Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-06-10

For the Arkansas Intelligence
A. G.. l..


ry thing like appeal TO sectional Interest," to for
ward the great desire we have to be represented
IN Congress but yet the parasites of power, at
the lnstgaton OF those they serve, cry against US
" sectional feeling" and endeavor to excite the
prejudice OF all other sections of the State agaust
US. Such an unmanly and ungenerous course is
becoming only to the selfish and ambitious and
their unprincipled pensioners.
appealed TO the generosity, magnanimitv, and
justice of the whole democratic party. | endea-
vored to awaken fraterna feeling that lies DOR
mant, yet still exists in our party, but smothered
by few selfish ambitious demagogues, whose
whole standard Of action is self-promoton or
that of their peculiar friends.
Some will eXcaim, the West has had her
share of the Offices and for that reason asprants
at Little Rock may still demand the homage of the
rest of the State. Now, before 90 further, let
me take compa rative view of the shares that the
West and Little Rock have had in the Offices
The :" West,' comprising some sixteen or eigh-
teen counties, have had Governor, a Represen-
:ative IN Congress. and a Supreme Judge. Three
ottlcers! Little Rock, which comprises only
part of one county, has had, since the organiza-
ton of the State Government, 2 U. S. Senators;
Representatives in Congress; Governor 2
Supreme Judges, and tlcO-thirGs of the appoint
mcnts In the army, including the highest. And
that section of the State has had all the Senatators
and Representatives in Congress, Governors and
Supreme Jud ges, except those named above from
the West, and l Governor and l Supreme Judge
from The North. But | do not mention these as
arguments, and merely aude TO them because as.
pIrants in that city, where nearly all the Offices
have been monopolised, are charging it upon the
West that she has had her share. If that charge
be true. then, according TO the rule of three how
much more than their share have the Little Rock
people had ? And under these circumstances.
and their rule of argument, ought not the aspi-
rants at Little Rock to wait until other parts of
the State can in some way catch up.
We do not consider locality 4 test of political
qualification, and we do not wish it to be regarded
proof of disqualification. There are many
here who have long since ceased to think that all
the talent must, of necessity, reside at Little Rock
and they do not feel compelled to look to that
r,iOv UnnCUs IaHu.
| would suggest TO those who accuse our caadi-
date Judge Oldham, who has come out since nv
Iast) of resting his claims upon his sectional po-
sitioD, to refer 10 his address when his name was
before the State Convention. Then. he disclamed
such pretensiOns; and he has never changed his
views. And | would also remind those who wish
to make the canvass upon that point, that the
pretensions of q single individual are very differ
entfrom the wishes of a large region of country.
We, of the West think we have claims to a re-
presentation in Congress; and we ask our breth-
rem throughout the State 10 consider them. We
seek only liberal distribution of representative
power. 1t is upon this principle that our repre-
sentative government is based. Judge Oldham,
as a candidate, is not accountable for the feelings
of the West and if he has qualifications it is but
Justice to one who has served his country and par
ty. that thev should be taken into consideration.
The opposition is not to Judge Oldham. TO
any particular individual in the s. WeSt,' North,
South or East. The whole feeling proceeds from
a preference for certain men against all others.
For long while they have monopolised, and main-
tanned the control of the State by their adrotness
and management and this cry is raised by them
to exclude candidate from the suffrages Of three
divisions of the State who otherwise might be a
formidable competitor to one who has been assign
ed to the seat to which Oldham aspres. They
reside in a central location, and ever watch
full of the times, and play on the political chess
board with expertnes:. When candidate comes
out in the North, to oppose one OF them, they
manage TO bring out one from the West TO check
mate him. and thus throw the game into their own
hands, When the West brings out one, the North
is used to check mate that unruy section.
The hue and cry raised against sectional feel
ing is of recent birh. These same individuals
upon former occasions, have, when II suited their
their interest fancy or It did not conflict with
interest,
meut of the Offices 1t suited them to let the
North have CONWAY, B, on the Supreme Bench;
the South have Jas. Conway as Governor the
East have A. II. Sevier, U. S. Senator the Gen.
tire R. w. Johnsonin Congress, and when there
was danger of A. f. Sewer being beaten for the
Senate, the West was allowed TO have A. Yell for
Governor. And fo- that tavor. received at their
hands. we are remil1ed of an obligation every
time an aspirans taSscs the fied IN ,he West.
But do not look to that quarter for pr9cedeh''
have higher soure in view. If distribution
of the offices is not a principle of common sense,
common usage, and general utility, why DO our
National Conventions apPortion the candidates for
President and Vice President in opposite sections
of the country? Il 1882, Gen.. jackson In the
West and NJ. Van Barren in the East, was the
ticket In 1886, Nn Buren and Johnson were
the nominees. In 10, it was the same. IN a.
Polk of the West ard Dallas the East, was the
ticket, and again we earn that Cass OF the N. L.
and Butler Of the S.W. are our men.
In the selection ofheir cabinets, the Presidents
invariably take the members from different Sec
tions of the Union. And in nearly all the States
U. S. Senators are sIected from different sectiohs'
except when stroE central power IS successful
Look at the contestsin Tennessee and Kentucky
in the last election e Sepators; there we see that
sectional claims wee represented, If not success,
c-u- ,boco f~fS IN show that sectional