Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-07-28
From Desha County. Redfork, Deslla O.. July %. 1858.

Reifork, Desha O.. July 22, 1858. MR. EDITOR:
 Dear &r-Friday last our community was witness to "pas de armis," between the rlval candidates for legislative honors in this county. The day was bright and cheery, and right loyousiy dd our soverneigns flock to the city of Redfork on that bright morning, since madame rumOr had said that in addition to feast of reason," they should be regaled with 1 "tow of soul" in the shape of a rich repast 10 be spread by our hospitable host and hostess of the Redfork hotel. Early in the day our town filled to overfowing with the yeomanry of the country, and soon many stomach seemed to be ditto, with Stones best with ice in it. On the evening before our talented candidate I p Johnson, esq, had made bia appearance in our midst ln not very good plight, but mrorahle ped and blue mass pill had made Richard himself again. Early next morning the old war horse, Judge John Patterson, was seen champlng his bit and tramping the ground as Ii eager for the race
 At about II o'clock the crowd and speakers retired to shady grove near by, where Judge Patterson opened the ball by informing his fel- low-citzens that he had been brought up to manhood an uneducated child of nature. and although he had not been born with silver spoon ln his mouth as his opponent had, yet he was dlmmcrat which we presumed was to act as panacca. cover all defects, and make hlm competent legislator, for the intelligent people of Desha county. He then in sort of from "piller to post" way attempted to tell us what he was in favor of, and what he was not in favor of, and what he had been in favor of when he first entered this canvass. and had changed his opinion upon, after consulting with the people and finding he was wrong. And af. ter analyz'ng his heterogeneous mass of an hours speech, we came to the conclusion that the Judges principles consisted in opposition to the Johnson family, because one was run- ming against himself. Opposition to conven. tons when they didn't nominate him, and put ting another spoke in Burrows wheel. for what God and himself only knows. He declared himself in favor of Col Ferguson in preference
 
 to Judge Fletcher, which announcement as sure you, fell flat upon the auditory nerves of hedfork audience. At the expiration of his hour rJ udse Patterson closed, assuring his friends that he was dimmicrat, and of course be ex. pected them to support him. cannot give better commentary upon the udges effort than oy glvlng response of good old farmer sit tlng Tn the audience, his head dropped down. pretty well filled with ice with whisky in it. When the Jndge reiterated that he was an mn. educated child of nature, the old man raised his head and exclaimed, "that's fact. God knows"
 After the Judge concluded. Mir. Johnson took the stand amid the hearty cheers of h's many friends, his previous effort at this place having raised the expectations of his au- dlence. Every mind was fully satisfied that it would be regaled with feast of reason and right well did Mr. Johnson realize their b;ob- est expectations. He commenced by laying down h's platform of principles by which he should be governed, in the event of his election as representative, most of which have given you before. He then took up ud ge P,s course m this canvass and while representative of this county Tn the last legislature. He proved from the record that while the Judge professed to be Tn favor of reforms he had voted to increase his own pay while member of the last leos. lature, not only robbing the treasury of money. but clearly violating the constitution of his State, which he had sworn to support. That while he was opposed to the Johnson family and himself, for fear they or he was in some way identified with the bank and bank interests, that he had, in his seat in the legislature. vo- ted in favor of remodelling the constitution in order to give the people the right to bank aa hbitum That while he professed to be a Ievee man, he had quietly folded his arms when the ievee fund was diverted from this district bv the last legislature; not even crving"me too, when the talented member from Chicot. seeing the affect of the diversion of the levee fund introduced bill to establish a levee tax in that county He admitted that the Judge had pro- Ven himself levee man in one instance. That was when he promised to pay the levee con- tractor ten thousand dollars to leave the line of the levee and run around two valuable sections of land belonging to himself they being left out ny the engineers survey, but that as the Judge failed to pay even that he didn't know whe ther he was levee man or not. Mir. Johnson then closed, stating that an hours time was not sufficient for him to show up the Judges incon- sistencies, and give fair exposition of his own political and local views. Both gentlemen re. bonded in ten minutes speech Judge P much in the same style. Mir. J. in burst of elo- quence electrilying his audience, and holding speli-bound ears capable of approaching rhetoric and logic.
 Mine host, w. A. S,mple esq, then an- nounced dinner in waiting, and the vast crowd was soon rapidly moving to the time of two- forty in the direction of roast beef and b ,iled potatoes. When we arrived we found table groanlng under the weight of barbacued meats and delicious vegetables, prepared in manner dong infinite credit to the culinary reputation of mine host and his excellent and amiable lady. and in quantities, belieing the withered appear ance aud blasted reputation of our overhowed district. The desert department under the ex- elusive control of Mrs. S., did infinite credit to her already acquired reputation as a hostess, and friend Sample was always on hand with bumper of cool cistern water to wash it down. The dinner and day passed off pleasantly, eve- ry body was filled to satietv with oood thnos all were satisfied, no jars, no discord. all went merry as marriage bell,' and every body shout ing hurra for Johnson.
 After dinner, and a touch at Stones, MT. Clay mounted the stand, made sensible speech announcing himself as candidate for State Senator from this district, but as we were all Fletcher men, and had full stomachs we took but little interest, and so closed the day.
 CHILL O