The Arkansas banner., 1846-03-11

piration of the term for which Col. Ashley is elected. If he has any other cause of complaint against me, am ignorant of it.
 The charge preferred against me, by Gov Yell, of dedication to the State, has been so long and so often before the public, in one shape and another, that 1t must be pretty fa- miliar to most of the reading part of the community. But, as many of the present citizens of Arkansas may not be acquainted with the circumstances under which 1t is made, 1t becomes necessary for me to ex- plain it so that all may understand 1t; and, in doing so, shall be as brief as its impor- tance to me, at east) will admit.
 In making this explanation, it becomes necessary for me to go back to our election eering campaign in 1886. was the then publisher and responsible editor of the Ar kansas State Gazette. The Convention that formed our State Constitution, sat in Jan. of that year. Previous to that time, all our elections had been decided on local or per- sonal grounds. Many of our citizens had taken sides and felt an interest in the polti- cal conflicts in the States-but, we were a dependency of the General Government, and, having no vote in the councils of the nation, the greater portion of our citizens took but little interest in National Politics, but con- tented themselves with consolidating the good wiH of the powers at Washington City, and thereby effecting, through the untlring zeal of our then Delegate, Col. SEVER, all the good that we could for our Territory. An important election was to come off in that p,rp ,DJ IuJra were expected to be candidates for the Presi- dency It was we'll known that Gen. JACK soN's popularity exceeded that of any other man in Arkansas, and it was equally we'll known that Judge WHITE (who was the Whig candidate) possessed great popularity among the Tennesseeans and Alabamians, who composed large portion of the then population of Arkansas. Mr. VAN BUREN, the Democratic candidate, and the firm friend of Gen. Jackson, had good many friends and admirers in Arkansas, but he was com paratively but little known among the mass of the people, and 1t was feared, in the early part of the contest, that 1t would be impos- sible to secure for him the vote of Arkansas. l consulted, during the Convention, with sev- ersS of the leading members and other gen. tlemen from different parts ol the then Ter ritory, as to the propriety of drawing the party lines of Democrat and Whig, in our then approaching elections under our State Governments but, notwithstanding those consulted with, were friends of Mir. Van Bu ren, and anxious for his election, such were their doubts as to the result that every one of them advised me against making the ques- tlon, and gave as a reason, the immense pop ularity of Judge White, who, they thought, would carry the Stale. if the question was raised. differed with them all, as to the policy, though, must confess, l felt great doubt as to the result. told them that was in favor of making the question, and fighting the battle manfully-,hat was cer- tain that we should be defeated, if we did not-and that if we got beat, we would at least have the consolation of knowing that we fell fighting like men for Democratic principles. Some of the gentlemen, with whom l consulted, will doubtless recolect what have here stated.
 Every one of those consulted with, be- lieve, on the subject, advised me against the course suggested by me. But, my determin- ation was taken, and was willing to abide the consequences. Only few weeks rolled around, when Mir. PIKE, who was then the Editor of the .sArkansas Advocate" threw down the gauntlet, and It was eagerly taken up by me-and then, for the first time, were parfp lines drawn in Arkansas. Then, for the first time, were candidates announced as Democrats or Whigs, and elected as such. | hsII T | [ a distinguished member of the Democratic party in this State, immediately after the con test opened, chding me severely for my im- prudence in prematurely' thrustlng the ques- ton upon the people, and predicting our cer- tain defeat. But was nothing daunted. l had put my hand 10 the plow, and, feeble though 1t be, was not in the habit of look ing back. My paper had an extensive circu- lalion, and was untiring in my exer,ions to disseminate the principles of democracy into every nook and corner of the State Only a short time elapsed ere letters came pouring Tn upon me from every quarter, approving my course, and every day brought me new evidences that the policy which had adopt ed, of presenting the question fairly before the people, was the only correct one to lead us to triumph. And we did triumph Glo- riously triumphed The whgs were com pletely dumb-foundered at the result, and the most sanguine democrat in our ranks was astonished at the overwhelming majorites on ticket received.
 At that election Gov. YELL was chosen the first Representative in Congress from Arkansas, (the first time he ever held office directly from hte people of this State-the previous offices which he had held being under commissions from the President ol the U. S.,) and Gov Conway was elected to the Gubernatorial chair-both by large ma jorities.. Whether Gov. Y ELL considers him. self indebted to me for any portion of his success, leave him to say. In the Legisla- ture, our majority was, think, some 3 or 4 to over the whigs,-thus securing to the democratic party the two U. s. Senators and all our State officers. If any man had pre- dicted this result a twelye-month before, he would have been pronounced mad.
 Our first Legislature under the State Go- vernment met in September, 1886. The Treasurer under the Territorial Government | f. 1