The Van Buren press., 1874-05-19

and two from the Senate be appointed to
wait on Gov. Baxter and inform him tina,
both Houses are organized and ready to
receive any Message the Governor dc
sired to deliver.
The resolution was read three times
under a suspension of the rules and
passed-Gilbreath in the negative.
The Chair appointed on behalf of thu
House Messrs. Reed, Sumpter and Haw
kins, of Lafayette.
Mr.. ID. ID. Brock, OF the Seventeenth
District, appeared, was sworn in anC
took his seat.
Mr. Walker moved that all tho ole
committees be excused, and the Speaker
be instructed to appoint new committees
from the roll of members, as early as
practicable.
Mr. Pindall favored the motion, will
a few pertinent remarks. Adopted
Mr.. Pindall moved that the Clerk b,
instructed to procure the necessary sta
tionery for members. Carried
Mr. Davis moved that the Clerk furnish
q copy of the rules to members. Carried
Recess till 4p m.
EVENING SESSION
Roll called-quorum present
Mr.. Burton offered resolution direct
ing the appointment OF a committee OF
Senate, to draft joint resolutions for the
immediate consideration of their respec-
| tive Houses Adopted,
Messrs. Burton, Beasley, boswell, Da
vies and Eagle were appointed such
committee, and retired.
The House then took a recess till
p. m.
On reasscmbling, Mr Pindall offered {
resolution reciting the correspondent
between Gov. Baxter and the President
q few days ago, in reference to the As
sembly adjourning over ten days, and
! Brooks vacating the State House, and
asking the Governor if the terms had
been agreed to on the part of the Gov.
ernor.
Mr. Pindall then proceeded to give his
views in reference to who is Governor,
lie took the view that the Legislature has
exclusive jurisdiction over the question
The case presented itself to his mind
that the Courts have no jurisdiction over
the question, and until the Legislature
decides otherwise, Gov Baxter must he
recognized as Governor of the State.
The action Of the last House, in refusing
to receive Brooks petition. settled the
matter as to the Governorship. The
! judgment was final, and there is no APP
peal from it. 1t may work II hardship,
| but in the nature of our government
| there must he some wrongs. He would
vote to receive the petition Of any one,
and would listen to his wrongs but that
| petition must not be handed in at the
point Of the baronet Applause.
The resolution Of Mr. PindaIl was
adopted.
The House then adjourned to 10
to day
We have not room this week, to pub
l.shes further proceedings Of the Lcgs.
lature. The Governer's message, which
VIC publish below was seat in on Thurs
day
EXECUTIVE OFFICE. STATE OF AEKASsasl
LITTLE Rock. May IA. 1874.
Gentlemen Of the Senate and House Of Repre-
Seatdtires.
As the Chief Executive of the State | am
vested with power to con rene the Legislature
Oh extraordinary occasions; and dccnlng the
present Il time that demands the exercise of
that power. have called you together to de-
liberate and act upon matters Of grave i'm
portancc 10 the people Of the state. 1t is a
source of pleasure to me. as well as con%rata-
lation to the country. that you have assem-
bled so promptly and readily to the call.
Doubtless the circumstances that made 1t
necessary for me to assemble you at this time
are known to all The matter of IA contest for
the Office of Governor Of the State between
Hon. Joseph Brooks and myself having been
passed upon at your last session. was sup
posed to be finally settled; bat during the last
summer, after your adjournment upon an
application for permission to file an informaI
ton by the Attorney General for a writ Of
quo warranto, to try my right to the Office of
Governor the Supreme Court decided and
adjudicated that there was no jurisdiction In
any Court in the State to try the question,
and that the Legislature alone could detern-
inc the same. A few months after that time,
in another case in which the right to the Au-
UllOfS once was involved, lliat OplnlOn WAS
approved and reailirmed. and then it was uni
vtrsally understood that the question was at
rest
Notwithstanding these two decisions, on
the 18th of last month, in case brought by
Joseph Brooks against myself in the Circuit
Court Of Pulaski county. a determination was
arrived at In everything a demurrer to the
jurisdiction of the Court by pretended judg-
ment, by authority of which Brooks clainaed
the right to out me from the office OF Gov
ernor
in my opinion. the action of the Court was
arbitrary and revolutionary. as 1t had no lu-
risdiction whatever to render such II judg-
ment; so believing. at once addressed my
sell to the task of maintaining my authority
as Governor.
To my call to suppress what consider an
armed insurre;tion against the lawful an-
res sponded promptly. and In numbers greater
than rcquired but in my efforts to move on
the State House and to reposscss the same, !
was thwarted by the interference of Federal
troops. against whom would not make war
| to be made. Thus prevented from asserting
my rights. organized sufficient force to
| protect myself and those with and around
me- and appealed to the National! authorities,
under the Constitution of the United States.
| for aid to suppress such insurrection and to
| prevent domestic violence; but. in case aid
| could not be obtained from that source. Up ro-
posed to convene the Legislature in eXtraor-
! dnary session to settle the question which
has been used as n pretcXt for the unlawful
| efforts against the state goN oNernment.