Arizona silver belt., 1889-10-05
A MATTER FOR CONstBERafIoN.

In the last issue of the BELT we made mention of the action of joint meeting of the Republican and Demo- cratic central committees of Marieepa county wherein they request Boards of Supervisors of the several counties to provide fer holding an election for delegates to Territorial convention, for the purpose "of framing form of a State constitution" and referred to the acts of the Legislative Assembly governing the same. Now that Mari copa's supervisors have fallen into the trap set by those political committees, and have pledged themselves that on the lst Monday of October, 1889, "m regular session" in the city of Phenix twill then and there appoint inSpec- tors and judges of election, and take such other steps as may be necessary and expedient to hold such election and carry out the spirit and intent of the law passed and approved as afore- said"
 So far as we are informed, the supervisors have only indicated that 'Barkus IS willing, and have not ren. dered themselves personally liable under chapter 2, section 3l, Revised Statutes, which renders "eyery officer, including each supervisor who shall draw an unauthorized warrant, claim or demand upon any county treasury in this Territory, contrary to, or with out the authority of law, shall be lia- ble to the county on his official bond, personally, and for the amount thus directly paid out. or disbursed on such warrant, clam or demand, and the same may be recovered by an &C., tion agalnst the person, or persons, so liable therefor, jointly or severally. It shall be the duty of the District Attorney of the county to see that suit IS brought in the proper cases for the enforcement of the provisions of this section, The vote of each supervisor upon every question, order or matter acted on by them shall be recorded in the minutes of the board
 The rule of law is, that the tune, place and manner of holding a general election being fixed by law, the cleo tors may, and indeed must, take notice thereof, and as to such electors the statutory requirement et public notice by proclamation or otherwise, may be regarded as directory only. But it has been frequently held that statute requiring the Governor to issue his proclamation calling a special election IS a mandatory law and an essential prerequisite to such an election Such helng the case it behooyes supervisors to withhold their consent to an appro- priation and disbursement of county money for the purpose of giving effect to the request of Marieopa's political junto, for the reason, if no other, that the proposed election for delegates is speclal and not general, and, therefore, if otherwise legal, wanting the Gov. ernor's authority, it would be anuilitY.
 Supervisors of Cochse county have refused to cooperate with Maricopa eonvenhonists for the purpose of elect ing delegates to frame a form of a State constitution for Arizona.
 In refutation of the report current that the Apache county supervisors would comply with the request of the Maricopa conference to call an cleo tion, the St. Johns Herald says; 1t is the general sentiment of the people of Apache that they will not send dele gates to constitutional convention, unless they are forced to do so. We do not believe that outside of Marico- pa county, any more joint conventions will be held"
 The Journal Miner states that no official action has yet been taken by the Board of Supervisors of Yavapai county in regard to a constitutional convention, and Chairman Behan is opposed to taking any action in the matter.