
martial law was declared in Walker
county, and there, under like ma.
chinery, gathered other large sums
of money from the people, and in
addition thereto, incarcerated afree>
man, of the State of Texas, in the
penitentiary; and all this in time
of profound peace, when there was
no rebellion, no invasion, when the
public safety was not threatened,
and when the civil officers in the re-
spectiVe counties, were fully able to
execute all process and to arrest all
violaters of the law: And again, In
the county of Bastrop, martial law
was time and again threatened, and
held in terrorism over the people
thereof, with intent to force the
Grand Jury of said county to indict,
by false indictments, the good peo>
pie thereof, and thus forge reputa-
ton for that people of being a law
less and criminal people.
These things have grown into his
tory, and are now recognized, anthem
tic occurrences of the tines.
Is. The Executive is now enforc-
ing the execution Of repealed law,
and thereby greatly increasing the
taxes demanded of the people, and
gaining the possession and control of
an enormous sum of money, the dis
tribution whereof is subject to his
will in connection with those about
him, who hold position by his ap-
pointment, and whose terms of Office
depend on his pleasure.
I. .....
1. The act entitled Gan act to
organize and maintain a system of
public free schools in the State of
Texas" claws of 1871, p. 59) was
presented to the Governor for his sp-
proval on the 18th of April, 1871.
Senate Journal, p. 748.
2. In the absence of approval, the
bill so presented would become a
law in five days, if not vetoed. Con-
stitution section %, General Pros
visions.
8. The bill so presented was not
approved nor was it vetoed; so on
the 18th of April, 1871, it became a
law.
4. The fifth section of said act
provides that "The directors of each
school district shall have the au~
thority to levy tax of not exceed
ing one per cent, for..the purpose of
building school houses and main
tanning schools in their respective
districts"
1. The act entitled can act to
give effect to the several provisions
Of the Constitution concerning taxes"
flaws 1871, p. 56,) was presented
to the Governor for his approval on
the Goth day of April, 1871. Sem
ate Journal, p. BAT.
2. Said bill was approved the
22d day of April and from that day
became law, five days after the
act first named had become law IN
der section XIV of the Constitution
before cited.
g.. The eighth section of the last
act named, provides that ga direct
adj valorem tax for the year 1871
of one-fourth the amount of the. di>
rect ad vaIorem State tax on all real
property situate and all personal
property owned in each school dis
trict in this State" K *(eholl be levied
and collected) "to provide the nee
essary school houses in each district,
and insure the education of all the
scholastic inhabitants of the several
districts"
4. The thirty-second section of this
act repeats "all laws and parts of
laws in conflict Herewith, except
such as authorize special county tax
es, and other special taxes"
5. Section five of the first law, and
section eight of the last law, are in
conflict, or at least the one supplies
the other, both being intended to
raise fund, by taxation, for one
and the same identical purpose.
6. The repeating clause repeats
section five of the act first named,
and thereby reduced taxation for
school house purposes from one per
cent. to eighth of one per cent.
But Notwithstanding the record
shows the foregoing facts, yet the
Governor appended his approval to
the law first named on the Oath day
of April 1871, seven days after it
had become law, and thus, of his
own will, sought to change the dates
of laws, and to give them force and in
reversed order, and by his sigma
ture, to revive a law which had been
repealed.
This repealed law is now being en-
forced, and under its provisions a
tax of seven-eighths of one per cent.
on all the property in the State of
Texas, real or personal, sought to be
collected.
II. Thepeople have been disarmed
throughout the State, notwithstand-
ing their Constitutional rights to
keep and bear arms. Constitution,
section Is, article 1. Laws of
1871, p rs.
The police and State guard are
armed, and lord it over the land,
while the citizen dare not, under
heavy pains and penalties, bear arms
to defend himself, unless he has
reasonable grounds for fearing an
unlawful attack on his person, and