The Van Buren press., 1867-02-08
For The yda Buren Press,
The Lieutenant Goyernorship.


The Lieutenant Governorship.
Mn. EDITOR: Noticed communication in
/ the Press" OF last week, assigning reasons
why the people should elect Gen. I J. Church,
III Lieutenant Governor in preference to Maj.
b. +. Hampstead, at the election to be held ON
the 22d OF February. ] shall offer no objec-
tions to either of the gentlemen named. ! am
ready to concctlc tina, either OF them Is worthy
Of the office, and would ill il with ability
But object to the reasons which the writer
offers why the people should vote for Gen.
Churchill. The writerSIys: I'VE do maintain
that the past /, the best criterion by which to
judge of tie future. Gen. Churchill has shown
himself the true friend OF the state and Of the
South, none was more ready and prompt to
act in defence of the rights Of the Stateand
our lost cause. His past strict adherence TO
her interests and her rights is a sure. and the
best guarantee, Of what will hc his course in
the future. Gen. ChurtIil!s i the iavorite and
hero of the truly southcn party Now what
does the writer mean by Gen. Churchill is
the iayorite and hero ofthe truly southern par
tyr Does he mean that Gen. Churchill was
leader in the extreme secession, "who fired
the southern heart and prcciptatcd Arkan-
sas and her sister States into rebellion? |
presume he does.
Now, Mr.. Editor those leaders in the seces-
sion movement were not the men who carried
the muSkets in the war; But they were the
Generals, the QuartermaSters, more especial
cially Quartermaster>) the gentlemen who
were detailed to stay at home and take care
of their own megroe,--the Post Masters. the
Sherifs, the Clerks, anG other civil officials
The men who carried the musket were, in the
main. the farmers and the iarmer-b boys FROM
the country, the mechanics and those who had
to labor for their bread, These had no scores
Of negroes,-tO oversee which, they were per-
mitted to remain in quiet at their homes, but,
many of them, had wives ana children. who
were dependant, for protection and for daily
bread, upon their labor But these men, hav
ing no "niG9ers' TO oversee, were not permit
ted to remain at home. They were cOmpel-
cd TO shoulder the muSkct-march TO the war,
and fight the battles oftheir secession leaders.
They fought as Americans only can fight
They suffered cold, nakedncss, fatigue hunger,
and death. 7Hty trusted their leaders. They
listened to the rawlings ofNapoleOn Bonaparte
Burroughs ;, Tom. liindman and Bob. johnson.
Those who survived, rrturncd with enfeebled
frames, to gaze upon blighted and desolated
homes. LOol, at the de>olation and the poyer-
ty all over our State and throughout the
South,-our children without schools, grow
ing up in ignorance. And the end is not yet.
BIT oar reople trusted, IN politics. their leaders
Napoleon Bonaparte Burrough, Tom. Hind
man and Bob. johnson. Would it not be bet
ter now five had listened, to the prophetic
warnings and counsels Of such men as lessee
Turner Lorcnza Gibson, (the lamepted,) and
Daniel Ringo? .... ..-..,.
But none Of these men had or has the pccui-
armerit assigned by the writer to the prefer
red candidate. Gen. c.. and of course is not of
the tried material out of which Lieutenant
Governors should be made .u..
Well-Gen. Churchill is an honorable man
and gallant soldier,--and so. ! suppose. is
Maj. lIempstead.--fo this writer says he is a
gentleman, and considered a good lawyer
But he addS-'we are not aware that he took
any decisive stand in the late troubles. He
was what might be termed negative charac-
ter and can be claimed by neither party
From this allegation we may infer that he
was not secessionist. and therefore, not "the
Jdroyite and hero Of Tie trUly southern paIty.'
offer no objection to either of the gentle
men, but to the reason assigned for the prefer
encc OF the one over the other. This reason
will not go down with the voters of this State.
They fought long and gallantly and lost all
but t!ieir honor, and the right to consider nor
whether they owe debt of gratitude to those
secession leaders, who lit the torch of civil war
and brought want, bcggery and widespread
desolation to the fairest country, and the hap
picst people, that ever the sun shone upon.
But alas the people trusted their leaders.
f .vi B. 7.
Fort Smith, Feb. 9Th 1867.