Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-13
ARKANSAS:
Brooks Protests against Grants
Instructions.
Grant Threatens TO. Decide the
Matter Himself In u
Day or Two.
The Legislature Lacks Three Of
Quorum.
One i'm the Senate and Two In
the House.
Another Battle--Eleven Killed
and Wounded.
brooks Moving out of the State=
House, with the Archives

Brooks Moving out of the State=
House, with the Archives.
Brooks 20 Grant via the Sc. Louis
Democrat.
ST. Louis, May 12.--At a lase hour last
night the DeHi0erd received special from
Little Rock, containing a dispatch from
Joseph Brooks TO President Grant, of
which the following is the material part:
After stating that Baxter has declined the
propositions Of Attorney General Williams,
he says: In ccnrersetien with members of
the Legislature, they say Baxter boldly
proclaims that he will not permit an inves-
tigation of his right to the Office. You
ask me to recognize the call of the Legis-
lature at the instance of one who
declares the question at issue and which
YOU say. exists shall not be settled by the
tribunal you desire eerivened. The at
tempted organization made to-day failed,
although persons were sworn in as mem
bers from districts in which no vacancies
had been declared. Both houses of the
Legislature now have a quorum in exist
ence. This quorum should pass upon the
election returns and the qualifications of
the newly elected members, instead Of the
new members themselves. This action /
cannot and will not willingly submit to.
If, in the face of the decision of the Su-
preme and Circuit Court of the State de-
Gliding that am, and recognizing me as,
the legal Governor, you can re-
eOgniEe Baxter as Governor, It
is your duty to respond to this appeal for
Federal help. If you cannot; it is your
duty to assist to suppress the present do
mestic violence. To disband my troops at
the present time under no other assurance
than is contained in your telegram of to-
day, would result in the assassination not
only ofthe Judges Of the Supreme Court
out of many Of my friends, and especially
the colored men who have been guilty of
no crime save fidelity TO Law aud order. 1
shall hold my troops together for the pur-
pose Of protecting the citizens of the State
who believe the expression of the will of
the people al the ballOt-box should
be enforced and for the protection
of those who stand by the Constitution and
laws and the adjudication of the courts of
the country. Federal bayonets can put
Baxter's Legislature in the State-house, but
am ignorant Of the clause of the Consti-
tuition under which the President has the
power. Nothing else will, and when there,
doubt if you can compel them to deter
mine who is Governor. 1t is time this
agony of doubt and uncertainty was over.
The interests Of humanity demand that it
shall be settled, and if you have the power
under the Constitution and laws of the
United States to settle the question Of who
IS Governor of Arkansas, adverse to the de-
cisiOn Of the courts of the State, settle
il. and settle il at once. | shall
Eot resist what you may order your troops
to do, but shall with all the power az my
command repel any aud all attempts BY
Bakers forces 10 take possession Of the
State-hOuse. / am confident that a legal
Quorum Of the Legislature will not respond
to Bakers call, and | shall not assent nor
be aparty to convening the Legislature un-
der any agreement other than that submit
ted by yourself through the Attorney Gen.
eral on Tn 9Th inst. JOSEPH Brooks,
Governor of Arkansas.
Almost n Quorum I'm the Legislature
LITTLE Rock, Ark, May l2.-BrOoks
still occupies the State-house and surround
ings. Whether he intends to yacate or not
under the Presidents instructions is not
known. Both Houses met this morning
at the Otter building. There were eleven
Senators and forty Representatives present,
lacking three Of a quorum, one in the Sen
ate and two in the House. 1t is generally
conceded there will he a quorum i'll both
Houses tomorrow. Matters are quiet this
morning. The Baxter men are jublilaDt
at the idea of Brooks having to vacate the
State-hOuse.
A Refugees story,
ST. LOUIS, May 12.-Judge ID. ]. Smith,
who ran for Lieutenant-GoyernOr of Ar
kansas on the Brooks ticket, and Chas. W.
Tankersly, Speaker of the Arkansas House
of Representatives, arrived here last night.
judge Smith claims that the Brooks ticket,
| with the exception of Secretary of State,
was elected by at least seven thousand ma
iority. and that the people of the State gen.
erally believe that the ticket was elected.
The opposition made up the returns to suit
themselves, and after Baxter was declared
| Governor, many Democrats went over, be-
lieving be would make a good Governor.
Mr.. Tankersly saws he does not
recognize Baxters call of an
extra session of the Legislature, and
has no intention of presiding over that
body. He saws while en- route from Arka-
| 10 ItOCh- luC tidAh was
searched for him three times by armed men
but he managed to escape recognition. He
thinks their intention was to arrest and
force him to preside over the House. He
also states that four pieces of artillery were
on the road for Baxter, under the guard o.
troops organized in Texas, and be believe:
they were sent by the Governor of that
State, or that he consented to their being
sent. He has telegraphed this fact to th'
proper authorities at Washington.
Grant Hears from Brooks
WASHINGTON, May PA reply ha.
been received from Brooks of Arkansas
declining TO accede to the terms proposed
by the President through the Attorney
General. The telegram will be the subjec
of Cabinet consultation to-day; and it j!
very probable the General Government
after having exerted its best influence fo
the preservation of peace and the restora
tion of harmony at Little Rock, will nov
decide definitely, and that means will b
taken to have its decision enforced agains
any opposition.
| The Daily Scrimmage.
LITTLE Rock, May 12.-This afternoon
about 8 o'clock, the Brooksites moved ;
company OF infantry out 10 the rear OF tn'
Cairo and Fulton Railroad depot, with th'
view of stopping some recruits coming t
Baxter from the south on the 4 o'clocl
train. Soon after this, Gen. King White
moved out with three companies Of in
fantry and one company of cavalry anC
drove in thesBrOOksites. He encountered
them in the rear of the Penitentiary, aud
after sharp fighting, drove them into tha
building. About this time 200 reinforce
ments were started to the BrOOksites from
the State-house. The Bakeries observing
this movement, Gen. W. d. BlOcher wa
sent with two companies of intantr.
to reinforce White. He marched
up Scott street to Fifth and up Fifth L
Arch where he encountered a company o.
Brooksites and had sharp fight, driving
them back to their main body, and theI
falling back himself two squares, where h