The Van Buren press., 1868-09-04
From LiIlle Rock Ga-s,.s, 2sta
Riot in Conway County.

~
Pore county, agonlluman OF the h.ghesl .rc-
spec,ghiity, that the ilo,i serious eNeinLieu'
prevails among the Inhabitants of Lew isburg
70. Conway county, and vicinity, ocoa>iuncd
. tv Dc threatening attitude assumed hy the
radical negroes eI that scclion. incitCl by the
white scoundrvls, who seem careless ,.i life OF
the pcace Of the community ii the success of
their pTrty can be achieved IL seems tiiss the
ncgroc, OF Conway are divided in sentiment
pUliticIlly, and that the most bitter and pro
scrlpthe sentiments are entertained 10y each
of the opposing factions for the other. Report
says that sOn's ten days ago. three radical me-
eroe, called al The house ola democratic ne
gro In the nigh, time and called him out
While the latter WIS putting ON his clothes lo
comply With the rce1jOsi, the dog barkrd and
was immediately dispatched by gun shot
knowing from this what was intended the oc-
cupant of the house kept indoors, and those
without fearing 10 enter, finally dispersed 4
day or two later, the misereagts we're brought
to trial at Lcwisburg, bst in making up the
jury OF ctored men, the Erlicil negroes rfuS-
cd 10 sit with Il conservative negro who was
selected, whcrcupOn dispute arose, weapons
were exhibited and the count Was broken up.
Fearing trouble, some of the proyanent citi-
gems OF that place, among whom Dr. Adams,
Anderson Gordon. Esq, and Others were prom
inenL diSarmcd the negroes, telling them 10
90 home quietly and remain So and their
arms would be returned TO them, otherwise
not The negroes then retired, but proyidcd
themselves with more arms and eoqccted IN
numbers few miles east of LeNisbuTs. The
citizens of that place, feeling Insecure from
| known facts, and from reports constantly
coming in. sent out Mr., Thomas Burchield,
and Mr. George Bently, TO ascertain the eN-
| tent of the occasion of alarm, and ii pcssible,
to induce the parties who had assumed the
| hostile attitude to desist from the execution
OF their threats. Meanwhile some two or
| three hundred persons had assembled at Lew
! isburg TO defend the place ii necessary.
| Burchticld and Bently left on their mission Of
peace at an early hour on the 18th, but when
some three or four miles east OF Lewisburg,On
| the Little Rock road. they were suddenly fired
upon by party ofninctecn negrocs the VOL
| lev wounded Burchleld, ii i said by his phy.
sicians, mortally, and killing Bcntly's horse.
| Both of these gentlemen are old and reliable
citizens of Conway county, and undertook the
mission for the single purpose of bringing
about a cessation of hoStilitics and to preserve
the peace. Burchfield is a one-arincd man
and entirely inoiiensivc. When the report of
this occurrence reached Lcwisburg, DR.. Meni-
| fee, and Mcssrs. Green and Heryey went out
| to take care of the wounded man and to see if
/ anything further could bc done TO avert coll
| lision. These gentleman met the negroes to-
gethcr and told them if they would dcsist
from further carrying out their threats, they
would pass over what had occurred, and they
should 20 unharmed. Al agrcedto do so but
three, who were sullcH and retieent. During
the conversation it was elected, that the ne
groes had been told on what they affirmed to
be good authority, that the white men of the
county were about 10 take away their proper
ty and Kill and drive them from the country.
Dr. Adams was sent for and came to the spot
and endeavorcd to disabuse them of the idea.
They had sent for Hinklc "a prominent and
INSCRIPTIONS radicaI and other preparations
were making to resist the reported outrages
about TO be committed upon them. After the
last named gentleman had returned to Lewis
| burg, the report came variously corroborated,
that all had refused to retire, and that rein
forccments were expected from all parts of
the country. SO the matter stands-two or
three hundred white men and friendly ne
grOcs at Lcwisburg, all armed and reinforce
mentS coming, and an indefinite number OF
White and black radicals in unknown places
with rcintorcemcnts coming What will come
of it we do not know.
SATURDAY, August 20.
Areport of the troubles in Conway county,
related in our daily issue OF Friday, seems to
have reached Clayton about the same time
that we received it, but through very differ
ent channel Kinds Immediately repaired TO
Ashley township, met three or four hundred
negroes, made them an nnamatory speech,
telling them to arm and resist the democrats !;
| that war had been commenced in Conway
county, etc. About one hundred were then
enrolled and ordered to be In waiting for a
] boat which would DC down for them during
| the night These were brought up on the
! HcSper, and passed this city on yesterday
morning at sunrise, and landed in the vicinity
of Big Rock. During the day Clayton col
lectcd his guards numbering about thirty men
and ut four o'clock embarked at the levce
About the time of embarking, at the su9gcs-
ton Of Mr.. Charles e. Scott, Clayton sent out
to invite 4 number of the responsible citizens
| Of Little Rock to Il consultation, at the Teb-
| belts block. Meanwhile the IIesper moved
up to the foot Of Main street and landed
Messrs s. l.. Griffith, e. c. Scott, 5. c. Faux
ner ). IL. Tucker A. III. Garland and other
| gentlemen responded TO the invitation, and
met Clayton at the rooms connected with the
Merchants National Bank.
Tho consultation was brief and resulted In
! Clayton going with his white guard,-the me-
gro militia TO be left behind--accompa by
Mcssrs. c. &. Scott, A. H. Garland $. l.. Grit
! fifth, w. ID, Blocher, A. II. Ryan and 5. H.
Tucker.. The lIespcr backed out at about 6
ocloch, anu VIII ietuiH 'o-hiSnt, lNeports
| from Conway and adjacent counties show
that the excitement seems to be extending
and the utmost uneasincss Is felt. IL will
doubtless be fcr.unatc that General Clayton
adopted tie pacific course suggested ut the
eleventh hour. The better opinion is that the
appearance Of colored militia in Conway
county would have resulted in collision.
We now anticipate no difficulty, but it will re-
quire much fofbearance to quiet the alarm oc-
casioncd by these unfortunate events.