The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-04-25
The Arkansas Troubles.
The History Of the Coaplicafion-A
Split II tie Rpubticrn Party
n archery If Both Sides.


Spit II tie Rcl,1ttiicrn Party
Tetchcry of Both Sides.
To understand the present compli
cation ia Arkansas it Is necessary to 60
back 10 is origin, in The campaign OF
1872 When that campaign opened
The Republican party in the State was
split into two factions, called the Min
-irels and the Briudle Tails The split
originated in "A quarrel for the spoils,
but tho best elements of the party
.lriited into the latter faction, because
II was opposing the usurpations OF the
flen g Governor Clayton aud the corrupt
ns OF the Statehouse ring, which
had carried on a system of plumber
nowhere paraleiled in the carpet bag
Safe edexcept in South Carolina The
B,iuRles" resolved to support Gree
lev aud were the first To put a State
ticket in the field, Their nominee Tor
GoverrDr was JOS Brook, Republi
eau, vic was personally cry popul r
aud powerful stump orator. The
Democratic convention met. and deter
miuei TO join in with this ticket
Thus >truag reform ticket was organ
zed, with the support of all the con
servatiye elements The Minstrel
or Clayton Republicans nominated
Baxter tor Governor. lie had not been
a prominent member Of their party.
bur a. an old resident of the State,
who had been Union man during the
last years Of the war, aud was believed
10 he conservative in his views, they
thought him the most available man
they had, aud hoped to draw some dem
oerat'c votes from Brooks.
The Brooks ticket. and the Greeley
Electoral Ticket, were beyond doubt
elected By majority of not far from
10 600 votes, but the Baxter ring, who
had the entire election machinery IN
their control, repeated the practices by
which hey had before placed themselves
in power. and threw out the vote OF en-
tire counties on account of Irregular
Ties in the returns made by their own
officials, as was alleged by their iDsii
cation. Ia some counties, they count
ed the return from one or two town
ships, 10 order 10 elect their county
ticket, and rejected all the rest. In
this way they figured out majority Of
1000 votes for Baxter, and installed
him in January. 1873 together with
/ their entire State ticket The same
/ Sy>tenluf counting iu' produced a
! Legislature with IA majority belonging
to the Clayton party. Brooks appeal
ed 10 the Legislature, but was denied
4 hearing tie then applied TO the Su-
preme Court Toy writ Of quo warrau-
10. but he court refused Ia grant the
writ His ease appeared to be de~per
ate The u>urpaiiou was completely
trump haut. The President NATURAL
declined to Interfere in their behalf Il
vas not the Presidents OK that was
gored ia Arkansas as in Louisiana. and
there Was 40 Durell to overrurn State
government with a judicial decision
backed hy Federal bayunets.
The Republicans, a. soon as they
found thar they had caught tartar III
their new Governor Baxter, began 10
cultivate the Democrats aud hel ped 70
I form the combination which elected
Dorsey u the United Statcs Senate III
opposition 10 the regular republican
candidate About halt the offices Wig.
in hiS gift were filed by Democrats.
4 In short he followed very closely the
example oi \ Andrew johnson, and tried
to hold up party composed OF the
democrats aud such Republicans a. he
could induce 10 act with him The
Minstrel" faction became greatly ex-
cifed az his prrioT maHce-, aud conciu-
L a IL :.
ST5n1TUg With The leaders of this fac
ton that they would sustain him. that
Brooks brought a personal suit in the
State Circuit Court. for the possession
Of the Office of Governor aud it, emol
umeuts Gov. Baxter Ignored the ease.
attempting no defense. aud declared
'hat he would not snhmit to he juri-
diciiou of the court Judge Whytock
aho issued the writ giving Brooks poe
session oi the office. was candidate
upon the Reform ticket with Brooke
for Supreme Court Judge.
The Seuafors aud Representatives in
( Congress from Arkansas are eniirel Y
.ati,ied with Book movement They
peak Of Baxter as a political traitor
and say that lac was not fairly elected
To molify the Democrats, so ihatthey
wcuId not assist Brooks in pushing his
J case, Baxter began at once To appoint
/ Democrats to Office, and to plot with
/ tic worst Bourbon elements IL is be-
Iieved hat he had formed a scheme TO
elect a Democratic Legislature next
( fall and the calling OF IA Constitutions
/ al Convention TO undo. so far as possi-
/ bic, the work of reconstruction II i
+ fh : danger which leads the Clayton
/ Rrpublieans to rejoice in the triumph
OF Brooks, while many Liberals feel
rojoicsd at The success Of their cham
picn.V