Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-10-09

LITTLE Rock, ARK, October !, lS76.
Hon. B. B. Beavers, Benton, Saline county,
Arkansas:
DEAR SER-You will recolleet that ]
told you / thought would see Governor
Baxter the next day after l saw you last,
and promised ] would write you fully
what, in my opinion, the conservative
people had right to expect during the
future of Governor Baxter's administra-
tiOn. Upon reelection, concluded to
give time for matters TO ''cool down. af-
ter the recent changes, before having
the conference with him, and
ASKING THE GOVERNOR THE QUESTIONS
DESIRED To PROFOUND,
and which l thought I had right to
expect him to answer, considering the
official relations subsisting between him
and myself and the generous support
given him in the hour of his greatest
trouble by the element of which / was
supposed to be a representative when l
was appointed to and accepted military
position under the government. tits not
amiss for me to say that when did thus
accept such military position, l did so,
as / considered it, in the best interest of
Arkansas, l knew her people to have
NAANG Va 1NAiAOf anu W AlNCu lGBOSCs L
knew, furthermore, that in their very
despair they had shown every disposi-
ton to do anything not absolutely dis
honorable to bring about reform in gov
eminent, and put a1 end to their own
spoliation at the hands Of adventures.
II so happened that the most of those
who were despoiling the State, and who
remained in power at the time of the
,Hn -, L. szE
of affairs upon the "Baxter sideu of the
contest. Their candidate was declared
elected and was installed. [ had known
ELISHA BANTER
many years. l had no reason to be-
lieve him dishonest. I had had many
conversations with him at different
times, and had 10 reason to believe
otherwise than that he was sincerely in
sympathy with the oppressed people Of
this State. 1 took no Fart in political
affairs, however, during the early days
of his administration, being called
away by the i'll health of my family
Upon my return home in the esrly part
of April, l found political matters de-
cidedly 'muddled.n The war, which
sfterward became so fierce an one, be-
tween the governor and Chief Justice
Mcclure, was then Just commencing,
aud l saw enough to lead me to the be-
lief that Governor Baxter, following the
dictates of his sympathies and his sense
Of justice and right, would stand by
the people, and, defending the mate
rial interests of the State, uld beat
down the corrupt "Ting'' ch had
brought so much woe anon unless,
indeed, he himself should Y them
beaten down aud crushed.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE CRISIS FOR AR
KANSAS,
md an embarrassing position for one
situated as / was. From my stand
point, however, it appeared that but
)ne course was left the honest masses
IF our people. If Baxter, in this new
contest, went down, with him would
20 all our hopes, and 1.-the ring" against
whom all cOmbatted, would triumph
#, on the other hand, he should, by
The help of the people themselves, be
enabled to sustain himself, he would
surely act out his own nature and save
his State and her people from further
wrong. / know how much he seemed
70 be compelled to do, and did do, dur
ng and at the close of the session of
he legislature to keep peace in our
midst, but which, aside from thatcon-
would not have received
MS sanction, as il was not approved by
his conscience. You, having been in
hat Legislature, will recollect the ma
.ure of the matters of expediency TO
which l refer. In view of this state
Of facts, though, accepted it, when he
rendered me the position of major
general in his
MILITIA.
In consequence, / was necessarily
thrown near him Oftentimes, and in
close consultation with him frequently,
touching matters directly affecting the
public peace, and sometimes involving
questions Of pOwer-nOt only its extent,
but likewise the prOpriety Of its exer-
else in given cases. Even with these
/ could find nothing to
complain of as threatening the liberties,
the rights or the material interests Of
the people. Upon the other hand, he
gave evidences of being
with and for the masses. / knew hinl
to be a Republican in politics, and that
necessarily his administration would be
! Republican enc. / knew, in fact, that
under the peculiar formation of political
issues in this State in the canvass of
1872, there cO1ld be none other than a
administration at the time
n our State affairs. / was not of those,
therefore, who jumped TO the conclusion
hat Baxter had been captured by the
Democrats" when he appointed Con-
to office, nor had sympathy
with those of my political friends who
we're ready to damn him beyond
he chance Of pardon whenever
upon occasion he failed to appoint "one
Of our side" to place. / was content
that
PEACE SHOULD REIGN
our borders; that Baxter,
either as a Republican, an Old-liDe
Wing, a no-party man, or what not,
ihould be the governor of the oUhOlc peo.
Die, giving to all classes and to every in
iividual of every class all the rights
guaranteed by the law of the land faith
ully administered and firmly upheld. !
Under the same circumstances, / would
nave stood similarly affected toward any
,ther one occupying, as a matter Of fdcf, |
he gubernatorial chair and seeking to |
10 right, considering the times and this |
peoples surroundings. And |
nus things went on until the twenty |
ninth ultimO, when / was summoned TO |
he governors presence to take into con- |
ideratiOn the suggestion of tie Presi- !
lent rs 10 substituting call upon
THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES
II help, In ease OF need, in the place ofI
resort 10 local militia. You have
cen the resignation Of General Viii |
hire and myself, and our reeommen- |
lation on that subject. That recon-
/ am satisfied, was 3 ju- |
liciOus one, and believe General Wit |
hire has had no reason to change his /
mind on the subject. The people at |
arpe Lad learned to disfavor the idea OF !
nilits, anyhow, and 1 take it that il |
vas more by general consent than 9th
lrwise that, for the time being at lesst, |
( went out of existence as any part OF |
he State government. / have said this |
much touching the history of my con-
lectiOn with the administration, as II !
military officer, as showing why | |
bought had fairly right TO ask Gov
rnor Baxter directly, "what all this
meant ?U and especially since runOTs
we're rife as to its meaning. Having,
as above stated, allowed the
proper
COOLING TIME"
or matters after the recent change, and
ince you and I separated the other
vening, I to-day visited the governor.
)ur conference was private one.
vas frank with him in the statement OF
What desired and my intention to COM
nunicate the substance of our converse
ion to others, and the probability that
{ would thus find its way to the gen
raj public. he was cordial in his re-
option Of me and seemed unreserved ia
living ne his thoughts as to the present
his intentions for the future
nd his retrospect Of the past. | can Of