The Van Buren press., 1866-07-21
The Question


Now. is how ought we to act in the coming
election? Ought we to choose conservative |
men or radicals? There is we are told. a full
Radical ticket out, and the question will be
brought home to every man in Crawford.
The principles represented by the gentlemen
whose names head our columns, are eminent
ly conservative and directly opposed to the
radicalism that now disgraces the govern
ment, and bids fair to involve the country in
ruin. They do not desire to have the old con-
stitution of our revolutionary ancestors mu-
tilatcd. violated and ruined by the amend
ments now proposed for the ratification ofthe
States. They feel that all this amendment
business is a party dodge, and is resorted to
ly the radicals in Congress for the sole pur-
pose of perpctuating their political asccndan-
cy. Slavery is forever abolished, and now let
it be so written down in the Constitution, but
beyond this any further amendment is all
folly, political tricking, and should be oppos-
ed BY all who hold the welfare of the country
and posterity at heart. These gentlemen also
oppose negro suffrage. and all the arttul dodg-
es Of the Sumner and Stevens faction to force
the South to adopt negro equality in substance
if not in nnnc. The negro should be clothed
with certain rights which naturally follow
his new state of freedom; but voting and
holding Office and sitting ON jurys is no part
of the rights he now needs. These candidates
also favor reduction of the present cnor-
,,,1 POI nj IN y
hold to the doctrine that taxation is a burden
imposed by government on the citizens for
the purpose of carrying on the machinery Of
government for the common good. and when
ever the rate produces greater sum than is
necessary for this purpose, then it should be
at once reduced. Any surplus of funds in the
state Treasury, is great temptation to those
who handle it to become dishonest and cor
d,ice five or SIX Hundred thousand dollars sur
plus!. For whose good? Who imposed the
tax? Who expects to be benefited by this
enormous surplus? The State and people
thereof? Surely not. The vampires who
cling around the governmental wheels and
who suck the life-blood from the people; these
expect to be the beneficiaries, and if the same
party who fixed this dead weight upon the
people of Arkansas are continued in power,
they will be the ones benefited. The radicals
of this County have put forth. privately full
ticket. They propose men for the Senate and
House, who belong to the same party who
now advocate negro suffrage and Constitu-
tional amendments. Who fixed the tax ofOnc
dollar on every hundred in order to produce
the enormous surplus, that they might step in
and pocket it? The Conservative candidates
had been announced q long time before the
candidates Of the Sumner-Stcyens party came
out. 1t was thought, by some that radicalism
would not be represented on the track. But
the Senior Head Centre, at Little Rock sent
his private mandate to the Junior Head Cen
tire of Crawford. to the effect that Crawford
must try to elect raf ical candidates; if posi-
ble mast do it, So out came the candidates,
and for the sole purpose Of having the power
in the next General Assembly to devote the
surplus money to their own use. And you
voters of Crawford are now called upon to
sustain these men and their party. You are
asked to make yourselves parties to this out
rage, by supporting the equality party.
viii you do it? We are told they are the
"Uni0n candidates! Men of Crawford. be
not deceived; you are, at heart Union men,
law and justice-loving men, and you are go
ing headlong into the ranks of the dis-union
party Who Is it that has placed the flaming
sword of test oaths, constitutional amendments
&C. at the gates Of the union fold? Do the
Southern party, as they are called, refuse to
90 into the Union? Have they not asked and
asked In vain for admission. and have
they not sent loyal men who asked for
seats. and none were given them. You who
vote for the radical candidates, are voting for
continued separation. and are, yourselves, un-
consciously advocating negro-equality and
disunion.
The Conservative men are no,c the Union
men. You are being misled by designing
men. and have unwittingly overlooked the
principles. Kadicalism and disunion are one
and the same thing. Sumner and Stevens are
the foulcst and most decided disunionists In
the country, and yet if you vote for the radi-
cal ticket In Crawford. you endorse those
same -disunionists. even while You say
you are "good union man. You have been
transferred TO the ranks of radcalsm with
out being conscious Of 1t. sNow Is the time
to rctrace your steps, When ynn find u friend
who has been in the Confederate army, don't