The Van Buren press., 1873-02-04
ADDRESS
Of the Committee Appointsd by the Re.
form Csnpentiox Of the All Of
January, 1873, to tho Pso'
pie Of the State of N IS
Arkansds.

FrLLow CITIZENS On The 22d oi
May, 1873, a convention OF Reform Re
publicans met in the city OF Little Rsck
and adopted platform denounelng the
corruptioas Of the F" Sts.e House Ring,
and nominated State ticket with the
Hon Joseph Brooks ut it's head.
| On the 18th Of June following. a very
large convention of the Democratic asd
Conservative party assembled alss in Lit
tie Rock, and after f,il and exhaustive
discussion by an overwhelming majority
adopted series OF resolutions, whereby
they accepted or endorsed the platform
adopted by the convention Of Reform Re
lpob Q IL. O. the 22d Of May; denounced
the Ola, ton Haulsy administration de-
clined to place State ticket in the field,
ana appointed = COMMITTEES OF fifteen to
act win like committees of the Reform
Republica party and the Liberal Rspub
hcan parry IN THE CONDUCT OF THE sN'
SUING CAMPAIGN
| lac several committees soon met, AND
decided that is was absolutely necessary
prompt and efficient action in conduct
ing campaign which required almost
dsiiy meetings of the committee) that
sub committee bs selected composed OF
three members from each of said com
mit.ees, to be known as the Campaign
coAnittoe.
On the oath OF August there was full
meeting Of all the committees, and the
State tcket nominated by the convention
oi the 22d Of May was modified aud agreed
upon, and the canvass commenced in
earnest
The Reform ticket, including a MAORI
ty oil the Legislature, was trlunphantly
elected, and the " Campaign commttse ;"
50 announced in their address. The du
ties and responsibilities Of that commit
tee slossd with the campaign and the
summing up and announcement Of the re-
turns.
Seon after this it became evident TO the
friends Of the Reform movement At the
capital, that CLAYTON, Hadlcy, Mcclure d
Co. intended by manipulating and "dsc-
toring" the returns, and by throwing
out counties and townships to "count in
and inaugurate'tho Baxter ticket, and q
majority Of both houses Of the lsgsla-
turc aud the couAty offices. This being
the case, it was necessary that some &C
ton he taken by the people in regard ts
the matter. and a meeting of all those in
favor Of the Reform movement without
regard to party was called here, and rec
flaHpfuetsd ththal lRsaple Of ths .aIsls WIG
tion at Little Rock on the 4sh of January
1873, for tho purpose Of consolidating oil
the evidences of fraud which had besn
committed during the canvass, and after,
and devise some means whereby the will
Of the people As expressed at the ballot
box on the 9th Of November could be
carried cut and the officers whom thoy
had chosen inauo urated.
Notwithstanding the threats Of the
usurpers to arrest the delegates FOR trea-
son, and the lad weather, and the per-
sisteat opposition OF Minstrel Democrats
here At the capital, a respectable conven
ton did meet on the 4th OF January, and
they decided unanimous that it would
be folly to contest before = legislature .
majority Of whom wers-aot elected, but
obtained their seats by fraud and ballet
box stuliing.
The convention decided that II was
best to organize legislature which was
really elected by the voters OF the State,
and inaugurats Joseph Brooks, Who was
really elected Geverner, aHd thus make
the issue and thus ask the Congress OF
the United States to decids which was the
lawful government Of this State.
The members of tho Legislature who
were permitted by the grace and favor OF
CLAYTON IL co to cit in the General As.
senibly declined to act with US In carry
ing out this programme.
W. believe they have made fatal mis-
txke, but we make no war upon them,
and concede that they were NOT prompt
ed by corrupt motives, but acted upon
what they conserved to be their duty
TO their constituents.
The people Of this State We believe can
expect no,oing good from Legislature
large number Of whom have obtained
their seats by fraud, and are not in fact
the representatives Of the people; and
our members who have decided to ac'
| Win tnem WIN Iluu VI bueII sVTToW sH"
they are in hopeless minority, and ar'
utterly powerless t. effect any good Ia
the way of legislation. As well expect :
corrupt tree to bring forth good fruit
a. expect sst Of unscrupulous plumber
ers OF the people to dc them justice By
honest aud liberal lsgislation.v Thei
promises are the pro Of the usurps
and robber who has demanded "you
money or your life "
We take il for granted that men whit
have knowingly obtained their seats b.
stutilng ballet boxes sre net the kind o
men 10 be trusted.
New in srdsr that you may see an
know, AID Congress and the whole coun
try may see and know, the outragsou
frauds which have been committed in th
|, late canvass and since, We will procss'
to show the specific frauds in each conn
, ty. and show the true vote 10 sctusll
east: -
, STATEMENT OF FRAUDS.
BFSroN COUNTY. gf.,I...
IT.. urac;nct. vs,a redused from 16 4