The Van Buren press., 1874-05-19
NO. 5

had enough OF the rule or RUIN poiNy.
| cannot but believe that you honestly
mean to promote and defend our COM
mon interests; but must beg your par
don for saying that you have taken ths
wrong course to accomplish so desirable J
an object. However honest your pur :
poses may be, you can accomplish moth
ing, where you are, for the relief Of the
people. You have gotten into the mesh
es Of foul gang Of desperate and un-
scrupuous men. Has 1t ever occurred
to you to inquire, "What do the people
want ?" They are the source Of power;
but have not our delegated powers in the
hands OF our representatives furnished
them with the means to make us their
bondsmen Was such thing ever con-
tempated by the fathers Of the American
Constitution. who had just passed through
baptism of blood 10 secure their indie
pendence and assert their freedom TO
elect their representatives What is
meant by representative government
but that the representatives shall express,
in every possible way, the sentiments Of
their constituents We want q State
government that shall represent the peo-
pie, not party; not few political tink
ers and trcks,ers, who propose 10 do
little else than lay party schemes for the
advancement OF, their personal interests.
We want good government, faithfully.
honestly and economically administered;
it matters little whether you call it re-
publican or democratic. This much we
have right to demand, and less than
this defrauds us of our rights. But | am
not aiming to write lecture on politics.
No; | have a higher mission-an Office
of charity--to perform in behalf OF an
old friend While in the Confederate
army, you won highly respectable repu-
taton, and, on retiring to the walks OF
civil life. you still retained the hearty
friendship Of your neighbors and ae-
quaiutances But considering tho posi-
ton you have taken, for you are nov as
soeiated with the enemies OF the people,
and have voluntarily abandoned your
lifelong friends, you have forfeited our
confidence. suppose you have found
congcnial friends in your new quarters.
II | should tell you who some Of y0ur
friends in this community are, am sure
you would blush for shame. The men
who have robbed us, and defraudcd US OF
our rights are all on your side. Goad
heavens, is it possible that they have at
last found you just suited to their pur-
pose to aid them to yiler deeds. Can it
be possible that you propose to remain
associated with such class? They
erideaay expect you aud Brooks to pro-
tect and defend them-to perpetuate
their power. A,e you Wiiiiag TO do that :
II not, you might as well retire from
your position, for al last you will have
to yield to the pressure or else go hand
S S Saass Eia astHo u @ aaS taHS ASa sssens
blood of the people. This is right seri.
Gus logic. and Mr. Brooks himself can
not answer. Aud it is this feature that
has given SO strong coloring to Mr..
Brooks position that the people have be.
come alarmed, and now stand ready to
support Gov Baxter, with sanguine be-
lief that he is an honest man. struggling
hard to eliminate the bad elements that
have surrounded him, and to deal fairly.
In fact, we have tried him for eighteen
months, and he has done we'll; SO well,
that he has rallied to his support large
majority of the honest men OF the coun-
try.
Before closing this letter, ! must DO
permitted to say that you have totally
mistaken the tone and temper Of the peo-
pie of Arkansas. You never made a
greater mistake in your life, and ] fear
that it is So egregious that many year
to come will not suffice TO efface the re-
membrancc OF il.
AIN, dear sir, yours truly,
T. w. TRIMBLE.