, 1874-04-17


THE COUP D'ETAT IN ARKANSAS.
Whilo the United statoa sonate is engaged in
fierce debate ovor tho foroiblo goizuro Of tho
State Government In Louisana, and while TINT
outrage and usurpation }B dofonlel lost its con-
domination might DO construed into a conBuro on
tho Administration by whoao warrant and sup-
port 1t was committed, we tayo tho intelligence
that tho Govornor and stnte ofticcrs of Arkaneaa
l,avo boon forcibly elected and othors layo in
stalled themselves In tho ofllcea. Thus In States
as IN nociety, ono Unpublished crime becomes a
precedent aud justification for another.
At tho election for President, State officers,
Congressman, and Legislature In 1872, tho Re-
publican party, which had boon in q large ma-
jority, wero divided, and various combinations
wero mado. Tho Liberals who supported Gree
10y also supported ticket for State oficers and
Congressman who were Of tho faction atylcl
In Arkansas "Drindlotails whi1o tloae who
voted for Grant supported ticlot known Oh
"Minstrola." Under tho law, ono 1Iadloy,
carpct-baggcr from Minnesota (who has stnco
"vamosel " tho atato), who WAS Acting Gov-
ernor, appointed all tho reg|stfars Of election,
and instructed them to exclude all men who
had been RobolB, oto. 1t was assumod TINT 10, 900
whto men In Arkansas were excluded from tho
polls under these instructions. Tho election re-
turns first published ut Ltttlo Rock showed that
tho State had given Grocloy about 1900 majori-
ty and the "Brindletail" candidates about
G,000. These returns wore theu "doctorod,"
and Groeley's majority reduced to 1000 and
tho rest Of the ticket to 5000. At lator
ioritios wore rubbed out md still lntor, another
revision, consisting Of tho rojoction Of tho yoto
Of a whole series Of countless resulted in tho
election Of the candidatoH Of tho " A1inRtrelH."
Tho candidates for Governor were: Brooks.
" Drinllotail, md Baxter, "'n1instrol.' Brooks
was carpot-bagger, aud Baxter was nativo Of
tho state. Nevertheless, there can bo no quos-
tion that Brooks md hiB associates were all law
fully elected. and by decided majoritics. Tho
votes for the candidates were uneven, 30 TINT,
to olect MI the "Etnstrols," tho excision Of tho
votos Of counties WAS great. The returns Of
niuo counties wore wholly rojoctod, in addition
to tho doctoring Of tho roturns from other coun-
tics. Among tho officers chosen wore two JUS
ticcs Of tho Supreme Court, and the two Min
atro1s" were declared elected. Despite this
Wholesale Justification. HyncH, "Brludlotail,"
WAS still loft with a majority for Congress at
large. OF courao, tho manipulation of these ro-
turns changed tho political complexion Of tho
Legislature, which Inns siuce olocred l1r. Dorsey
to tho United States Senate. d.
Brooks appealed ut first to Judge Caldwell, Of
tho Unitod States District Court, undor tho Ku-
Klux act, precisely rs Kellogg did to Durell in
Louisiana but Judge Caldwell, like an honest
judge decided that that law gaye Linn no turis-
diotion Of tho case. Brooks thon appealed to
tho minstrel" +" Judges Of the State Supreme
Court, who decided that TINT Court had no juria-
diction over the question Of an election for
Governor. BROOKS then brought suit in the
State Circuit Court against Baxter for possess
Rion Of the Office. Thia SUIT has boon pending
in that Court over since.
In tho meantimo the politics Of Arkansas havo
changed. The Legislature declared elected in
1879 was IN lawful" QUO, and Gov. Baxter, who
ia q native Of the State, and re suppose inter-
ostod in its welfare, took pains to empty large
number Of it's seats by appointing it's mombora
to local Offices, thereby creating vacancies
These vacancies havo since been filled, and at
present majority of tho Legislature is Con-
Tn 1,a
at any time by the Governor. Tho result Of it
all is that Baxter has become unpopular with tho
minstrel" faction. including, it Is said, tho
two Senators and tho Republican representa-
tiveB in Congress-. An alliance has therefore
boen patched up with Brooks, and the deolsion
Of the Circuit Court, the prompt action Of the
Chief JuRtice swearing Brooks in. and tho forci-
bic seizure Of tho Offices and ejoction Of Baxtor,
all look as II tho whole thing was the result Of
an understanding extending all tho way from
ArkanHas to Washington.
The situation in the State at Inst accounts was
unchanged. Gov. Brooks still holds the stato-
House with guasd Of about TOO men. He has
Issued u proclamation justifying his oouree
and declaring his intention OF staying IN otlice
as long as ho finds 1t convenient. Both
the Governors having appealed to tue Presl-
dent for protection, he yesterday answered thom
through Attorney-G General Williams. Drooks
was informed that bis right to tho Office WAS not
recognized. Baxter was advised to TAKE m
appeal to the Supromo Court Of tlle State, aud
abide by its decision. An Interview with the
State Goologiat Of Arkaneas, which is printed
In another column, will be found to throw oou,e
additional light on tho coup d'elat.
THE MYSTERIOUS BROWN.
It ia nice, All easy, O. comfortable, aud profit
ablo little arrangement Which Mullott, supervla-
ing Architect Of the Treasury Department, and
Shepherd, Governor Of the District OF coiuna-
bla, patont-roofor. plumber, and gas-tltter, have
torethnr Nayor waB nest 90 ehf1lfu1ly construct