The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-31
(From the Arkansas State Gazette,
ARKANSAS STATE LEGISLATTpr'

RKAksAs STATE LEGIsLATrRp
GEN. SMITHS REFUSAL TO ALLOW TT
ASSEMBLE NJ Z
On the 9th day of July. (the do
by joint resolution of the Genera, a:s nxed
Of the State of Arkansas, for the r assembly
tne two Houses, the following memhags Of
the Senate and House of Representa- OF
convened in Little Rock, to wit: Ted on
X. Fellows, of the Senate, and Hon 0n' >.
Eakin, r. @. Newton, +. J. Cameron az -
s, Medlock, Of the House of Ren,a anu b.
tiSes.s representa-
Whereupon. previous to enterinc NM.
any business, in order to preserve the upon upon
and avoid unnecessary conflict with ,i f,ace
~ authority Of the Government of tba nv
ted States, the following commun;oo onl
was addressed to Gen. Smith ccommanJ;u oa
sub-district of Arkansas: ''''Ss
LITTLE Rock, Ark, July s, 1867
80 1i4 10 O'Clock A. M
GENERAL: The General Assembly of H..
State, at the Winter session, adjourned 70 'r ~
convene on the 9Th of July. IT
Since the adjournment an order wac -.
ed from the Commanding General of tS;.
District forbidding it to reasonable. '4''
Subsequent to this order the AttorDor
General Of the United States had publishsa
an opinion declaring that military otScs,s
ARE not authorized to vacate civil Offices
except upon trial and conviction of occr'
pants.
The undersigned members of the Genera,
Assembly of Arkansas respectfully desire to
know whether the assembling of the Leus.
lature will be prevented by you. as militsrv
commander of the State, should its mem.
bers attempt to convene according to ad.
journment So
There is much unfinished business mate.
rally affecting the interests of citizens, which
they deem it their duty to complete. They
do not desire any conflict. however with
the military force, nor any breach of fine
peace: inasmuch as the Legislature is
mere civil body, with no powers of resist.
ance. " at e9 1-
Hence we have deemed it advisable. in
behalf of the Senate and the House of Rem.
resentatiyes, which branches respectively of
the General Assembly it is our duty to keen
alive by adjournment from day to day, and
by sending for absent members until a quo.
rum may be had, to ascertain from YOU if
our pacific efforts to that end would call
forth military interference.
If convenient, an answer is requested by
twelve o'clock M, the hour fixed for meet
ing.
Respectfully, John R. Fellows, Senator
Twenty-second District; John R. Eakip.
Representative Hampstead County; f. ].
Cameron, Representative Dallas County; B.
S. Dedlock, Representative Saline County;
R. G. Newton, Representative Pulaski
County.
Bvt. Brig. Gen. q. H. Smith commanding
&C., Headquarters.
D Which communication was shortly re.
turned with the following Endorsement:
H'D'QR's SUBJ DISTRICT OF ARK, !
LITTLE Rock, July 8, '67. I
Respectfully returned. In the absence Of
other instructions, the order of Brevet Major
General Ord, commanding Fourth Military
District, forbidding the reassembling Of
the Legislature of Arkansas, will certainly
be enforced. E,slsz
\ By command of Brevet Brig Gen. c. H.
Smith. rss5 "a 80
Samuel NJ Mills, First Lieutenant, Adjutant
Twenty-eight Infantry, Acting Assistant
Adjutant- General.
Whereupon the undersigned members of
then Senate and House of Representative
of the General Assembly of the State of Ar
kansas, in behalf of themselves and of each
of said Houses, and of the people of Arkan-
sas, their constituents, do most solemnly
protest against such military impeachment to
Z the discharge of their duties, under the Con-
stitution and laws of the State of Arkansas,
and the Constitution of the United States;
aid do insist that the General assembly has
the right to convene now, or at any time
hereafter when said impeachment may be re-
moved. 9ei itfs fs rf
II And further, the clerk and Secretary Of
the House and Senate, are requested to
spread upon their respective journals copy
Of these proceedings and protest; and that
copies of the same be transmitted to tile
President of the United States, to Congress
and to Gen. E, 0. C. Ord, commanding the
Fourth Military. District; and that copy
be furnished His Excellency, Isaac Murphy,
Governor of the State of Arkansas, with the
request that the same be filed in the office OF
the Secretary of State. ~ 49,
A true and complete copy of proceedings
and correspondence.
Attest 90 F5sn4 ~ E. p. LINZEE,
Assistant Clerk House of Representatives