Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-06-09
g'l.|aA
Letter from Washington.

Army movements aoest of A,kansas--Th he Wash-
 ington National Assoaation-hs present naa
 nagenaent-Hoa0 it obtained poeoer-Hs great
 promises and aaeir non, n,jt4yfAment-As secrecy
 --Recantation cf he Secretary-- Action ,of " Knoa0 Nttings-The Mayor ''qtter sonaebo-
 dy'-Foreign appointnaents- Declensionc cf Maj.
 B. McCulloch -Land Wa,1ants.
 From General Order, No. 6, of the General in-chief of the U. S. Army, 1 gather the fol- lowing facts, relative to the movement Of the troops west of Arkansas. Fort Gibson will be abandoned without unnecessary delay. The quarter-master's department will take charge of the public property. Should 1t be deemed necessary to have temporarily small guard at the post, the commanding officer at Fort Smith will detach such guard on the appl- cation of the quarter master in charge of the property. Of the four companies of the 7th Infantry, now on the Arkansas, two will con- sttute the garrison at Fort Smith, one will take post at Ft. Washita and the fourth at Ft. Arbuckle. The designation of the companies will be made by the officer in command of the ltSliHtlIG lo tlIH6, dhO lOutG Ol IiIC movement will be also prescribed by that of fcer. The head quarters of the 7th Infantry will be established at Fort Smith. The junior Major will take post at Ft. Washita.
 may also mention that Capt. Montgomery, long and favorably known in Arkansas, has been ordered to take charge of the quarter masters office at Fort Smith, and left several weeks since for that place. Besides the Cap tain being the courteous and urbane gentleman and gallant officer, and W hom to know is to admire, he is a true democrat in the full sense of the term, and the democrats of Fort Smith will be considerable gathers by his accession to \ their ranks.
 The affairs of the Washington national mo- nument association is now claiming the atten- ton of the public mind and history of the manner in which the acting board of managers got possession and have acted, may not prove uunterestng to your numerous readers.
 The affairs of the association are controlled by a board of managers, elected by its mem- bers, each person upon subscribing one dollar becoming member and entitled to vote for members of the board In February, 1855, one year previous to the time prescribed by the constitution for the election of the board, an election was held by the secretary of the a~so- citation for a new board, when some four hun dred votes were received, as the secretary sad upon certificates of membership then but re- gently issued, and for which it is aledged not one dollar was paid into the treasury. Up to that time the board had been selected irre,pec tive of party, and consisted of men of standing in the community and country. The conf, dence reposcd in them had not been misplaced or abused and the monument under their ma nagement was progressing rapidly as the finances of the association would permit. Not word of complaint had been raised agair t the management of the board, and a key to this Know Nothing movement is found u the fact that Congress. upon the memorial of the board from its confidence iu its worth was about af proPriaung by joint resolution S2OOOOO to De paid to them to prosecute the work. IL was to get their fingers into this nice little sum, but their action defeated the appropriation.
 h 1854 Know Nottingham sprang into ex- stence, and as that party claimed all the pa trlotism not to say worth n the land, it's leaders went to work to get control of the monument aifAirs-aud to them, most important item, its funls-and succeeded iu inducing the clerk Of the board, who was of their party, to publish in the city press notice of the election of anew board, being as before stated one year in -ad- vance of the time prescribed by the constitu- ton. As such notice deemed altogether as innovati n, without color of authority, the then existing board took no notice of it, be- lieyuE at tho time, as they held possession and would only be legally displaced by the iunova- tors, il at all, were willing to let the matter rest with the courts But the Know Moth ngs, with their four hundred new voters, upou certificates of membership issued in violation of the constitution of the association, as 1t ls charged not one dollar having been paid into the treasury for them, held an election and formed board belonging exclusively 10 thrj' party, and selected men regardless of their standing iii society, their capabillty to adminis ter the atlArs of the association, and in some instances lacking the confidence of the public but, they all belonged to the secret order--t great acs.deratum a, the innovators and corma- rants who assisted in the outrage professed to believe
 When this self-styled board was elected, the legal board having possession, which being nine points of the law" placed the interlopers in difficult position. As possession, and inn mediate possession was their sole ain-thc ol! board feeling secure in their rights gave them notice that in order to have the courts settle the difficulty and decide which party was le- gally the board, they would at once, after due public notice. proceed 10 sell at public vendue some of the property belonging to the associa- lion, which by legal process they could re- strain them from doing; thus bringing the ques- ton before the tribunals of the country and they would be satisfied with, and willing to abide their decision. But the new board, well knowing the untenable position occupied by them, did not accept of this fair and just pto- position, and suffered the property to be sold without any action. But in few days a motev crowd of intense Americans'' went to the monument grounds, busted those in charge and placed in possession the appointees of the new board
 The constitution provides for the election of the board of managers at the annual election in February, and this board by their subsequent action admitted that they had usurped power. At the annual meeting in February, 1856, without giving notice in the public press as re quircd by the constitution, member rose from his seat and stated as their election seemed to be questioned he would suggest that an clec- tion be held then, which was accordingly