The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-09-19
VAN ZANDTS RECORDS
The Status OF the Case from n Wills
Point stand Point and the Equl-
Ties from u canton Point
OF View.
Order Regns at Both Localities, With a
Gllmmer Of Hope that Matters will be
ACoOmmodated-The Military Fir.
Ing on the Cream Of the Land,

AT $40 yesterday morning the
Stonewall Greys took the Texas and
Pacific train east at the foot OF Lamar
street, and few minutes afterwards
the Lamars boarded the coach near
their armony, Three hours speeding
brought the boys IN grey NJ Wills
Point the objective military point,
where the questionable result of an
election changing the county seat OF
Van Handt county he'd evantuated In
wars alarum. The militia was receiv-
ed with what that consideration and
ostentation that belongs by right to
those who tread the shadowy, rugged
path Of public safety, light only by
the star Of chivalry. The welcome
was spoken in betting periods by
Major Kirby, and replied to in long,
flowing sentences by Colonel II, q.
Bower, commanding, who empha-
sized the aim ana purpose OF the
troops. They came, though clad in
modern panoply, to enforce the law,
preserve the peace and prevent the
shedding of precious blood. lie knew
no section OF the c1unty--the troops
only the citizens OF Van Iandt as "A
unit.
Mingling with the people, the re.
porter of THE HERALD found them
restless over night of anxious watch
ing, but disposed to sustain the au-
thorities in preserving the archives
of the county ut all hazards,
and willing. in the Interest of public
peace, to remand the question Mt issue
back to vote OF the people, though
satisfied that legally the question had
been finally passed upon by the com.
missioners and district court. BUSH
ness was almost totally suspended,
the farmer staying away "for cause"
The situation can best be explained by
heutterancas of thefrlends of both par
ties we which give as given to our repor-
ter, disclaiming all bias in the matter
and leaving the reader to made his
own deductions.
STATUS OF THE CASE FROM A WILLS
POINT OF VIEW.
On April last majority of the legal
voters of Van Zandt county petitioned
the property authority to order an
election for the purpose of taking the
sense of the people on the question Of
removing the county seat from the
town Of Canton to the town of Wills
Point. An election was ordered, held
on the 10th of May and returns made
to G. NJ. Raines, county judge. The
judge for alleged iuformalities in the
the return, refused to count the votes
| OF certain precincts and declared that
Wills Point, having received the re.
quired two-third vote, was the legal
county seat OF Van Zandt, and Issued
his certificate to this effect. There
upon protest was filed by the friends
of Canton with the clerk of the county
and within thirty days thereafter the
result as announced by the county
Judge was contested in the county
commissioners court, in ich the des
cision of the county judge was affirm
ed and the county records ordered to
be carried from Canton to Wills Point.
An appeal was taken from this judg
ment to the district court, pending
which the records were removed to
Wills Point. In the district court,
Judge II. NJ. Bonner, presiding,
held want Of both appellate
and original Jurisdiction In this,
that under one separate depart
ments Of government, the courts,
having neither expressed or I'M
piled power, cannot take cognizance
of strictly political questions that
contested election cases being
political in their character, pertains to
the legislature rather than the Judicial
department, and that the county CONS
missioner court being quasi>leg isla-
tive body, representing the county, Is
the appropriate tribunal to determine
such questions. Upon these decisions
the friends of Wills Point base their
claims, and are determined, at all
hazards. to back the constitutional au
thorities in retaining the records there
| until legally removed.
THE SITUATION FROM A CANTON POINT
OF VIEW.
En- PEASANT, the Csntonites include
not only the citizens Of the old county
seat. fourteen miles distant from
wills Point, but the entire people II
the central, southern aud southeastern
norton of the county. These hole
that the county seat can only he locat
al by the sovereign power Of the PEG
nile, that It was so located by the peo
ple. and has never removed by thai
power; that Canton being within
! five miles of the geographical center
of the county, under the law pertain
ing to the removal of county seats,
requires the two-thiri vote Of VA
zapdt to remove the seat to VIII
:. Point; that at the election held 10 Ma
:. the proposition for removing was dc
:, feated. but by the throwing out Q
two Of the strongest boxes opposed