The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-05-09

LITTLE Rock, April 15.-To the President of
lie rumor that in the State Circuit Court for this
county in along pending case brought by Joseph
Brooks for the Office of Governor OF the State,
demurrer to the complaint was overruled and
immediate Judgment of custer against me given.
This was done in the absence of counsel for me
and without notice, and Immediately thereafter
the Circuit Judge adjourned the court The
claimant has taken possession of the State build
ings and elected me by force. / propose to take
measures Immediately to resume possession of the
State property, and to maintain my authority as
the rfghtful Governor of the State. Armed men,
acting under this revolutionary movement, are
now in charge of the Government Armory and
Capitol buildings. deem it my duty to commu
nicate this state of affairs to the President |
trust these revolutionary acts may be settled with
out bloodsned, and respectfully ask The support
of the General Government in my efforts to main
tain the rightful government of the State OF
Arkansas, and that the commander of the United
States Arsenal at this point be directed to sustain
me in that direction. l respectfully request
reply to this communication at an early moment.
[Signedl ELISHA BAXTER,
Governor of Arkansas
The situation at Little Rock was not mate
rally changed on the 10th. Brooks held the
State House with two pieces of artillery and
one hundred armed men. A proclamation
was issued by him, setting forth that he had
been elected to the Office of Governor by
majority of the votes cast at the election, and
that finally the Circuit Court having rendered
oath of office and been duly installed
therein. He closed by stating that any at
tempt to forcibly reinstate Baxter, by his
friends, will "lead to strife and blood-shed,"
but that he will "bow his head in silence
to the decree of the Court, be it what it
may" He also telegraphed to the Presi-
dent, asking that the commanding officer at
the arsenal be instructed to deliver up to his
order the arms belonging to the State in his
custody; but Attorney-G General Williams re-
piled by order of the President, that he was
'.not advised that your right to hold the
office of Governor has been fully and finally
decided by the courts of Arkansas and re-
fusing to do so. A dispatch of the same
tenor was also received by Baxter in reply
to his appeal to the President. This was
the status of affairs up to the evening of the
10Th, when Baxter came out with a procla-
nation declaring martial law in Pulaski
county, and calling all persons capable Of
performing military duty to his assistance.
Simultaneously with the issuance of this
proclamation he marched from st. Johns
College with his force of about 200 men down
into the heart Of the city, took up his head
quarters at the Anthony House, placed guards
| all along the principal steeets, completely
surrounding the State House with cordon
of sentinels. Several companies of militia had
| arrived from the outside counties, and others
were en- route. Baxter's forces also took
possession of the telegraph office and stopped
/
consent of the officer in charge. The state
ment heretofore telegraphed that Brooks took
possession of the Office in pursuance of a Sher-
| IFS writ issued by the Circuit Judge is de-
MED. No writ, it is claimed, was issued by
| the Court.
| A Little Rock dispatch of the 18th says
| that Judge Whytock had oyerruled the mo-
| ton to set aside the Judgment in the Brooks
Baxter case, and sustained the motion to cor
rect the record so as to show that the de-
murrer was submitted without the knoWl-
/ edge of Baxter or his attorneys. The mem-
| bers of the bar held a meeting and passed
resolutions against Brooks's attorney for his
nen-professional conduct, and also CEN
suring the Court for its action in
| the absence of Baxter's counsels. Gen. L. T.
Dockery was appointed Military Governor OF
| the city, and issued an order commanding all
male citizens between eighteen and forty-hVe
/ to enroll themselves for service. An address
to the people of the State, signed
by most of the leading citizens of
| the city it is stated, and sustaining Baxter,
was issued and widely distributed. The
/ dispatch concludes: THE city at O'Clock
presents the appearance Of military camp.
| Governor BaxteT's pickets are out on all the
principal streets, and no one is allowed to
| pass without permission. He still holds the
| telegraph office. The State House Is sur
rounded by heavy chain of sentinels by
Brooks. A company of United States troops
occupy position at the United States Court
room, on the corner of Main and Fourth, and
another company at the corner of Center and
Third streets, with instructions to interfere
with no one, but to prevent bloodshed."
During the 18th, affairs at Little Rock bore
a verv threatening aspect, but there was no
collision between the opposing forces OF the
rival Governors. Recruits continued to ar
m
proclamation On the evening of the 18th
Brooks issued proclamation to the people OF
the State, in which he requested
and commanded s.all persons who may
have been deluded into rallying to the
stand of pretender, to lay down their arms
and return to their homes within twenty
four hours" under penalty OF being tried I'M
der martial law.
TIT should be stated here that the friends Of
Brooks claia that up to this date the tele'
graph Office has been in the hands OF Baxter:
forces, and that the press dispatches. have
been in many respects exaggerated, partla
and unreliable.
Colonel Rose, commandant of the Unitet
States forces at Little Rock, on the 18th tool
possession of the telegraph Office, which hat
been heretofore held by some of Baxter
adherents. He disposed his troops in sucl
manner also as TO prevent any forwar'
movement by Bakers forces on tn
! State House. The latter thereupon tele
graphed to the President, reciting the fact
! heretofore alleged, and adding: Il beg yo'
) to remove the United States troops back I
! the Arsenal. and permit me to restore the le
: gitimate government by my own forces
which I win do promptly if the United State
will not interfere. There Is an armed insu1
+ reetion against the .egal State Governmen
3 here, and call upon you toad in suppress
: : ing it. But if you viii not, then leave m
: free to set, and order the Uni. ed States troops
+ without an hours delay,to their OWE GROUND
+ and keep them out of nay way
t The situation at Little Rock on the got
+ was extremely critical. Reinforeements ft
: both Baxter and Brooks continued to arriy
g from the country; business was entirel
r suspended in the city, and everything pr
|, sented warlike appearance. The only ca
+, ualty so far reported occurred to-day-a Uni
d ed States soldier being thrown from h
e horse and dragged to death. The stu,
faA Il 4 49,