Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-02-15


 unity and harmony he wou Id vote, aye MT. Exon would vote, ave, although therc was too much milk and water about the constitution to suit him, especially in the franchise article. Mir. Can't presented the following for himself and Messrs. Cypert. Adams, Reynolds, Moore, Hoge, Walker and Wright, and said:
 l desire to make this record, and that | it may bespreserved; for it is my earn- est and sincere wish to bequeth it to my children, I therefore ask that it be faith | fully reported and spread at length up-
 on the minutes 5f the convention. cast this votc-duly appreciating it's inn
 portancc and consequences, Ih fen view | of my responsibility, and on the earnest
 hope that my constituents willapprovc of it:
 "Having been denied by the action | of the convention sufficient time to ex- press at length our objections to the constitution we are content to vote, no, | for the following reasons:
 s1st The constitution is not repub-
 lican in form.
 ] "2nd. It is proscriptivc.
 "3rd. It is destructive ofthe dearest | rights of the people of the state.
 "4th. It disiranchises large num-
 ber of the best white citizens of the
 state.
 18th. It enfranchises class of
 inhabitants totally incapable of sell government.
 "6th. fadopted and ratified by the ! peoplc it will deliver over to stolid and brutish ignorance the political control of the state.
 "7th. 1t encourages the social equal ity of the white and black races. \ sth. It annuls and declares void a
 large class of debts contracted upon a
 valuable consideration prior to the late ! 18th. It imposes the entire burden
 of taxation upon the white inhabitants
 of the state, many of whom, are by its
 terms disfranchised, and relieves from
 taxation almost the entire negro popu-
 lation not one Of whom having attained
 the age of ,2l years is by said constitur
 tion denied the right of suffrage.
 ssl0th. It compels the white citizens of the state to contribute by taxation
 to the support of public schools from which their children will be effectually
 excluded. "llth. We regard the acts of con
 gress under which this convention is
 being held assunconstitutional.
 .12th In our opionion the state of |. Arkansas is in the union under a con-
 stitution republican in form, entitled to all the rights of constituent mem | Der thereof. including ngrspi'esentatio in the National Legislature, and conse- quently that new constitutiop is not necessary =.
 Gray, of Phillips, would like to have i it different in some re espeet~ss ssbut as il gave him equal rights with other men
 he would vote for it.
 Mir. Hatfield did not like it, because it did not disiranchise all the cut throats in the country, who had been in. rebellion. If he could have.his way , Lhe would banish them.
 i, Mr. Hicks sent up the following: , "I vote, no; for the reason that this . constitution is made for class o , citizens not known to the constitution isof the United States; that 1t disiran f chises large portion of those who have
 exercised the elective franchise; tha it was concocted in secret, and brough forth between days
 Mir. Hinds thought it was so mucl P better than any thing we have ever hat in Arkansas, that he must vote. aye. MT. Hinkle said he was forced to ex claim: "Grcat God, is there no hell
 for the widows son. His people hat
 proved their faith by their works; h,
 had recruited company of l4o and le, them into the federal army. His peo
 pie had sent him here to make recort ! for himself, and all the devils in h. f couldn't prevent him from it. H. a hadn't been quartermaster or com n missary, but had hunted up bullets
 Now that the war had been tough a through, set come up and want office n and you make offices for them. Thi constitution disfranchises Il man dear t. Il the hearts of the people and puts hin D out of the way of parties who want t n co to the senate. He favored recon
 struction on equitable principles. II
 was opposed to the apportionmcnt-- oi The speaker was cut short by cal of time, and although he contendc' f that he had a minute more and begge'
 to be allowed to go on, he was not per mitted. He voted 10.
 V Johnson (nego,) being radical to d r. bone would vote, aye, and contiucr t IT. vote, aye. Dey was not our friends , who dosn't want us to go in to de jur . box.
 ,- MT. Kyle objected at length on tn
 journal to the judiciary, franchise an .- apportionment articles, but under al e the circumstances he thought he ough , to vote, aye.
 m Mr. Langly thought the constitution d was pretty good thing to come iron fl "a mcnagerie." He would vote for il n and to be consistant would hold him n self in readiness to endeavor hereafte !. to have woman suffrage engraited ol n it.
 Y Mir. Mallory thought he had done ' good days work at Shiloh. Corlntf :. Hatchie Bridge and Vicksburg, but h a was prouder now to vote, aye. | Mason (ncgro,) objected to the su n preme court and franchise articles, bu
 voted, aye.
 :. Mir. Matthews objected to the super Q fluous offices for aspirants thought tn v school system an abomination; object r ed to the schedule and recognized tn . apportionment as made for party pur poses, and he must therefore vote, nc v Mr. Misner did not like so many su prama judges; he was opposed to put f ting teats to the SOW for new pigs; tn v franchise article was not proscriptiv f. enough he had been robbed by rebels r and he would vote, aye. Murphy (negro. felt good because h n was standing on de broad platform o Q de declaration of independence and h - would vote, aye.
 , MT. McCown would present his req , sons in full hereafter for entry on tn
 journal. He objected to the legisla n tive, banking, and more particularly t | the franchise article, as he must solemn I ly protest against disfranchising a mal , because he was in the rebel service