The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-06-28
THE COUNTY SEAT TROUBLE IN BUT
LER COUNTY.
An Augusta View of it.

W. zip tuO iOIIOWIHS version OIL
the county-seat difficulties in Butler
county from the Augusta Republi-
can of June goth:
Two of the board of county COM
missioners, influenced by prejudice,
and controlled by EIdorado influ-
ences, in violation of law and of
their official oaths, refuse to can
vass the vote officially de-
clare the result. 1t is true
they were enioined temporarily
from doing their work, but last
Monday the petition of two or three
citizens of EIdorado for an iniunc-
ton was denied and there being no
legal obstacles in the way, it was
then and there their duty to cam
vas the vote. One of the commits
sioners, Mr.. Wilkie, was ready and
willing to do his duty in the matter.
but he could not act alone. Some
of the law-abiding citizens of But-
Ter county numbering less than one
hundred visited Eldorado last Moh-
day, as they had right to do, to
watch the proceedings of the Off
GERS of the law, and if their actl on
warranted it, they proposed to
move the archives, records and
property of the county to this CITY
free of expense to the county. They
proposed to commit no violence,
to injure no man, either in his per-
| son or as to his property. Some of
them were armed, and the follow
ing extracts from the Walnut VAL
ley Times will show why they were
armed. We will state in advance
that no responsible parties in this
vicinity have made any statements
in referance to the removal of the
county property that could be tor
tured into violation of law. They
always proposed to keep The law on
their side and will do so in future
unless convinced that their rights
are in jeopardy and that they cannot
obtain justice from the officers and
men whose business it is to execute
the law. No resort to force except
in self-defense has been contem-
| plated by the citizens of Augusta
SO far as we know. The follow
ing are the extracts referred to:
"Better accept the services OF soul
insurance agent before you attempt
anything rash"
"Some people imagine the county
seat of Butler to be at Augusta. They
will wait till Eldorado says so."
"Certain parties have made state
ments that they will take the county
property away from Eldorado by force
If necessary. We will say from gen
eral information that should the thing
be attempted some of them will come
but oncc.n
augusta folks want Eldorado to
come and abide with them. They had
better import the requisite number of
'.ten good souls" from some quarter, or
they may follow the example of two
cities of historic renown:"
Not only have these threats ap-
peared in print, butrepeated threats
have come from other sources.
Honest citizens have been sneered
at and insulted on the streets of FL
dorado while in the pursuit of their
Legitimate business because they ex-
ercised a freeman's privilege and
voted for Augusta for the county
seat. All the trouble there is now
or may hereafter arise in this ooun-
ty on this county-seat question.
comes from the simple fact that Ell
dorado refuses to submit to the pop
ular willS The better class of her
citizens are willing to abide bv the
verdict of the people, but the "ring"
there is bound to rule OR ruin not
only their own town but if posi-
Bile the county. Judge Campbell's
decision ON the question before him
was undoubtedly according to law.
In fact our best lawyers and some
of the district judges in this State
declare that there is no legal au-
thority, according TO our present
statutes, to enjoin the board of
county commissioners from canvas
ing the vote after an election has
been held. If the citizens of Edo
RADIO felt aggrieved at the result,
there were other legal remedies
that were proper and to which they
could have resorted. But the case
is now out of the hands of inter-
ested porties. Eldorado appealed
from the righteous decision of
Judge Campbell to the supreme
court of the State and before that
impartial tribunal will the case now
be tried.
But here again will EIdorado have
va oNA anu W III uuOOuDLcQlY
put her threat of keeping the
county-seat for two years yet, into
execution, if possible. BY appeal
ing from the decision referred to
she becomes the plaintiff in the
suit and can push or retard the
trial as she chooses. By retarding
the trial and placing still further
obstacles in the way she hopes to
exhaust the resources of her oppo-
nents. and if a favorable opportu.
nifty arrives, secure another vote
upon the question. Before that
time arrives, however, the patience
OF the people of Butler county NAV
be exhausted, and means may be re-
sorted to which will forever oblit-
crate her future prospects. We do
not counsel violence or any qnlaW-
full measures, but the fact we wish
to impress upon the mind is simply
this, that the will of the people is |
law. and that in.this country major
tiles must and shall govern.
In conclusion we desire to state |
that as far as we have been able to |
ascertain, the law is on our side, |
and though the result may be de-
layed, it will nevertheless come in |
due time.