The Van Buren press., 1874-12-29
Congress and the People Of Arksnsas.
From the St. Louis Republican, ]

IRON the bt. Louis hepuolcah.l
A committee of the house at Washing
ton is engaged in considering two inter
esting questions. The first is whether
the peoples state government in Arkan-
sas shall be overthrown; and the other
is how conspirators' government in
Louisiana shall be longer maintained.
The two situations are very unlike. The
existing government in Arkansas, though
marked by Irregularities and even lille.
galities in its origin, is heartily supported
by the people They are attached to'it;
in fact, they established it, and they will
not permit any power in the state to over
throw it. SO large majority of them
are favorable to it, that its opponents
dare not raise hand against it. 1t
stands of its own strength, and no power
but federal army can overthrow it. In
Louisiana, on the other hand, the exist
ing government is not only marked by
irregularities and illegalities in its origin,
but is hated and detested by the people.
1t was established upon them in spite Of
their protest, not by portion of them
selves, but by az outside power; and if
they could have their way, they would
overthrow it, Indeed they did over
throw it in September last, and would do
so again, if permitted by the outside
power that upholds it.
While there is no considerable body
of the Arkansas people that dare to fight
against the go,e ernment. there is no con-
siderable body of the people of Lcuisi-
ana that dare to fight for it. And yet
this committeetsf the house at Washing
ton is conN eng-not whether it will
set aside the conspirators' government
and allow the people to establish one of
their own in Louisiana, and give its ap
proval to the existing peoples govern
ment in Arkansas-but, whether it will
set aside the peoples government in the
latter state. and how it will continue to
maintain the conspirators' government
in the former.
1t seems, then that the right ofa state
government to exist is to be decided, not
in the state and by the people thereof,
but in city a thousand miles distant,
and by body called the congress of the
United States. 1t is not enough that the
people Of Arkansas have eXhaustvely
decided in favor Of their government; it
is not enough that it is entirely acceptable
10 them, that 1t is the first government
able to maiAtain peace and order that
has existed in the state for years, and
that it cannot be overthrow by any
power inside the state; notwithstanding
all this, the people Of Arkansas are yet
compelled to send counsel to Washing
ton to plead the cause of their govern.
ment and to entreat that it be allowed to
stand. 1t would seem, also, that under
the republican practice. either the presi-
dent or the congress Of the United States,
or both together, may overturn the gov
ernment of the people in state and erect
in its place government of q faction
which will need federal army to enable
it to stand; and that no existing state
government can be regarded as thorough
ly established, no matter by how large a
majority Of the people it may be recog
nized and supported, until it has received
either the formal or tacit approval Of
congress and the president.
1t is hot necessary to trace the conse
quences to which this doctrine and prac
tice would lead if followed to its logical
conclusions; it sufiices for the present,
to show that it pakes the president and
congress the fountain of all authority in
the states, and the people their subordin-
ates.