San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-21
CONFUSED COMMISSIONERS.

CONFUSED COMMISSIONERS.
At some period, not noted In the le-
gal? instrument duly certified to by Judge
wurzbach and Clerk Smith, the several
wards OF this city were divided. accord
ing the will and pleasure of the COM
missioner's court, into voting precincts,
Out Of the eight wards 10 this city six
teen election predicts we're constructed
and the action duty certified to as
follows:
THE STATE OF TEXAS.
COUNTY OF BExAR.
&c. l.. WURzBACH, county judge OF
Bexar county, hereby certify that the
above and foregoing contains the bound
aries of the county commissioners, JUS
tice and election precincts Of Bexar
cOunty-(sixty -one in number. being
four commissioners, eight justice and
forty-nine election precincts) as revised.
altered, laid out and established, with
the voting places selected in each pre-
cinct; and the presiding officer appoint
ed by the commissioner court OF Bexar
county, as will more fully appear by
reference to the minutes OF said COM
missiOners' court. g. l.. WURZBACH,
Presiding Judge Commissioners
Court, of Bexar county, Texas.
Attest:
THAD. w. SMITH,
County Clerk, Be1ar county.
There is nothing in the instrument
cetified to In the foregoing to show how,
when or where this action was taken.
1t is certain that it could not have been
of 30 early date as August %, 1875,
because at that time there was no fifth.
sixth, seventh or eighth ward in che city
of San Antonio. 1t is equally certain
that the act of the commissioners was
contrary to law, and therefore invalid
rs conflicting with article 1864 Of the
general statutes. entitled election laws,
and which became such law by enact
ment OF the fifteenth Legislature, August
%, 1876, which article says:
In each incorporated city, town or
village, each ward shall constitute an
election precinct.
For what purpose these wards in the
city Of San Antonio were thus divided
contrary to law, the LIGHT has no means
of knowing. 1t may have been to tacil-
tate election processes, permit a greater
number Of persons to vote at once, ex-
pedite the returns by securing a more
rapid count of the votes cast, and by
such other methods as would naturally
follow the division of the city into
smaller precincts. 1t may have been,
however, for the purpose Of increasing
the number Of election judges,
clerks, and such officials as draw
pay on those momentous occasions when
the citizen exercises his prerogative as
a sovereign. No doubt by this means
the number Of hangers on would be null
tiplied and those who have axes to grind
might command one more arm to do the
circular work.
Whatever the reason, the division of
this city according to the instrument set
forth, without date, by the Judge and
clerk of the commissioners court is man.
ifestly illegal, and as the Bexar county
executive committee of the republican
party is called to meet tomorrow even.
ing, the LIGHT most respectfully submits
that it would be we'll for them to have
regard for the unrepealed statute of 1876
and frame their acts in accordance there.
with. There are some legal gentlemen
upon that committee and the matter is
relegated to them with the suggestion
that the difficulty be laid before the
county court thst they may take action
to barmonize the precinct divisions o.
this city with the statute in that case
made and provided.
The Bastrop Advertiser scents libe
upon the good people OF Texas in thu
utterances of the LIGHT anent the Whar
ton county outrages, and delivers itsel
| fOlInwe.