The Van Buren press., 1872-10-15
Address of the Democratic State Cen
tral Committee
Roous OF Dem STATE CEN, Con-, !
Little Rock, Ark, Oct. 3, 1872 !


To the members Of the Democratic and
Conservative party Of the State OF Ar
kansas:
FELLOW CITIZENS Upon the "a day
OF October there appeared in the columns
of the Gazette an address, purporting to
come from the Liberal Republican Com
mittee, containing a new ticket for State
officers, and accompanied by an address
from self styled committee ofDemocrals
recommending that such ticket be sup,
ported by the people Of Arkansas. 1t has
since been disclos.qs,.Y,,st this address en-
ansted from only tNorra members OF the
Liberal Repubicojhila. 'mittee, whose
action was whollps7' q enas'u GREAT H!Gi was
taken without the faction of the Liberal
Republican Committee, and without any
meeting of said committee having been
called or requested by the chairman there
of. But as this action is designed to af-
feet Democratic votes, we as the repre-.
sentatives of the Democratic Convention
Of June last feel called upon to again al
dress you, warning you against a move
ment which, if it should succeed in divld-
ing tho Democratic and Conservative vote
OF the State, as it is designed to do, will
inevitably result in the defeat OF tho Ro-
form party, and the success Of the Clay
ton Baxter ticket.
Concerning the action Of these three
members Of the Liberal Republican Com
mittee, in thus putting forth this ticket,
n nnthipr snthnIlt atINplN
1t is beyoud our province to control
their action, and not within our sphere
to regulate their conduct. We leave 1t
to the sound judgment and the sense Of
honor OF the people, to say now much
good faith and zeal for the relief Of The
distresses Of the people Is manifested IN
al effort to distract votes from the reform
movement, when to do so will only result
in prolonging the power OF the Infamous
Minstrel party, for whose overthrow all
good men should labor 1t is only prop
or for us as committee to speak OF the
course that Democrats and Conservatives
should pursue in the cyigency presented
by this recent move; and upon this point
We consider that the duty Of all is too
and too urgent to admit Of Hesitation
or doubt.
The convention Of the party, which
assembled in this city upon the 18th Of
June, composed entirely Of members Of
purely Democratic principles, the best
and sagest men in its ranks, and tie true
representative men Of its principles after
patient and mature deliberatiOn, pitched
the plan of the campaigl upon line
which had heretofore been warmly adyo
charged this committee with the duty Of
consummsting that plan.
Undoubtedly the people OF tuc State
considered themselves bound by the ac-
tion Of those whom they had sent to rep
resent them in that convention and, from
the previous tone Of the press, were dis
posed to accept and chcerfully abide by
the decision thus announced. But,unfor-
,unately, where we felt authorized to look
for encouragement and support, we met
only opposition and resistance, even from
our ewn organ at tho capitalize Ga
zette. Bad counsel was disseminated and
grave errors propagated, among the peo-
ple, to such an extent as TO demand oill-
cial interference and even this WAS met
with a sullen and determined resistance,
When, however, this committee, in pur-
suancc of the direction Of the con.
yention, met in this city and
conferred with the respective committees
Of the two reform wings Of the RepubIl'
can party, and in the name Of the Demo
cratic party, and as they were authorized
to do, agreed to the arrangement OF a
ticket, with Joseph brooks at its head, as
the common ticket Of their respective
parties for the coming campaign, the dis
satisfaction previously engendered seem
ed to be allayed Even sundry persons,
who now appear as participants in this
recent move, who took part in said con,
ference, either personally or by their rep
resentatiyes gave in their adhesion to tho
action, and promised their support, and
rni,oo N =. address Recommending the
ticket therein agreed upon, to tho rrooPle'
This committee in this public address,
setting forth the cxjgencies Of the hour,
recommended the support Of this ticket
to the peops at large, and the public
generally accepted it as the final adjust
mont of tho campaign and the canvass
began We urged then as We do now,
that the action OF the conventions and OF
the committee in rurs~sc WagNs ATec-
tions, rendered thais clrsgfs Of the Dem
ocratic party in honet bound to support
the Reform ticket as asEecd upon.
The people everywhere have not only
assumed this obligation with zeal and in
perfect good faith, but hays welcomed
the eXponents OF the movement with an
unparalleled enthusiasm. Tho march Of
the candidates Of reform has everywhere
been triumph and though in partleu
lar directions aid and comfort was ex-
tended to the enemy by throwing open
channels Of communications with the
Democratic masses, to the offensive wca
pons Of their deadliest advsrsares; and
though some confusion followed. in Ger
tain places, from Unauthorized and insnb
ordinate efforts TO control local affairs,
the campaign proceeded vigorously and
brilliantly with fine prospect for hap
py termination, and tae consequent re
lief OF the people, when suddenly this
ticket, from an unauthorized fragment OF
the Liberal Republican committee Is
thrust before us.
The conduct of all Democrats support
inc this movement il deserving Of the
sternest censure There is too much at
stake to permit Democrats to stull'iy