Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-04-21


Rose, commandment of the United States
forces, took possession of the telegraph
Office this morning, and opened it to the
public, relieving Governor Baxter's
guards. He has one company stationed
at the Ashley house, where the tele-
graph office is located, and has interfered
to such an extent with Governor Bax-
ter's military operations that he can
make no forward movement on the
statehouse. In consideration of this
fact, Governor Baxter to-day sent the
following dispatch to the President:
LITTLE Rock, ARK, April 18th, 1874.
To the President Of the United States:
A few days since, in the absence of
my counsel, at time wholly unexpect-
ed, the circuit judge of this county, a
court of inferior jurisdiction, rendered
judgment in favor of Brooks against me,
for the Office Of governor of the State,
and without notice to me and my coun-
sci. l was at once forcihly put out Of
the office, and that without any pretence
OF writ being served on me. All this
was done, too, after the supreme court
of this State had twice decided that no
court in the State had Jurisdiction Of
the case at all, and that the legislature
alone had the jurisdiction. At once, on
being elected from the Office, / took steps
to restore myself, to get possession of the
office, and to carry on the government.
The people are coming to my aid, and
are ready to restore me at once, In
making this organization 1 am obstruct-
ed by the interference of United States
troops in displacing my guard from the
telegraph office; and now it is appre-
hRnnQH flef will h.
ference. Such interference breaks me
down, and prevents any effort on nv
part to restore the State government
and to protect the people in
their rights. l beg of you to modify
any order TO the extent of such interfer-
ence, and leave me free to act, and in
this way to restore peace and order, as
the Legitimate governor of the State.
Such interference does not leave me any
chance to assert my claim to the Office
OF governor. In the interests of peace,
and Of those who are flocklng here to
my support by the hundreds, beg of
you to remove the United States troops
back to the arsenal, and permit me to
restore the legitimate government by
my own forces, which I will do prompt
ly, il the United States troops will not
interfere. There is an armed insurrec-
ton against the legal State government
here, and call upon you to aid in sup
pressing it; but If you will not, then
leave me free to act, and order the United
States troops, without an hours delay,
to their own ground, and keep them out
OF my way. have been thwarted and
delayed thus long, and, in fact, elected
from my office, beeause' Of the fact that
had heretofore disbanded the militia of
the State. l make this earnest demand
to repress insurrection and prevent do
mestic violence, under my sense Of duty
to the constitution and laws of the
United States, as well as of the State of
Arkansas, and rely confidently, as
have all the time, upon the assurances
contained in your letter of September
Is, 1873, to prevent the overthrow Of my
official authority by illegal and disorder
ly proceedings. An immediate answer
is requested; otherwise bloodshed will
be the result. ELISHA BAXTER,
. ...-.s. Governor of Arkansas.
The governors forces have been in
creased several hundred during the day.
The streets are full of armed men.
Brooks has withdrawn all his sentinels
to point inside Of his barricades at the
statehOuse. The troops of Governor
Baxter are very eager to attack the place,
and are only prevented from doing so by
the presence of United States troops.
ANOTHER STATEMENT BY BROOKS.
ST. LOUIS, April 20.-The Democrats
special from Little Rock tonight SAYS
the situation is essentially unchanged.
The presence of United States troops
1eters any aggressive demonstration on |
the part of Baxter's forces. Crowds |
throng the streets, eager TO learn of pro- |
eeted movements. Your reporter has |
with several of the insurgent |
eaders, most Of whom privately ex-
press themselves as disgusted with the |
insane policy and conflicting counsels, |
coupled with the indecisiOn of Baxter, |
md some Of his ardent supporters and |
)est fighting material have gone home |
With the avowed purpose of pursuing |
heir regular avocations. About noon |
o-day some twenty colored troops, dis
armed and held under guard by Baxter,
lroke through their lines and Joined |
Brooks forces at the statehouse. Moral |
md material aid from the great mass of
he citizens, both in tins city and State,
8 offered Brooks in abundance,
md he is as secure of his position as Of |
ne unqualified support accorded to his
ligh prerogatives. The manner in |
which Brooks obtained possession of the |
executive office has excited comment |
md provoked questions abroad which |
equiTe a passing notice in justice to |
hat gentleman. Ever since the ques-
ion Of contesting his rights to the inn
aud prerogatives OF the Office
" governor in the judicial tribunals,
Baxter has repeatedly and openly as
erted that he would neither respect nor
Ibide by any decision Of the courts ad-
Terse to him; his July speech at Lewis
Durg being full of invectives and threats
# resistance 90 any judicial order re-
training the exercise of said official
unctions. While the question of quo
odrrdHtO was under advisement in the
upreme court, be depOsed his Republi-
AN militia officers. and called around
lin the southern Democratic element,
his militia, surrounded the
tatehouse with armed guards, en-
renched himself in the executive Office,
md dared not venture beyond the ex-
cutive preciRet, and when it was an
bounced that decision would be
cached, he prepared proclama-
ion, declaring martial law. He
ent major-general Of militia
With the proclamation in his pocket |
o the supreme courtroom, with
Instructions that should the decision be /
adverse to him to read the proclamation /
and arrest the members of the court. |
These facts are well-known here, and /
he other States understand but little of
.he circumstances which have conspired ]