The Van Buren press., 1872-12-24
Convention of Fourth January.

/ Tie solution Of the difficulties, politically
/ of our State is truly one that should engage
the attention OF all thinking men, who in hon
| esty aud sincerity love and reverence the in
stitution of our country. Our State is In a
perilous condition. The present presents to
us an outlook by no means cheering The
fact of the Clayton faction having called for
troops Ia aid in the Inauguration of Judge
Baxter. is direct confession OF weakness. Ii
Bax ter has L majority in the state. that ma
! jority can certainly inaugurate him. II he
has not then the strong arm of the Federal
Government is invoked to force upon us a
Governor not Of our selection or choice. Judge
Baxter said at Spadra, that, If he was not
fairly elected by the voice ofa majority ofth
people, he did not want the Office and rouid
not dceeytn. lie was either honest or not in
this prct-nsion. fhone.t, he mus; at least
discOuntenance the palpable frauds perpetra-
ted by the Radical or Clayton faction. in or
der to secure the ostensibe election of him
self and other candidates on the Clayt ton tick
ct We caunot suppose that he will lend him
self as an instrument to carry out these
frauds, without concluding that he was dis
honest and insincere in his pledges. But we
have had sufficient experience in Arkansas
politics, and sufficient acquaintance with Ar
kansas politicians to know that Baxter ,com
90 back Oh hjs party-and that in one way or
another, Baxter will be inaugurated. Federal
troops and Gatlin guns can do the work and
they ought to do it We admonished the peo-
ii, ~ l..at nd tIay han
ly admoni.hed throughout the country that
il they indorsed the policy of the Republican
party, 10y re-clecting Grant, that they could
hope for nothing In the future The Repub-
lican party has been a party, advocating a
ti6g0l interpretation Of the Constitution, and
all their interpretations have been in favor
of Capitalization. This being true, and lelv-
ing out OF account the frauds, peculations aud
bribery Of Republican Office holders it was
the duty OF the people to hurl them from
power through the instramentality of the
ballot. For reasons best known to individual
electors, til, was not done Grant has four
years lease Of power, and with a two thirds
joint vote in Congress he is invincible. An
amendment to the constitution TO make the
Office OF President life Office, cannot be pre-
vented, because they have asulcient number
OF State Legislatures to carry Ii. BY. the aid
of the election laws, the presen. incumbent
of the presidential Office, can be chosen at the
election in 1876, to fiji the olllce FOR life under
the Constitution, as it may in the mean time
be amended The dominant party have the
courts. Look at our sister Louisiana. Durell
il but a tool la the hands OF the admlnstra-
tion or Grant party. If we resort to the
courts we will find that sauce for the goose
is. not, sauce FOR the gander. and we will
be beaten. Ii we get a. far as the famous
Dorr case. the political department Is adverse
to us. What is left? Let all patriots pause
and reflect upon this question: The ballot
useless; the courts partisan; the legislatures
all adverse; the people robbed in open day of
their rights, and their dearest rights too
What next? Can any one answer?