The Van Buren press., 1871-04-25
Honeat John Edwards.


What the Democratic papers In his District
say:
On the question of striking out the clause
of the Shellabarger ku-klux bill giving the
president authority to suspend the writ OF
habeas corpus. which was lost by vote OF loo
to l0l. Messrs. Edwards and Hanks voted ior
and Snider against tt. On the final passage
of the bill, Edwards and Snider voted for
and Hanks against it. The democracy of the
81 district will remember this vote of General
Edwards. Little Rock GG@ede.
The remarks of Gen Edwards, in this paper
will be found of interest. The General ADMITS
that there were considerable unlawful com
binations 10 resist the legal authorities" and
that the prompt action of the Executive
soon overcome them" We were not aware
that any such combinations to resist legal au-
thority ever existed. nor did we before know
that Clayton's militia ever did much good TO-.
wards establishing "peace and tranquility
in Arkansas. Gen. Edwards while lauuihg
Clayton's militia. condemns his registration.
and takes very decided grounds In iavor OF
general amnesty, Ia bill to secure which, has
PASSED. partly through his influence. the
House by a vote of lag TO 46. lhe course Vi
Gen. Edwards. just now, appears TO be some,
what mysterious. We hope he Will be iouno
all right at the outcome. and we predict ne
will.-fott Smith Herald.
You predicted too that Honest John would
be all right on tile Income" and we hope
you will not be disappointed on the "out-
go."
THE KU-KLux BnL.-The Ku klux bill
which ha, passed the lower house OF congress
is the SUN of all yillanies," and Is the most
dangerous blow that has ever been struck at
,.t
for no other purpose than To control anu IN
fu nee the next Presidential election, where
by the Radical party may be kept IN power
and Grant reelected to the Presidency. 1t
enables the President to declare martial law
and suspend the writ OF hdbeds corpus IN any
State where unlawful combinations exist anc
are so powerful rs to overthrow or set at ue-
hance the constituted authorities OF the state
or in any State where the constituted author
titles shall connye at or be in completely with
such unlawful combinations. This Is noun
ing more or less than a determination on the
part of the President and congress, TO over
awe the people into submission to all the uh
lawful acts that have been passed by ooh-
oress Whenever an
election is to be held, all that will be nece.-
sary for Grant to do will be to declare martial
law in the Democratic States, thus prevent
ing am election in them. and giving an easy
victory to the radicals. And this was Tue
whole object Of the bill. Neither the Trainer
of the bill. nor those who voted for it, believe
thouSandth part of the ku klux stories
that have been manufactured for the occas-
ion. Notwithstanding that here in Arkansas
perfect peace and quiet reign throughout the
state. according to Clayton's account. IA thou
sand and one stories have been invented or
ku klux outrages, which have no foundation
in fact whatever, and we doubt not the same
l. the case in other states. This bill then can
but be regarded as an unmittigated outrage
upon the liberties of the people, and calculat-
ed TO result more disastrously to the peace
and welfare of the country than any among
the countless infamous acts that have been
committed by the Radical party --Arkadel-
phia Standard.
The above extracts are from one of the
soundest democratic papers in the district.
Our friend GAuLDISG, however, was not
aware at the time of writing, that our rep
resentative in Congress, Gen. Edwards, voted
fer it.
Hon. JoHS EDwARDs.-This gentleman is
the Representative in the Forty Second Con-
gress from this. the third Congressional Dis
trict of Arkansas. He attained this position
by they votes of the Democracy of the District
not receiving exceeding five hundred repub-
lican votes; but received the entire demo
cratic strength upon the promise Of carrying
out liberal policy towards the Southern
States. How he has, thus tar kept his oft re-
peated promises, can be told in few wOrd>
The first bill that comes up, of Importance tC
the South. is the infamous ku klux bill, one
of the most odious and oppressive measures
towards the South that has yet passed Con
gress; and we confess to our great surprise
we find the Hon Representative from thi.
District supporting the measure From al
such "liberality good Lord deliver us
There is no excuse or apology that can be Of
fered to a confding constituency. He may
perhaps refer his constituency 10 his liberia
policy and speech made on the Enfranchise
ment bill but we will inform the gentleman
that this will avail him nothing. as ten thou
sand speeches and votes on the cnfranchise
ment bill would fail 20 wipe out the black re
cord he has made in voting for the capston
of our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Democrat.