New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-05
ARKANSAS.
STATE LEGIsLATIOy-IIAs ARKANSAS A REPUB-
LICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT "A SOUTHERN


STATE LEGISLATION-UAS ARKANSAS HfftB-
LICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT IA SOUTHERN
TAMMANY.
TO the EGttOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: Much has been said of the corruption
In the Southern States but failed to observe that
any one, outside the State, has dOno moro than cast
distant glance at the true state OF Tammanyisin IL Ar
kansas. A recapiulatlon OF those portions OF our
Constitution and laws which furnish at once tho
proof and the power OF most wicked conspiracy
against the rights Of our people, will convince you
that IL Is alone the public sentiment OF the North that
we must look for succOr, completely arc the people
here in the hands and at the mercy OF orr Governor
While our state debt such has not been increased moro
than 100000 sl2OD0OOO contingent and all mot so
much as others yet The pundcrng has been mono
the less being only distributed among larger number
of officials and thus partially hidden from public scru-
tiny For example, the aggregate OF the salaries OF tho
clerks and seris of the State Is larger than the steal
ings-enOrmOus they must be admitted to De-of the
Administration officials stationed at the capitol at Little
Rock. Thus the salary OF tho Clerk OF Pulaski County Is
estimated at $4,000 per annum; that OF tho Sheriff.
$4,000 WHILE before Claytons administration, they were
scarcely so many hundreds. These merely by way OF
Illustration. Tho conspraors seem to hayo had
double object in vew political, the other financial;
the one all the official power Of the State, tho
other render that power exceedingly profitable. AS
the Constitution itself had TO be subjected to the scrutiny
Of Congress- II deemed advisable, in order to avoid
pearance OF aiming only at speedy reconstructOn yet
under that appearance, 10 ample power to tho
Legislature and at the tme determine the appoint
ment dor it certainly not elcctlOn) Of Legia-
their liking Hence the following sections Of the
schedule 10 the constitution.
Section Of the schedule cOners upon those members OF
the Convention power appoint the judges and clerks
OF election throughout the State and TO hold the elections
as long as they think proper under this power they
hold the elections continuously for several weeks in
some places Section gave these power to inquire
into the fairness OF the elections and TO reject any and
all they might deem proper. Section gave them
power to declare the officers elected under tie Con-
stitution." Hence my remark that they appointed
Legislature which no intelligent man here supposes
was ever elected by the people, The proper Legislature
having thus assured. Article ", Section 81, OF tie
Constitution confcrs upon this Legislature power to de-
clare what offices vacant and how they shall be
filed where provision for this purpose Is made in tho
Constitution taking care to make no provision for the
election Of the agents OF taxation and electons).
Various sections under the Interpretation acted upon
by thcauhortes, confer upon the Governor the power
appoint and lin most cases) 20 remove me ChcrJusce
The Supreme Court ali the Judges OF al inferior courts
and to fill all vacancies but under the supervision OF the
legislature they were unwilling 70 have It impedod by
an obstinate GoyernGr 80 Artiee w. Sf,ion %. yLnaiy
thus empowered and thus selected tho following
laws, SHOCKING well u decency as to all or
IDEAS OF republican government, were. enacted;
Fist. with reference to their political schemes.
the usual Acknowledgement clauses (ee Article yIIIJ;
bt Article ", Section 25 confers upon the Legislature
&C.. and under this provision Article XIX Of the Legs,
atnre approved July l 1863 gave the Governor power
other counties than the TO be registered ee Sec
ton y. This latter provision owed its existence
that his registers suited 10 his work.
Section gives HIN power to remove them a, will thus
making them responsible alone to him Section gives
these Instruments Of the Governor power to eject voters
ana felfio
redistribution thus arbitrary is completed, the registers
Of each county a eet as 10 S ANA
that any voters lett of they shall be put on the list
T IN f G% y fTs a 9nSS o
without further ado. Section ~ that the whole ma
the Governor forbds appeal 70 the courts from this
arbitrary registration. Let illustrate the by
out OF 400 DISTINGUISHED by the registers
at the first, yet when the voting took place.
stricken out without notice TO Them and without known
Some thus stricken out had been Federal soldiers
and had never lived South until since the Rebellion Al
some Of the precincts the reglsers asked each voter
viii therefore not be surprised that the Census
OF 1870 shows 10000 males over 81 years Of
books on file in the Secretary Of States
office saOTs snd only by s so t, G
cast at the election of 1870! You win also be able to
SpT S ta himself
to the United States Senate In some counties admitting
turns part Of the Republican part Of the Democratic
Ss sson aes to- sy ade to
stand, too, how utterly poweress are tho voters Of
the state. But the Legislative Is not the only depart
Judiciary also feels almost no responsibility to the pe0
pie but to the Governor Indeed under the nerpreta
tiOn-actcd upon by the authorities hereof the COnst
tuition there IL scarcely official in the State who feels
proper relation to the people. 1t was from this vast
sOreLOuse OF patronage and power, thus conferred
well by Interpretation as by positive act, that Gov
Clayton was enabled to pay, aud did actually pay
mann har nffh a
last Legislature who voted for him for the Senate Has
Arkansas then republican government even in formi
IT, render KY as sei gGweF prSao tine Tine
officers very largely aud increased the salaries OF all to
such extent that whereas prior to Claytons admins
traton 1t had never required more than from 100000
TO annually to meet the expenses OF the State it
now requires 100000 annually. And Article XIV, Section
makes the saes ana ices Oh o S payable in the
all this money from an impoverished people,
hue law which was approved April 8, 1900 Section 80
gives the Governor power To appoint tho As
brides the to largely az possible by
paying him pcrcentgc on the tax levied his
ncnt Sections Al the former act swcars the as.
sess0r that no Will not appraise unusty ut moro
than tho true value but that he has not appraised at
thus irresponsible to those whom he assesses, and
sponsiblo alone to the Governor who can re.
assessor should perchance, have some little sscepti.
opinion merely. tho assessor has appraised largely
enough 10 Increase, but ain no case 10 reduce tho
amount returned by the assessorv Under such system
II will not DO q matter " surprise that much OF
the property OF the State is assessed at more
than twice what II would sell for ut public
yenduc. Tho method Of appeal from this iniqutous
system Of cOnfscation Is even moro ubiquitous still
Section Go constitutes tho and the clerk with
two other officials. as the Court Of Appeal from the
tion Of the ana tho clerk That H. tho accused
parties are the jury to try themselves But lest
they should rclent, they are uin0nished In the same
section that they may raise the valuation OF any tract
&c., but IN no case may they reduce tho aggregate
Returned by the with tho additions of the clork"
That b.. II the aggregate be unjust Ivy millions y may not
Doe reduced yet they may take from ana put on 10
nnnl Dor InlIN lInl mus llYns unlnn.nl nnunrIn