Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-27
MEMPHIS APPEAL
A eovEaNoR rHAr OANxOr voFE.
AnEx-seBasor Elect indicted.

L
i Ex-senator Elect Indicted.
/ ISAAC MURPHY was Delegate, in 1850
and 1861, to the Convention held at Lit
| lie Rock, by which the Ordinance of Sc
eession was adopted. In voting fer Del
egates, the people had also voted on the
question of seeding, and nine-tenths OF
the counties, including MURPHY's, had
voted against it. But upon the issuance
Of LISCoLN's Proclamation, declaring
war against the Southern States, the
I Convention re-assembled, and by every
vote but one adopted the Ordi-
nance, and afterwards united tie
State with those already cenfed-
Grated and at war against the United
States. MURPHY, weak, silly and un-
noticeable man, Of neither capacity nor
acquirements, obstinate, as weak men
often are, voted against the Ordinance,
to show his consistency, and then re-
| mained in the Convention until it finally
adjourned, voting for every measure by
which the State was prepared for resist
anee and aggression against the United
States one Of the first of these being to
raise a regiment and arm and equip it,
and the offer Of it to the Confederate
States, of which Arkansas afterwards
became one with the help of his vote,
How be became q Union man, after
the adjournment and previously to the
wear 1854, we do not know but, because
he voted against the Ordinance Of Seces-
sion, President LINCOLN appointed him
Governor Of Arkansas, when the State
was about to be reconstructed by tenth
mart or more of its white population,
after the occupation of Little Rock by
the Federal forces and when the bogus
Convention, composed in large measure
of men self appointed and Of those whose
very existence and names were then for
the first time made known to the people Of
the State, hsd manufactured what has
since been enforced as the Constitution
Of the State, ISAAC MURPHY was elected
Governor of the State by the United
States troops and the fraction of the peo-
pie who voted; and under that election
he is Governor yet.
OF course the Governor proposed TO
vote under the Reconstruction Acts He
applied for registration, and his name
was marked D (doubtfuD. He presented
himself at the polls, a few weeks since,
and his vote was rejected. Phancy his
phelinks!
FIsHBACK, in 1860 a recent importa-
ton into Arkansas, was Delegate to
the Convention from Sebastian county,
and voted for the Ordinance Of Secession.
The bogus Legislature, in 1864, elected
him 70 the Senate Of the United States.
Arkansas was not considered sufficiently
well reconstructed for him and his col
league to be admitted TO the companion
ship Of WADE and SUMNER, and he was
constrained
"to blush unseen,
And waste his sweetness on the desert air"
We understand that he is now under
indictment In the District Court of the
United States for the Western District OF
Arkansas, for perjury, in taking the oath
prescribed by Act Of Congress to qualify
him to hold some Office Commissioners
in bankruptcy, perhapsl with which it
was lately attempted to reward his
fidelity and consistency as a Union man
Of the first water.
Some special legislation by Congress is
needed, for the relief of these two patri-
ots. 1t is easy to qualify MURPHY to
vote and, as there are others, elsewhere,
in like condition with FIsHBACK, we
suggest to Congress the passage of
special Act of grace and immunity for
the relief Of all such persons, being good
Union men, as have improvidently taken
the oath prescribed for persons appointed