The Van Buren press., 1868-10-09
The Murder of Cen. II. c. Hindman.

mOcracy In order 10 silrow his elilclcncy
| in sylloeiStic reasoning, he has has given
us sample by proving by deductive
reasoning that Mason was murdered by
Democrats in Fulton County We will
not copy his article, but suffice il to say
/ he concludes, that because Mason was a
Republican, Registrar, q peaceablc citi-
zen and honest man, and that Democrats
murder only such, that therefore the Dem
ocrats murdered Mason. Now grant
that Democrats only murder Republicans,
the Loyal League" did murder four
men, beyond dispute, in Carroll county,
and have murdered many in Tennessee so
we may cmclude that they only murder
Conservatives, as all their knOwR rietims
have been Conservatives. No Democrat
has been known to murder Il Conservative
in cold blood, therefore we have no ross
on to conclude that Democrat murder
ed Gen. Hindman, az he was an avowed
l
Conservative. Again it is, of course, the
object of the parties, now striving for
ascendency in this country, to dispose in
some way of the strongest champions of
the opposition. The Radicals have, in
many instances, resorted to the knife, the
musket, and the military commission"
to rid themselves of formidable oppo-
nent, This is not now disputed, and hav-
ing done thus we may conclude that men
will do what, under similar circumstances.
men have heretofore done. Gen Hind
man had become =" strong man" aoains.
the Radical party in the State, because he
had gained the confidence of the negroes
and they would go to hear him speak.
The Loyal League" have systematically
kept the negroes from hearing Democrat
ic speakers. Another reason suggests
itself why the Loyal League should
desire to bcrid of Gen. Hindman. But
they say some of his old soldiers are the
guilty parties. We cannot credit this.
The war has now been over some three
years and ample time has been afforded
for any one who entertained such feelings
of revenge to have gratifed them. But
Gen. Hindman did not operate in the
Phillips county portion OF. the State and
had no enemies there growing ont of OPP
erations during the war. 1t is a strained
presumption, then, to suppose any one
murdered him because Of his conduct dur
ing the war. Hence, we are compelled
to attribute his assassination to some DO
ltical opponent None desired his deuH
bit Radicd's Then who did it; Can
any candid mind resist the conclusion,
that some Radical did it? If, then, it
was perpetrated by the Radicals, who did
it: This question has not, and, in all
pro bability, will never he satisfactorily
solved TO our mind the conviction
comes with overwhelming force, that
more mn one had something to do with
this foul murder BY the RepubHcea's
mnfhnd of reasoning We might fix sllsp-
cion upon soncr Let us sec, for exam
pie: Phillips county is in another Con
gressionat District from this and no 20
hticaf aspirant residing there could hope
10 advance his interests by coming to any
convention, barbecue OF other gathering
In this District Mr., Books resides In
Phillips county, in another District, con.
sequentN could not advance his cause By
coming to a convention, barbecue or other
gathering in this District lie did come
to the convention and barbecue in this
District, he could not have come to adj
vance his own interests, it is a long tcdi
Gus trip, and politicians do not make
these for nothing, hence we ask why did
he come; Had he any motive for hay
ing Gen, llmdmrn pat ont of the way e?
Let it be remembered, that IIindman met
Brooks in d publc meeting and complete
ly annihilatcd him Brooks is bitter and
vindictiyc, and, withal, cowardlv in spirit.
During this tnaccountable trip Of Brooks
from his home, Gen. Hindman is murder
ed by an unknown hand, and no doubt a
htred assassin. That lIindman was muir
dered by the hand of a Radical assassin
there can. be little doubt, and now accord
ingto the reasoning of the Rcpablicoa
from probabilities, we leave the public
to judge whether Brooks, of Phillips, had
or had not any knowledge of the intend.
ed assassination before he left home to
come away up to Fort Smith to attend u
convention and barbecue, in which he had
no earthly interest. We do not say the
creature (Brooks) had any knowledge Of
this matter, but we only put forward the
facts IN the case to be dljested by Gen.
lIndman's fugleman of lS59l60, and to
be by him accounted for on some other
hypothesis. If he can persuade his col
ored subscribers that The Democrats muir
dered Mason, then let him show them,
also, that lIindman was not murdered by
the "Loyal Lcagucrs," and that the facts
in the case of Brooks do not make out a
tolcrably strong case l.llrfe IN