The Van Buren press., 1860-07-13
Important Correspondence.
HoS. s. NJ. HAYs-


County have been informed that yon. although OPP
posing the fraud called State Convention while
at Dover aud PricEto that time, lpye, since then.
for the purpose OF securing the nomination fro,h
Crawford County for State Senator abandoned your
former opposition. and endorse the action of !,
convention which you recently pronounced un
fair and outrageous. Not ishing to do YOU inus
tiee and feeling interest in knowing the polii-
cal views OF every man who asks our support for
an important office, respectfully PROFOUND to
you the following interrogatories to which we hope
You viii make direct and categorical answers t.
each, SO that may know your views and not
not vote vote under any mistaken view Of your po
Gtical position.
lst. DO you. or do You not. approve tn action oi
the late State Convention which nominated r. Ii
Johnson. tor Governor
ID. Doyou believe that the action of that con
vention is binding upon the people of the State
Sd. Do YOU run as the nominee of the convention
in Crawford county which endorsed the action of
the State convention, do You run independent
of and without claiming that the of said county
convention in giving endorsement to the State con
vention Is binding upon the people of Crawford
County:
4th. If elected will You pledge yourself to the
support of a western man for U. s. Senator
5th. Will you pledge yourself to use all honor
bic means to secure the early completion of the Lit
tie Rock and Fort smith R. R?
We earnestly desire explicit answers with the
express understanding that the same will be made
public by us. Hoping to receive an early answer
from you, we remain
Pr, Respectfully yours. &C.
VIM. Jackson, Squire Boone,
A. b. Brider, W. j. Montague,
Jas. Moore, D. A. Stuart.
W. Z. Adams: Harvey Barker,
OZARK, ARK, June 9th, 1860
VAN buren,, ARK, June 80, 1860.
MEssEs. BouRLAND AND OTHERS
Gentlemen: Yours of 9th inst, has been receiv-
ed in which certain charges are made and inaui
res prorounded against nd to me a candidate
for seat in the State Senate from the counties of
Craw ford and Franklin, all Of which will answer
in as brief and concise manner as / can :; but be-
fore doing so, permit me to say that have lived in
have been an unfainching supporter of the Demo
ocratic party, and my time, talent and money
Though small) has never been found wanting in
time ftrial. have, at various times been a can
people, but have always run on my own merit and
the principles OF the Democratic party and not on
the merits or dement's Of any man, and such sha
be my course in the presen. canvass. But al the
faith and not from idle curiosity and Just such as
free and independent voters have a right to ask,
take pleasure in answering the same As to the
charge that have changed my views in relation
to the state Convention for Governor for the sake
OF procuring a nomination for the State Senate 3.
without the shadow Of truth. am and ever have
been in favor Of conventions when fairly conduct.
ed, as consider it the best way to decide The
claims OF asprants thereby securing the best talent
and the most reliable for Office That the State
convention reflected the will Of a majority of the
democratic party of Arkansas is to me a matter of
doubt, and certain it is that the nominee of that
convention has. by very respectable portion of the
State been solicited to withdraw and suffer his
name to so before another convention, for reasons
set forth too unmstakably plain and reasonable 70
be disregarded by one who is not PROMPTED bv sci.
fish motives. and has only the good of his party at
heart Had Il. H. johnson done this, and another
convention been called aud given him the nomina
ton. which they most unqucstionably would have
done, If majorityof the Democratic party were in
favor of him. Then with hearty good will the
party would have taken him up which would have
placed his success beyond doubt !; but contrary
to the reasonable expectations and wishes of many
Of his friends. he contemptuously refuses TO do So
thereby demonstrating to my mind one of two
things, that he had no respect for the harmony of
the party, or thought he could not get the nomina
ton. Therefore l Do not consider the action of
tla. convention binding on the people of the
State. and to the third interrogatory accepted
the nomination because majority of the voters of
the county in their primary meetings had instructed
for me, but do not think that or the people Of
Crawford County are bound by the resolution en-
,iorsing the State convention as it was not a ques
tion before the people at their primary meetings.
eonsea uen.iy action was taken on it. Therefore
tha. resolution is nothing more than the express
ion OF the delegates, eight ten in nura ber
and IS no. entitled to any more credit than that
many private citizens, and not binding on the vo-
tiers ci this county And 10 the fourth and fifth