The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-21

Baxter was Counted IN" as Goyoenor-
Rejoicing at Brooks's Triumph-The Presi-
dent Declines to Interfere
WASHINGTON, April l6. To understand
the present complication in Arkansas it is
necessary to go back 10 its origin, in the
campaign of 1872. When that campaign
opened the Republican party in the State
was split into two factions, called the Min
strels" and the ''Brindle Tails" The di-
vision occurred year before, and was orig
inally quarrel for spoils, but the best ele
ments of the party dritted into the latter
faction, because it was opposing the usurp.
atoms of Clayton and the corruptions of
the State house Ring, which had carried
on a system of plumber nowhere paralleled
IN the carpet bag States. except in South
Carolina. The "Brindles' resolved TO sup
port the Cincinnati nominations, and were
the hrst 10 put a State ticket in the field.
Their nominee for Governor was joseph
Brooks, Republican, who was personally
very popular, and was powerful stump
orator. A very small faction Of the Lib
eral Republicans, who had organized in the
Spring, and sent delegates to Cincinnati,
agreed TO support this ticket. Later. the
Democratic Convention determined To
make no nomination, and committees of
the Democratic, "Brindle," and Liberal
Republican organizations, reorganized the
Brooks ticket so as TO give the Democrats
representation upon it, Thus a strong re-
form ticket was formed, with the support
OF all the elements opposed to the CLAYTON
faction A feeble attempt was made lust
before the election, TO draw off the B0ur
bon Democrats to the support of a Lew
ticket put out by the Little Rock Gazette.
but 1t met with no popular response. The
Mlnstrels, Clayton Republicans, nom
mated Baxter for Governor He had not
been popular member Of their party, but
as an old resident of the State, who had
been Union man the last years of the
war, and was believed to be conservative
IN his views, they thought him the most
available man they had, and hoped to draw
some Democratic votes from Brooks.
The Brooks ticket and the Greeley Flee
torial ticket were, beyond all doubt, elect
ed, by a majority Of not far from 10000
votes, but the Clayton Ring who had the
entire election machinery in its control, re.
peated the practices by which they had be-
lore placed themselves in power, and threw
out the votes of the entire counties on ac-
count OF irregularities in the returns made
Dy their own officials, as was alleged by
their lnstlgation. In some counties they
counted the returns from one or two town
ships, IN order to elect their county tickets,
and rejected all the rest In this way they
Inquired out majority Of 1900 votes for
Baxter, and installed him in January,
1918, together with their entire State tick
ct. The same system OF counting in
produced Legislature with a majority be-
"a ba 4 H..
pealed 20 the Legislature, but was denied
hearing. lie applied to the Supreme
Court Tor writ of quo warranto. but the
Court refused to grant the writ His case
appeared to be desperate. The usurpation
was completely triumphant The Presi.
don't naturally declined 10 interfere in his
behalf 1t was not the Presidents OK that
was goured in Arkansas as in Louisiana.
and there was no Durell to overturn the
state Government by a judicial decision
backed by Federal bayonets.
The Republicans, as soon as thew found
that they had caught Tartar" in their
new Governor Baxter, began 10 cultivate
the Democrats and helped TO form the com
binatiOn which elected Dorsey to the Sen
ate in opposition to the regular Republican
candidate. About half the offices in his
gift were filed by him with Democrats.
In short, he followed very closely the ex-
ample Of Andrew johnson, and tried TO
build up party composed of the Demo
Gratis and such Republicans as he could in
duce 10 act with him. The Minstrel"
tactlon became greatly alarmed ut his per
tormances, and concluded that they would
be great deal better off with Brooks as
Governor. 1t was probably in pursuance
OF an understanding with the leaders of
this faction that they would sustain him,
that Brooks brought personal suit in the
State Circuit Court presided over by Judge
Whytock, Tor the possession of the office
OF Governor and its emoluments. Gov.
Baxter ignored the case, attempting no de-
tense, and declared that he would not sub
mt TO the Jurisdiction of the Court Judge
hytoek, who issued the decree placing
BROOKS In possession of the office, was a
candidate upon the Reform ticket with
Brooks for Supreme Court Judge
The Senators and Representatives from
Arkansas appear to be entirely satisfied
with Brooks's coup detat, except Bill VIII
shire, formerly OF Port Byron, illinois. who
IS trying to establish right to a seat in
congress upon the same fraudulent count
mat put Baxter in and kept Brooks out.
Except Wiltshire, thev speak of Baxter as
political traitor, and say that from the
uay ne entered upon his Office he appeared
70 Ieei that he was not fairly elected. and
70 dread a removal if the CONTEST sho,Id
eyer he fairly adjudicated. To n,oII;fS ~.
democrats, so that they would NO, oss az.
Brooks in pushing his case, he bar ao'i :,
once 10 appoint them to Office and nIet ,r;t II
Ine worst Bourbon element of their w.. VIA
Its believed that he had formed a sc chez
muiGn mad Ia view the election of a De,nl'-
ora.lo Legislature next Fall, and the snb.
equent calling ofa Constitutional Copven.
aVn 70 undo, AS far us possible, the worL
!. lec1nstructlon. 1t is this danger which
;e~ us the Clayton Re ublicans % look viii
ivy upon the assumption Of Gubernatoria