Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-08-06
The Governors Election.
find the following in the Pine Bluff War


 Bulletin:
 "THE GOVERNORS ELEcTios.-We see dispo- sition manifested to bring up this exciting subject at a very inopportune time. We gather from the Little Rock papers, as well as from other sources, that it is the deliberate intention of the enemies of Gov. Rector at Little Rock to force an election on the people. We desire to say few words On this subject. Gov. Rector elected for four years, and, in the first place. we do not believe the convention had any power to shorten his term, ex- cept he refused to adapt himself to the new order of things, to inaugurate which the convention was expressly called. In the second place, 1t Is ques- tionable if the ordinance of tbe convention, hoe rally construed, requires any such elecuon' III the third place. it is morally cerdin that the con yention never intended to shorten Gov Rector term The certainty is attained from the iact that no such question discussed at tie tune, anu It is we'll known that Gov. k. had many able friends in the convention
 The above Is brief statement of our conclu- sions-now for few questions Judge Watkins, we beeve, drafted the sphynxl like ordinance ln questiOn-did he intend to orestall the convention and the people of Arkansas, and Ii not can he not explain what he did mean Will the people oi this State suffer such great fraud to be passed upon them, as that of smuggling an odions clause to the constitution by Chinese jugSlersl w hear the supreme court will decide i'll favor of new election-can it do so with justice and equity m view? What members of the convention avow It 70 have been their intention to shorten the term or Gov. Rector7 .,
 We nope the True Democrat and Gazette vii republsh the above, and answer our interrogato- ries."
 This attrck upon Judge Watkins is sextremely unjust and unfortunate. Judge Watkins IS neither the father of the new constitution, nor that clause in it which requires the election ot a governor at the general election in October next.
 Int the journal of the convention, page 449, the following proceedings will be found: "Mr. Cypert moved to insert the following as I.section ,:
 "SEc. ,. The next general election for officers # this State, under this constitution, not other 1 wise herein provided for, shall be held on the l lst Monday in October, A. D. 1862, Ill the man per now prescribed by law.
 w hIcn was adopted.
 Thus it will be seen that Mir. Cypert, and not l Judge Watkins, was the author of the "sphynT like ordinance n question: The War Bulletin ,hould inform itself before it assaults as amiabe gentleman as Judge Watkins
 Indetermining whether the governors election s included in the above clause of the constitu- ton, but two questions are to be answered-lS he governor an "o6icer cf the State?' If SO i has his election been "0tJieru5Se pr0cide(t tor? The governor is unquestionably an officer of the State. and his election hds not been othcr~iSt ororided ,tor in Me ne,o consultation Conse> 1uently his election will necessarily take place
 ext October, or we will be without governor elected by the people.
 h order to dispel ail doubts the subject has been brought up before the supreme court fol it's decision, and the trial has been set for nex Monday. We hope in our next issue, to bt able to give the result of the decision, and thus inform the people whether, or not, it is vneil duty and right to elect governor.
 The War Bulletin seems to think this pro ceeding an attack upon Gov. Rector. We dc not agree with it. It seems to think the whole business is " inopportune." We differ with i there too. The question has been forced upor us by the language of the constitution itself, anC we cannot avoid settling it now, even ii we $ desired. It is in the hands of the supreme court, the proper tribuntl to sit in judgment up on it, and its decision must be acquesced in whatever it may ne The office of governor does not belong to Governor Rector or any other individual. It belongs to the people, an( they have the right to fill it whenever the law directs. If Gov. Rector wishes to enjoy it agail he must run for it, and if the people desire h( should, his wish will be gratifed.
 The War Bulletin goes to Gov. Rector " able friends" who were in the convention, fo a just construction of the new constitution This is a new tribunal in Arkansas. 1.-the neo constitution is to be construed, not by its plair letter, but by what the |" "aJle friends" of Gov Rector say, or any body else, it is not wortE the paper 1t is written upon. It is cheat an( a deception. and not to be endured.
 In construing the constitution we go to tho instrument itselG and suppose it means what i says We must suppose the convention, 1T framing the constitution, did what 1t intended tl do. and intended to do what it did. 1