The Van Buren press., 1870-09-20
The Fort Smith Convention.
l.. our brief career we have attended
several conventions. and have bod 20 lo,I

before witnessed. We have always been
believer IN tue doctrine oftotal deprav-
ity, but never having been a minister of
the gospel, have not made the subject
one of much study. Brother Brooks has.
For years he preached the doctrine, and
since his association with james l..
Hodges has attempted to prove, and to
our mind has proved, by practice, that
the theory is correct when applied to him
self. Hodges long since earned the re-
putation Of being the Wirz of Arkansas,
and the public long since ceased to be
surprised at his suggestions or acts.
On the way TO the convention at Fort
Smith, they declared, as we are informed,
by a gentleman of yeracity who went up
on the boat with them, that they were go
ing to the convention and intended to
nominate Boles or break the convention
up in row. At Fort Smith they held a
caucus at.which Judge Boles was present.
In that caucus Hodges was advocating
the propriety of sending the steamboat
Little Rock down to Van Buren to bring
up sufficient number of roughs and
yagabonds, to intimidatc and control the
temporary organization Of the conven-
ton, and thus force the nomination of
Boles, whether or not he has the choice
of the Republicans of the district At
this suggestion Judge Boles hunchod a
friend Of ours in the ribs approyingly,
and remarked that Hodge, understood
how to run the thing. Brooks, after the
Wirz Of Arkansas had made this sugges-
ton, said to bring the men, and to be
careful to bring those that "struck from
the shoulder"
Our informant says that Judge Boles
did not disapproye Of this manner of con
trolling the convention, but on the contra
ry, approved it. The steamboat was not
sent for fear it would attract attention,
but in lieu Of it, they sent to the livery
stables and hired carriages and sent them
to Van Buren, and elsewhere for men, who
in the clerical language of the Rev Jo-
scph Brooks, "wOuld strike from the
shoulder" On the morning of the con.
vention the owner of the building used as
a court room by the county, came to Mr..
Dell, tie chairman of the Congressional
Central Committee, and protested against
the use of the room for holding the con
vention, on the ground that it was unsafe.
The County Judge, the Sheriff and Clerk
joined in the request Of the owner Of the
building, and asked Mr.. Dell TO get some
other place to hold the convention Ed
Brooks, q resident Of Fort Smith and
warm friend Of Boles, and all other
f" Brindle-Tail came to Dell and urged
him to abandon all idea of holding the
convention in the court room, and sug-
gested as q suitable place the City Hall,
or q grove near the city, TO this last re-
quest, which Mr. Dell presumed to be
made by the manager of the Bolos inter
est, Mr.. Dell replied by saying that he
would see if another building could be
secured. Mr. Dell succeeded in getting
the Colorcd Baptist Church in which to
hold the convention, and had notices
printed and distributed over the city for
over half an hour before the time at which
the convention was to be held. When
the Boles men saw these posters, they
tore them up and went into the court
room, which they themselves had declar-
ed unsafe, and proceeded to hold what
they called a convention, and nominated
Judge Boles for Congress. The Repub-
licans met at the Colored Baptist Church
and waited until they were advised that
Brooks, Hodges and Boies had broken
into the court room and were holding
convention Of their own, whereupon they
were called to order by the Chairman Of
the Central Committee Of the District
On the thirty-third ballot, Mr. Deb with
drew his name from the convention rs o
candidate and Judge Searlc was nomina-
ted by acclamation. In the convention
that nominated Judge Boles, there were
not five counties represented by delegates
chosen at conventions called by the
County Central Committees. With the
exception of three counties there was no
regularity in their proceedings. Over
onc-third Of the counties were represent.
ed by proxy, and we are advised that the
persons who held these proxies, disre-
garded The wishes of the Republicans by
entering a boilers convention.
To Judge Boles we have no personal
objection, and socially he is clever gen
tleman and we shall ever 50 regard him,
but in our opinion his action in not op-
posing the repeal Of the two dollar and q
half clause as to the lands of the l., Il.
and +. S. Railroad, we did not then and
do not now approve his action. In that
matter he, either by negligence OF. silent
acquiescence, espoused the interest ofthe
Railroad and deserted the interest of his
constituents. We knew that neither his
record, or that of Senators Rice and Nc
Donald would bear the test of scrutiny
on this subject, and had hoped the friends
Of Boles would not urge his claims for a
denomination but Senator's Rice and Me
Donald seeing that II refusal to rcnomi-
nate Boles for his action on that question
wonld be equally censurc upon them
selves, have concluded to make him the
cats paw of the occasion. and have made
the issue for the purpose of suffering q
defeat of the Legislature and Congress
siona ticket this fall, to the end that the
vote of Rice may be forgotten before
March, 1878, at which time he expects to
make an effort to harmonizc and unite
all the strength of the Republican party
on himself This viii no do, and their
acts and votes on that question will not
be forgotten by the people they have
wronged. To be forewarned is to be fore
armed we shall elect the Senate and a
Republican Legislature in spite Of these
men, The time has now come for The