Shelby County, TX
Petition 1847

Transcribed from holdings in TX State Archives
Submitted by: (PThomp9719@aol.com)
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Republic of Texas
County of Shelby

To the Hon. the fifth annual Congress of the Republic.  We the undersigned,
your humble petitioners, would beg leave respectfully to present to your Hon.
body .  That whereas they consider the intention and spirit of this
Government to be truly Republican.  And that in this humble opinion such is
not the case when every function of such self willed created system is not
efficiently operated upon perforce the will of the people enmass or
respectively as the case may require. And that no latent power should remain
dormant and and more fully to carry out the design of such government.  We
your humble petitioners pray to be awarded by your Hon. body the privilege of
electing our chief justice as we do other officers or at least should be of
our own citation direct.  Hoping to hereby  to do away the evil consequences
Resulting from unpopular appointments of Congress which sometimes may be
achieved by party prowess or by the sinister motives of those who might deter
as ever a majority of the public.  But which we humbly judge not so likely to
be the case where the pretentions and merits of Respective aspirants are
canvassed for months by the people, amongst whom they reside.
And again to impose the sovreignty of the legitimate power of a Republican
Government and exalt the majesty therof.  We would Respectfully submit to
your consideration the expediency of thought of trials by jury in the Chief
Justice's court of our County believing thereby we would more fully verify
the true meaning of our declaration of independence & constitution.
(page2)
Holding as we do that any infringement thereof savors of anarchy and is more
or less pernicious to the weal (sic - wealth?) and prosperity of our free
institutions and does not comport with their true intent and meaning.  We the
undersigned your humble petioners therfore pray your Hon. body to Reinstate
us in the right of trial by jury in the Chief Justice's Courts of our County.
 Believing thereby that justice will be more appropriately and speedily
administered and leave fewer causes for writs, pleas, etc.  And as in duly
bound we will ever pray & c(word illegible).     5th Oct AD 1847

1    Lyman GUERNSEY		        15   J. N. WILLIAMS
2    H. L. HYDE			        16   Ambrose HENDERSON
3    John P. RHODES			17   James SIMONS   
4    Samuel SPROWLS			18   Thomas SIMPSON
5    Stephen G. PITTS			19   William SIMPSON
6    William VAN			20   (illegible - different ink 
                                              used here & below )
7    Thomas CROW		        21   S____? HARRIS
8    Stephen ELLIS		      	22   ?  FAR
9    Nathan DAVIS			23   (illegible)
10  John BARALIN			24   (illegible)
11  Harrison DAVIS			25   (illegible)
12  John D. SPAIN			26   (illegible)
13  James B. LUTT			27   ______m B____?(illegible)
14  Wm. Carrole SYPERT		        28   ?   ____IN ? (illegible)
14  Bryant HUMPREYS			29   J____  F?  WHITE
   ( #14 is listed twice)		30   John   (illegible)
				        31   G_____   (illegible)

(page 3)
32   Thos. P. McKEE			57   Jonas HARRISON
33   W. H. DUNN				58   William M. HEWITT
34   W. A. G. ? McKEE			59   George W. HANKS
35   H. E. DUNN ??		        60   William YARBOROW
36   W. C. JOHNSON			61   Elkanah SAMFORD
37   (illegible)			62   George SAMFORD
38   (illegible)			63   John T. SAMFORD
39   John HIGGINS		      	64   Wm. L. (D.?) SAMFORD
40   ____? ECTOR			65   Even SAMFORD   
41   J. PROCTOR				66   Elijah SAMFORD
42   A. P.? HOW				67   Wm. SAMFORD
43   William   ____?  Sr.?		68   Ezekial WEAVER
44   (illegible)			69   Joel SNIDER
45   Saml. C. HIG____ON?		70   Simon SAMFORD
46   ?. L.   _ IFF ___? (illegible)	71   Ezekial BEAM
47   ___ ?  MIL____LER? (illegible)	72   Nicholas EDGAR
48  Hill BRANDON			73   Joseph MASON
49   James IRWIN			74   J. M. BRADLEY	
50   W. M. BRANDON			75   Jas. CUNNINGHAM
51   William ELGIN			76   Wm. TODD
52   ?  WILLIAMS  ?        		77   Thos. L. WILSHIRE
53   ____ ?  H____? (illegible)		78   J. F. HEATH
54   Achbld. CAMPBELL			79   P. C. HAWKINS
55   Thos. McCLENNELL			80   Saml. P. POUNS?
56   Calvin McCLENNELL			81   Benj. P. PORTER
					82   L. H. ASHCROFT
				 	83   Wm. G. EDGAR
					84   Varner LOUT
					85   Danl. M. EDGAR
 					86   R. R. WIGGINS
					87   Thos. BOYDEN
					88   Jas. A. PARKER
					89   Benj. PARKER

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