Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-04-11
The Military and the Pretended
 Legfslature!


 It is obvious from the general spirit of the reconstruction acts that the dis trict commanders who have been as- signed to commands in the excluded states, arc charged with the duty ofup- holding the civil governments therein existing, as at least provisional and stable, until such time as new govern ments should supersede them, coming into existence under and in the precise manner laid down in the reconstruc- ton acts of March 2d and 23d. 1887. The language of the acts in question Is so plain and unequivocal that the in- tent cannot be mistaken. According, then, to the order laid down in these acts, the military commander cannot, it seems to us, recognize as legitimate the new government which body of unauthorized persons, now in posses sion of the capitol, presume to set up. First of all, the constitution under which they claim to exist has not in reality, nor so far as any proper off cial proclamation is concerned, been ratified by the people of the state, the first prescribed step towards it's becom- ing the organic law of the state. In the second place, if it even had been proclaimed that the constitution was ratified according to the returns made by the registrars, it would not be the fundamental law of the state, but one merely of several enumerated contin- gencies which would have occurred in a manner favorable to it's becoming such. Until congress approves the constitution so ratified by the regis tered vote, the instrument is not the constitution of the state.
 In view of these facts, the congrega- ton of body in the capitol, obtaining entrance, too, ia a burglGrious manner, it seems to us cannot be held other than an unauthorized, illegal assemblage :; and if we may venture 8 prediction. we would say that the commanding general will not recognize it as a part of legal government, or allow its off cers to be installed until the ''provis- ional' government is set aside in the manner prescribed, and after the order laid down in section five of the origi- nal reconstruction act, and the corres- bonding section of the first supplement tary act. We expected an order to this effect previous to this time, for the reason that VIC have believed that the district commander would follow the plain injunctions of the acts, and we have been somewhat disappointed. We confess that he has been very for bearing towards combination which has not even awaited his proclamation of the result of the election, but has assumed to decide it for themselves, take possession of the capitol, and fur ther. order the arrest of a state officer ! hx-fl military, as directed by law, for not recognizing their authority. But put tlng out of the question the presump- tuous manner in which the body have ignored the district commander, we are inclined to believe that their session will come to nothing, and that their greediness will not clutch that Sl22,0O0 which the governor, as the self-appoin- ted undertaken, sexton and adminis- trator Of the present legal state govern ment, was about 10 give over to the impecunious and rapacious convoca- ton of political carrion crows. When all the facts in the case come to be fully known to Gen. Giliem, we think the conspirators will soon be disbandcd for the present by his decision depriving them of the hopes of plunder which they thought they had within their grasp. We would not. indeed, be much surprised if the radical leaders have not been forewarned of such &C., ton upon the part of the district com mander. We are inclined to suspect as much from their faiinre te s..est tho superintendent of public buildings afr ter the issuance of the order by the house, and the feigned dignitied and considerate action of the senate in not ratifying the constitutional amendment, on Friday, when first sent in bv the house. There is evidently something wrong in the camp of the revolutionists. No bills have been yet introduced, caucuses are frequent and the sergeant at-arms of the house is put on duty to enforce an attendance of members. We suspect a few days will bring to light the cause of their confusion. For the good of the state we trust it will be of q permanent nature.-[ Little Rock Gazette