New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-17
THE ARKANSAS TROUBLES.
HISTORY OF THE COMPLICATIONS.

hoiORl
THE DIVISION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN 1872
FIGHT AGAINST THE CLAYTON RING - HOW
BAXTER WAS COUNTED IN" AS GOVERNOR
REJOICING AT BRooKs's TRIUMPH-THE PREsI-
DENT DECLINES TO INTERFERE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSEl
WASHINGTON, April 16-To understand the present
complication in Arkansas il is necessary to go back
to lts origin, in the campaign in 1879. When that
campaign opened the Republican party in the State
was spht INTO two factions, called the MiDstrels"
and the Brindle Tailsn The division occurred
year before, and was originally quarrel for the
spols' but the best elements of the party drifted
into the latter faction, because it opposing the
usurpations of Clayton and the corruptions of the
the State-house Ring, which had carried on a
system of plumber nowhere paralleled in the
"carpet-bag" States, except in South Caro-
lima The "Brindlesn resolved to support the
Cincinnati nominations, and were tho first
to put State ticket in the field. Their
nominee for Governor was Joseph Brooks, Repub-
lean, who was personally very popular, and was
powerful stump orator. A very small faction OF
Liberal Republicans, who had organized in the
Spring. and sent delegates to Cincinnati, agreed to
support this ticket Later, the Democratic Conven-
ton determined to make no nomination, and CON-
mittees of the Democratic, "Brindle," and Liberal
Republican organizations, reorganized the Brooks
ticket so as to give the Democrats representation
upon it. Thus strong reform ticket was formed,
with the support of all the elements opposed to tho
Clayton faction. A feeble attempt was made just
Before the election to draw off the Bourbon Demo-
Gratis TO the support of ticket put out by Inc
Btle Rock Gasete but it met with no popular re-
spouse. The "Minstrels," or Clayton Republicans,
nominated Baxter for Governor. He had not been
htnk oil
dent of the State, who had been Union man during
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 Electoral ticket
were, beyond all doubt, elected by 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 before
placed themselves in power, and throw out the
votes of entire counties account OF irregularities
in the returns made by their own officials, as was
alleged, by their nstigation. In some counties they
counted the returns from one or two townships, in
order to elect their county tickets and rejected all
the rest. In this way they figured out majority OF
5000 votes for Baxter and installed him IN January,
1873, together with their entire State ticket. The
same system of counting in produced Leglsla-
ture with majority belonging to the Clayton party
Brooks appealed to the Legislature, but was denied
hearing Ho then applied to the Supreme Court
for writ of quo warranto, but the Court refused to
grant the writ His case appeared 10 be desperate.
The usurpaton was completely triumphant The
President naturally declined to interfere in his be-
half 1t was not the Presidents OK that was gored
in Arkansas as in louisiana and there was no Durel
to overturn the State Government with judicial
decision hacked by Federal bayonets.
The Republicans, as they found that they
had caught Tartar" in their new Governor, Baxter
beganSto cultivate the Democrats and helped 10
form tho combination which elected Dorsey to the
Senate in opposition to the regular Republican can
ddate About half the offices in his gift were filled
by him with Democrats In short, he followed very
closely the example of Andrew johnson, and tried
to hold up a party composed OF the Democrats ana
such Republicans as he could induce to act with him
The Minstrel" faction became greatly alarmed at
his performances and concluded that they would be
q 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 for the possession of the Office of Cover
nor and its emoluments. Gov. Baxter ignored the
case attempting no defense, and declared that he
would not submit to the Jurisdiction OF the Court
Judge Whytock, who issued the decree placing
Brooks in possession of the office, was 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 They speak of Baxter as political traitor
and say that from the day he entered upon his ONCE
he appeared to feel that he not fairly elected.
and TO dread removal if the contest should ever be
fairly adiudicated. 10 mollify the Democrats, so
that they would not assist Brooks in pushing his
case he began at once to appoint them to office and
plot with the worst Bourbon element of their party
1t is believed that he had formed scheme which
had in view the election of Democratic Legislature
next Fall and the subsequent calling OF Constitu
tional Convention to undo, as far as possible the
work of reconstruction. 1t Is this danger which
leads the Clayton Republicans to look with JOY upon
the assumption of Gubernatorial powers by Brooks.
The anti-Clayton men are naturally no less rejoiced
At the final triumph of their champion Both parties
have had interviews with the President, and have
assurances that he sees no cause for interfering IN
Baxters behalf The Secretary Of War has, under
instructions from the President, this afternoon
directed the commanding officer OF the United
States military forces at Little Rock to take no part
in the present contest except to prevent boodshed,
should there be danger of it, or to prevent the col
lision of armed bodies of The Attorney
General has sent Geographic order to the United
States Marshal at Little Rock directing him to exer
else the greatest vigilance in watching both political
parties and upon any signs of trouble or outbreak
to communicate with the military authorities at
once.
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION VISIT