The Van Buren press., 1873-03-18
Square Dealing! -!

We find the following sweet morscl In the
Fort Smith Herald of the 18th, and fully con-
cur in the structures Of that paper:
Some time ago gentleman in this city
picked up the following interesting docu-
ment; and rs the Herald advertiscs so many
lost and found, " the finder placed thi,
letter a. our disposal; and believing it to be
our duty to make such things known, We
publish 1t for the benefit of all concerned.
Here it's
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. Nov. II, 1873.
JAMES 5. WEST ESQ.,
Dear Oid Friend: You have the Grand Jury
to indict =. X. Smith and Zeb NJ pettigrew.
and have them arrested this court aud that
will tie them up 50 the Governor will net
commission them, and he will have to COM
mission me and Glliland, as he cannot COM
mission them while under arrest; and then
they will have TO bring suit against and
Gilliland, and We can put it oil from one court
TO another, and keep them out for a long
time, il We cannot beat them In the end.
ook to this matter, and tail not This is on
the square. Yours Fraternaily,
q. W. NJ. REED.
This letter 10 written on a letter head
marked Reed Ferguson" anu is rerbafim
as we give it.
The writer il unknown to u.s. The parties
mentioned in the letter, Smith and Pettierew.
we lave known long and we'll Gilliand we
do not know. nor James ). West, Esq But
the facts, as We believe them to be are these
At the recent general election, in Washing
ton county. Reed was a candidate for the Of
flee of clerk; which office, we learn, be held
piior TO that election. Gillian WAS candi-
date Tor sheriff. smith was the opponent of
Reed. and Pettisrew of Gilliland, and smith
and Pcttigrcw were elected 10 the respective
offices, over Reed and Gilliland. jaime. y,
West Esq we find, by reference to our files
was member the last petit Jury. and from
Washington county. Reed and Gililand we
learn, are both Radicals. Smith and Pettigrcw
are both Democrats; and rs such, they must
be defeated by some means or other.
Here, we find an attempt made to have
these men indicted, for no cause nor crime.
only that two Radicals may be foisted 10, or
kept in Office. and two Democrats Kept out.
after having been elected by the people.
Whether the subject of the letter. was
handled ION the square. by the grand Jury.
or an attempt made to indict Smith and Pet
tigrew, we have no means OF knowing. How
ever, that they were not indicted. and the
ends of justice defeated by swindling them
out Of the position to which they were elected,
anu ihc peopl' OUT OF thelr cholcc, does not
appear to be the fault Of the writer
We can find no language that would be suf-
lietcntly severe on tho man who would at
tempt to elect any purpose In such vile and
base manner; and We must say. that with
such men us the writer OF that document to
direct and control our grand juries, and cspe-
cially under Minstrel rule with endorsement,
backing and protection for the perpetrators
o; such frauds, il is no wonder that our coun-
try Is accursed and until such blight" aud
influence shall have been removed. we may
not lock for that peace the country wants,
nor for that purity which should ever char
acterize our grand jurics
We publish the letter for the benefit Of our
readers We publish It, too, so that our Fay
ettcvilc friends, and our friends IN the North
western counties may know what kind Of
men they have amongst them, AMI what kind
ofconduct they will stoop to in order to carry
out their party purposes.