Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-02-08
TOWNSHIP MEETING.
DEs ARC, January 18th, 1868

 in convention at the office of Messrs. Gatewood lS Thomas. Col. |. N. Hcdg- peth was elected chairman and Allan Mathews secretary. tol. Hedgpeth, on taking the chair, annonnccd the obs ject of the nSectimg to be the appoint- ment of a committee to confer with the Prairie County Executive Committee, and for the more thorough organiza- ton of the White Mans party in this township.
 On mesion, by Mir. Gair, commit tee of three was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of this convention. The chairman named Mcssrs. N. B. Uair, B. r. Ford and J. E. Gatewood that committee.
 During the absence of the committee Mir. J. s. Thomas was called for, and responded in a brief speech, showing the ncctssity of an early and thorough organization of the Democratic party as the only means left us by which we may hope to regain the position we once occupied.
 The committee on resolutions then made the following report
 WHEREAS, we believe this govern ment was originally a white mans government, framed by white men for the well being and protection of white men, and administered by white men through all the gloomy days of the re- ! f1,ot hrvf vx1, fa ayN are capable of administering properly the affairs of the government, or, are fit to be trusted in the management of the affairs of state; and that the efforts of the party now in power, known as the Radical party, are directed solely with view of fperpetuating party pow CT, regardless of the best interests of the whole people, by elevating the ne- gro and pulling down the white man, the inevitable result of which will be to bring about war of races; and WHEREAS, also, we believe that the party in power has already bankrupted | the government, destroyed confidence, ltraAapled under foot the constitution, and are seeking to engorce confiscation without direct legislation, and add other measures of destruction to infect, corrupt and destroy the government by foisting upon the country officers which are unnecessary, such as bureau agents and tax collectors, and adding aew burthens of taxation in the way i of conventions under the reconstrnc- tiun acts, all the mistaken result of an effort to elevate and pamper the negro at the expense of the white man and, believing it to be the duty of all good | "A. A> .ss ~rk nfYl Yl~v.fc in. q peaceable way, to bring the govern ment back to it's original moorings un- der the constitution therefore, be 1t
 RESOLVED, 1st. That, recognizing the fact that the government is drifting into fanaticism and bankruptcy, we be- | lieve it to be the duty of all good citi- zens to protect, by their votes at the ballot box, the purity of the govern ment, and assert the supremacy of the constitution as the law by which We should be governed.
 REsoLvEp, 2d. That, believing the efforts of the convention now in ses- sion are directed specially to elevating the negro and lowering the white man, 1 we condemn it's action so far, believing 1 ifs action will result in great damage to the Statc, and obstruct to great extent the recons struction of the State. | RESOLVED, 3d. That we are opposed to negro suffrage in any ana aii l's | forms.
 RESOLVED, 4th. That we endorse the action ot the meeting at Little Rock on the day of 1867, in appoint ing central committee of the Conser- vative party of the State, to cooperate with conservatives throughout the 1 State.
 RESOLVED, 9th. That, recognizing the ,sbility of the conservative element of the S..ate to vote down any constitu- ton which may be framed by the con yention now i'll session, and believing that we can expect no good results from the labor o1 that convention, we believe it the duty oi all true men 10 organize and poll every vote pesslpie to be had against. the adoption or the constitution.
 RESOLVED, 9th. That in advancement of the interests of the Conservative party, committee of five be appointed in this township to cooperate with the executive or central committee of the county.
 RESOLVED, 7th. That we eschew all former party names and ties, and care
 
 organizing, composed ofmembers from ali former political organizations. We care not if the name be Democratic or Conservative, but being party of white men we shall insist on calling it the White Mans Party of Arkansas, and will cooperate with the Conserva- tive party of the North.
 R. F. FORD,
 N. CARR } Com. l J. E. GATEwooD,S On motion to adopt MT. Gair took the floor and ably set forth the evil in lt,>utions of the Radical party, and their nersis tent determination to thrust me- cro suffr age upon the country, which was nothing more, in the end, than ne. gro supre,aacy. He said he was pre- pared then, and would at all times be ready to oppose the ratification of a constitution, though never so virtuous in other respects, if it contained the -odious clause of negro suffrage. He spoke of the ominous mutterlngs ai- ready being heard at Washington, sud predicted a gigantic struggle in the coming contest for the Presidency, and one which would decide the destiny of our .govcrnment. He urged immediate and thorough organization as duty we owed our race and country, that we might be able to perform the hon. orable task of placing our State in a position to command the respect It formerly held, and secure govern ment that would, at least, do justice to white mon.
 The resolutions were then unani-