The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-23

off, the governor said that the suprem-
acy of the law would be maintained.
His excellency was indignant at the
dispatch from Fort Worth appearing
in the Express of yesterday, wherein
blame was put upon him for ordering
the state troops to Fort Worth, there
by causing it to appear Jawless and
disorderly city. In answer the gov
ernor stated that the troops
were not ordered there until
Courtrlght's escape, when he
considered it expedient that they
should be sent there. it being evident
that numbers of adherents and SYM
pathizers of the escaped man were dis
posed to defy the law, as was evidenc-
ed by the manner of Cartwright's es-
cape.
A letter from Attorney General
Tsmpleton to the county attorney of
Jones county embodies some import
ant facts in regard to qualifications for
voters, and correctS some very gener-
ally entertained errors on the same
subject. 1t is as follows:
AUSTIN, October 81, 1888.
James F. Cunningham, Esq, County
Attorney, Jones county, Texas.
SIR:-No one can, under our consti-
tuition and laws, vote for either state
district, county or precinct officers ex-
cept in the election precinct of his
actual residence,
First-For state officers a residence
of twelve months in the state is re-
quired, and bona fide residence in the
election precinct where the applicant
desires to vote. 1t makes no differ
ence of how short duration the resid
ence in such election precinct may
have been provided, only that it is
actual and bona fide. From the above
it will be preceived that mere transi
ents will have no right to vote in
Jones county If they have a residence
elsewhere, even If they have been
citizens of the state for twelve
months.
2. For district officers Congress.
ional, judicial or legislative) a resi-
dence of IL months in the state is re-
quired, and bona fida residence OF
no matter how short duration in the
election precinct where the applicant
desires to vote, and IN addition there.
to, residence of six months in the
district. Thus q former resident OF
Taylor county may have moved from
said county into Jones county only 8
few weeks OF days preceding the cleo.
zion and have the right to vote in
Jones for state and district officers
See constitution, art. 6, sec. 3, and q
S. VS.. Slater, 4th Woods Gu. S. Cir. CT
Rep) 1856. I will add that this was
also the construction of my immedi
ate predecessor in this office.
3. For county and precinct officers
a residence of II months in the state
and 6 months in the county is requir
ed. In this case also the voter mus
vote only in the election precinct
where he actually resides.
In regard TO the right of transient
cowboys who have been in the state
for IL months and in Jones county
for six months to vote in Jones coun
ty for county and precinct officers,
have to say that they can clearly vote
there for all .officers-presidential
state, district, county and precinct-ii
they have no other place they claim
as their homes.
/ will add that wish it distinctly
understood that the impression pre-,
vailing in many places that this Office
has heretofore advised, either before
or since I become encouragement
that residence Of IL months in the
state would, under the present consti
tuition, entitle a citizen to vote fol
state officers wherever he might hap
pen to be on election day is wholly
incorrect and unsupported by the of
fetal records of the Office, and at the
risk of being Pathological l again ex-
pressly say that neither state, district
county nor precinct officers can bt
voted for except in the election pre-
cinct wherein the proposed elector ha!
his actual bona fide residence.
Respectfully,
JNo. d. TEMPLETON,
Atty.-Gsn.