The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-08
Arkansas,

U,sHINGToN, January THE fol-
lowing official report relating to af
fairs in Arkansas, has been received at
General Grants headquarters from Gen.
eral Horace Porter, of his staff, dated
Little Rock, Arkanoas, December 20,
1868:
General General Babcock and / ar
rived here two days ago. So many con-
Trajectory reports have been circulated
in regard to Governor Clayton's militia
that it may be we'll for you to know the
facts. The present State Government
was certainly in some danger previous
to the Presidential election-Serator
Barker had been shot and wounded
badly, Mr.. Upham of the Lower House
wounded, Mr.. Hines, a member of Con-
gress and of the Freedmen's Bureau,
killed, and other agents and United
States Marshal driven from their posts
by threats. The Governor, Senator Rice
and others had to sleep in the State
House under guard for fear of assassl-
nation. The Governor wisely retrained
from taking any violent measures until
after the election, fearing that the oppe-
sitIOn might make capital out OF 1T.
As soon as it was over no organized for
the militia, force of about 500 men,
one-fourth colored, under General Cat
terson in the southwest and Upham in
the northeast, with orders to live oil
the country, taking what was absolute
ly necessary and giving vouchers. His
intention Is to pay all loyal holders of
vouchers and no others. Two assassins
have already been executed By sentence
Of military commission, seventeen
, others are in prison and great number
have been run out of the State, but the
best result l can see is the disposition
of all business men to voluntarily en-
roll themselves as posse pledged to
assist the Sheriff to arrest lawless char
acters if the Governor will relieve them
from martial law. He has accepted
many of such pledges, and martial law
exists only in parts of seven counties.
The entire Conservative wing of the |
Republican party were opposed to a |
declaration of martial law, including |
General Smith of the United States
Army, commanding the troops. They
admitted the reign of terror established
by the rebels, but wanted the United
States to make the arrests. Governor
Clayton's arguments in favor of his pol
icy are as follows: The United States
tho country. The lawless be- |
have while the United States troops !
are in the vicinity, and break ont worse
than ever when they leave. The rebels
are generally anxious to have them, rs
it creates an expenditure Of money in
their midst, from which they reap q
benefit. The militia Furnishes all the
disloyal and EFFORTS pledges from them
to respect the laws. As these people |
have Threatened to break up the
State Government as soon as
the United States troops are re
moved, this teaches them that the
State is able to protect itself. The
military has boon under tOlerable good
control, and the plundering reported i'll
the press is the taking of supplies under
order.
A negro militiaman committed o rape
on a white woman, bnt was Immediate
" arrested by General Catterson, who
seems to be a very good man, tried and
convicted aud executed. The Govern
or's policy has, no doubt, seriously in
terfered with business awhere martial
law has been proclaimed and injured
business men of all parties; hence the
opposition from loyalists 1t has inter
lGItNl W tn u NlS tsAN'4A VII 's-AlNo nun
the militia at season when
they were most needed and ere
ated many panics. 1t has, however,
accomplished much more good than the
most sanguino expected, and General
Smith acknowledged that he thought
the Governors Judgment was better
than his and that the result would fully |
Justify the action of the former. The
Governor is now disposed to relieve
each county from martial law as soon
as it can be done safely. The Governor
is certainly a man of intelligence and
nerve, and has labored under Difficult |
ties that would havo deferred u less able
officer. Four Thousand arms were
seized by the Ku KluX and thrown of
beat below Memphis. He could seldom
secure good men for officers, and in the
eastern counties no had to depend en-
tirely upon negroes for soldiers.
Very respectfully,
HORACE PORTER, A. ID. G.