The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-08
FROM WASHING TON.

WASHINGTON, January IA despatch was
reeeiVe1 Inls morning ~ fie HaUy te
North Atlantic Squadron, dated Flagship Con-
tocook, Havana, January l, which says that
that vessel is in excellent condition. II is his
desire TO visit other points of the command In
Lis flag. ship, but the Consul General reports
that the excitement continues on shore. The
Gettysburg was employed in conveying the
ca BILE steamer between Key West and Havana.
The Penobscot was cruising on the coast OF
toned at Aspinwall. During the early part of
December she conveyed the Hon. Caleb Oush-
ing to Cartbagena The Nipsic was cruising in
Haytien waters.
The FOLLOWING official report, relating to affairs
in Arkansas, has been received at General Grants
headquarters, from General Horace Porter, OF his
staff:
General Babcock and arrived here two days ago.
SO many contradictory reports have been circulated
in regard to Governor Clayton's militia that it may
be well for you to know the facts in the case. The
present State government certainly in some
danger previous to the Presidential election. Sena-
tor Barker had been shot and wounded badly; Up
ham, of the lower House, wounded, and Kinds and
McCand, Freedmens Bureau agent, killed, and
other agents and United States marshal driven
from their posts by threats. The Governor, Sena-
tor Rice, and others, had to sleep in the State
House under guard, for fear of assassination.
The Governor wisely Tefrained from taking any
violent measures until after the election, fearing
the opposition might make capital out of it. As
soon as the election was over, however, he organ
lied militia force of about eight hundred men,
one-fOuTth cOlOred, under General Catterson, in
the southwest, and Upham in the northeast, with
solutely necessary and giving vouchers. His IN,
tenton is to pay all loyal holders of vouchers and
no others. Two assasslns nave already Deen exc
cuted by sentence of a military commission, seven
teen others are in prison, and great number have
been out of the State. But the best result
can is the disposition of nearly all business
men to voluntarily enroll themselves as a posse,
pledged to assist the sheris to arrest lawless cha
racters if the Governor will relieve them from
martial law He has accepted many such pledges,
and martial law now exists i'll parts OF but seven
counties.
party were opposed to the declaration OF martial
law, including General Smith, U. s. A., command
reign of terror established by the rebels, utwaned
the United States troops to make the arrests Gov
ernor med IN iaaHs iayor troo oI ms Pocy
know the people and the country. The lawlessnes
we have while the United States troops are in the
vicinity, and it breaks out worse than ever when
they leave. The rebels are generally ANXIOUS to
have them, as it creates an expenditure of money
in their midst, from which they reap benefit. The
militia Furnishes all the disloyal, and eXtorts
| pledges from them to support the laws:
AS these people have threatened to break up the
State government as soon as the United States
troops are removed, this teaches them that the
State is able to protect itself The militia has beer
under tolerably good control, and the plunderinl
reported in the press is the taking of supplies under
| orders. One negro militaman committed rape OF
| white woman but was Immediately arrested b!
| General CattersOn, who seems to be very goo(
man, tried, convicted, and promptly executed.
The Governors policy has no doubt seriously in
terfered with business where martial law has beer
| proclaimed, and injured business men of all par
ties. Hence the opposition from loyalists. 1t ha
| interfered with travel, taken OFF hands for th
1 militia at a season when they are badly needed
aud created many panics. 1t, however, has &C
complished much more good than the most san
| guine expected and General Smith acknowledge
that he thought the Governors judgmentwa bette
than his own and that the result would fully justi
the action of the former. The Governor is now dis
posed to relieve each county from martial law a
soon it can safely be done. The Governor is Ger
tainly man of intelligence and nerve, and ha
labored under difficulties that would have deterre
a less able officer. Four thousand arms seize
by the Kuklux and thrown off the boat below Mem
phis He could seldom secure good men for Offices
and in the eastern counties he had to depend en-
tirey upon negroes for soldiers.
Very respectfully, HORACE PORTER, A. d. G.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-General Grant goes t.
Baltimore in about ten days to attend tn
meeting of the Peabody Institute.
| Senator Stewart to- day received q telegram
informing him that he had been unanimously
nominated in the Union caucus for re- election
to the Senate of the United States from Nevada
| The Legislature consists of 50 members, O
whom only are Democrats.
| John Minor Bolts is reported to be lying dan
gerously i'll at his residence in Culpeper, Va.