The Van Buren press., 1870-04-12
" Stealing the Livery Of Heaven to Serve
the Devil In"


- In our issue of the I'D of March, We
teok occasion, in our humble way, to
comment upon the course deemed by us
most proper and patriotic for the Demo
cratic party TO pursue in the approaching
campaign. Our remarks were drawn out
by an article appearing in the Little Rocl
Gazette, in which the editors of that jour
nal took ground against holding Demo
cratic State Convention. Our remarks
were dictated by a spirit of Cancellation
and prompted BY an earnest desire to SET
the State relieved from its load of op
preston, and freed from tho power OF
the political vampires. who are sucking
her life blood. This, we deemed lauda-
Die, and had no snch wild dream as that
the organ of the party ofpeace' would
he the first and only journal to he found
frowning upon our humble effort. Yet
such is the case! The Weekly RepuJlf-
can of the 9th inst, comes to us bearing
the unenviable freight of two long articles,
in which an attempt is made to nuetral
ize the effect Of our demand for coNcir-
rXrrox and PEACE, This sheet bears at
its masthead the unmeaning motto :
1.-THE Union of our Fathers, and the
Equality Of All Men before the Law y
and pretends to a leadership in the "par-
ty Of peace" in Arkansas. With this
livery of" peace" Heaven born, this jour
nal proposes to have peace by stirring up
old issues, and calling hard names.
The Democratic party did oppose all
the innovations upon our Constitution,
since the war, and this party will he found
ever ready to defend its action at the tri-
bunal Of the future. Its skirts arc clear
Of tho crime Of changing our form OF
Government from a separate State Sow
sreignty, rs designed by its founders, to
Consolidated Central Government. But
these issues are dead and belong to the
past. The PRONUNCIATION ofthc Fifteenth
Amendment has completely changed the
theory of our American institutions, and
we are now to do the best We can, under
our new form of Government. And now
has the Repu1lieoa newspaper amonopo-
ly of the patriotism Of the country? Are
the editors Of that journal the special Gus
todians Of the political sanctuary Are
they the autocrats of public opinion
win the people Of Arkansas submit to
their dictation, and permit them to close
the doors and forbid the advocacy ofreal
peace and real reform9 Are we, who are
outsiders, Justified in the belief that these
men who cry "peace peace y SO Justify,
are only crying out to prevent honest
men from detecting their attempts to
plunder the peoples Are we to believe
that mono can 60. to their political jubilee,
unless their hats are chalked by JNo. G..
PMeE9 Having had public preferment,
was his conduct SO blameless as to leave
no suspicion of want of sincerity in his
repeated protestations of honesty in the
Radical ranks and insncerity and double
dealings in Democratic ranks The CT
cathedra style in which he takes us to
task for processing to desire return of
true peace and prosperity to our State, is
truly grand! One would think him one
Of the first settlers Of Arkansas; one who
had grown gray within her borders and
whose love for her, and devotion to her
welfare had never ceased to burn brightly
In his heart, throughout his long sojourn.
We would naturally picture to ourselves
this veteran, surrounded by his jewels,
to whom it has been the pride of his life
to teach "peace, good will toward men"
and love for Arkansas. Disintercsted in
every thought, having long served the
State. and asked no reward, he would
naturally claim grand-fathers right to
advise his offspring with some degree of
assurance. Is Price the original of this
pictureY The Journals Of the House of
Representatives Of Arkansas will shed
some light upon the question: ut is
better to dwell in the corner Of the house
top, than in large house with brawl
ing woman" and SO thought many Re
publicans in the House Of Representa-
tives, and invited Mr.. Price to take his
exit. Now, he is to be the manager of
affairs and to inform Democrats that, be-
cause they opposed negro suffrage and
other Innovations ofdoubtful policy, y,they
cannot aid in the grand work ofrelicviug
the State from the incubus that now op
presses her. That although these limo.
vntions are irrctricvably fixed upon the
country, still Democrats must be branded
@ "rebcls," /" ku.klux' and other cpl
thets 90 dear to the Republican press OF
tho Price order. Has 1t come to this,
that when Republicans desire to do away
with the, anti-republican measures that
have characterized the history of the leg
islation Of the country, for some years
past, that no Democrat shall lend his
humble God speed" to the great work