Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-14
TELEGRAMS TO THE STAR.
The Arkansas Gubernatoriai Row.

The Arkausa GuberaatorIai Row
ANoEHsk CLAIMANT FoR TBE GuvERSoRsBIP.
NEW YORK, November i A Little kOck
dispa'ch Of the I2th says: ''To day Lieutenant
Governor V. '. Smith returned from tho eas,, ,
aud learning thst In his absence Governor BAN-
Ter had turned the executive Office over 10
So'ernor'eleet Garland, he issued proclsma
ton settipg forth the fact that he WAS elected
Lieutenant Governor for fOar years fn 1872 aud
that his time not having expired, ami BaNt-r
having abd'cated, he was GOvcrnor OF the
stat. The PROCLAMATION of Smith deprecates
the use Of tuIce in The settlement OF tie or;ss-
uon, which il entirely legal one He claims
thst lie is acting under advice OF leading sttpT-
ntNs, and that be Sil lie recognized hy rhs
Jpite0 Stats sutl critics. The legality OF fha
new conSt tGtion is involved in thts question
and the mstter must be finally settled hv some
tribunal ouisi's OF The state. The fOuOstug has
been
sESr To PRESIDENT GRANT:
SIE: The constitution " the .te OF Ark ansas
that WAS ratified on the 18th OF March, lSss, aud
oncer which sa,d state Wss admitted % repre-
sei tat on in C0BgFesS, under certain conditions
and restrictions recited In the act entitled an
sci TO admit the state Of Arkansas 10 repgeS m.
tstIon IN Congress, passed June y. 1858. Iro-
Vides, aoOug other tlIngs, for the ONCE ci lea
tenant governor, the torn oi which + four We .Ts
A. the election hold in said state on the 5.h OF
November, 1872. was elected 70 said of e OF
lieutenant governor for the term 1T four wears
and on January 9th, 1873, duly ausliaeI a. such
ana have continued 50 10 act from said last
mentioned cate. The tenth section ot
article of said constitution declares -
" In case OF Impeachment OF ths
governor, his removal fon office. death,
resignation, inability. OF removal from the
state the powers and duties thereof shall
ueNOFe upon the lieutenant governor Daring
'te residue ot the term. &c. On nv return 10
the ktate AFTER brief absence 4 nd that
ri sha Baxter, the recognized governor. has
sbdlcated and abandoned the ofice OF governor
ard tuTne the same over 20 one, a III Garland
VINO lretsnd TO execute the Office OF governor
uudeT aid 10y authority OF pretended constitu-
tl0n which lie claims WAS ratified bv the people
of said state en- the 18th OF October
last. The manner and mode OF amending
or changing tie constitution OF the
state Is distinctly stated in article -
The change of constitution attempted 10 be
made AS not and is not iu accordance with sad
article. but under the provisions OF ''an act -
PROVIDE tor convention 10 frame 4 new const.-
Triton, approved May l6, Is l.. - COPY OF which
is hereto attached. The state OF Arkansas was
admitted 10 represent alton IN Congress upJu
certain fundamental conditions named in the
set Ct June p, ls6S, which I claim are violate
by the pretended new constitution. | also
cla m that tue constitution OF the state of Ar
kansas cannot hs altered or amended ia auv
other manner than that provided by the con
-ttaton ITSELF ard that pointing out bog
iIls con ttufion should be altered or amended
az an hbtbi'ien on the general assembly and
people OF tie state TO plrsge another or differ
eft mOdc. The abdicattOn of the OF &c Of gov
error and abandonment thereof by Elisha BAN-
Ter ID law amou UNITS TO constructive or parol re-
tspstlon. IL such case, under the provisions
OF section IL, article &, Of said constitution, the
duties OF The Cfice Of governor deFolye upon
me - lieutenant governor. Ry and through
the tTesChel snd cOuuivsnce OF Elisha R.H
ter 1 fnd A. h. Garland in the eNec-
utiVe ctdce discharg.ng the duties there
o. NOt onlV THIS, L find body Of
men in the legislative halls who pretend TO
be members Of the general assembly of the state
OIL Arkansas, and WHO are attempting 10 leyis-
late fer the people wLO were not elected at the
tihe nor ~ TIE manner provided by the cOnstI-
tuition and laws OF said state. | also find a ne "
ser OF pretended judicial officers acting "a sd
pIenie snd circuit Judges, who were not chosen
at Tie time Dor in the manner provided by the
constitution and laws of said state. la shUrt /
hId new government set up during nv az
sence thst Is not the leg ttmate offspring Of that
OF l'cs, anu tbat the officers or the pretended
government have, in some instances BY
violence ard force displaced Cficsrs hoiiiuy
similar positions under the constitution zliusea
TO- bY reason OF this state of affairs and ID her
causes all contributing 70 the same end tio1la--
TIC violence exists in TINS state which Is too
powerful TO be suppr6 ssed nv the ordinary pro
cess OF law or the IN litis at my command.
Now, therefore, /, '. V. Smith, Lieutenant
cover nor Of the state OF Arkansas, Elisha BAx-
ter, The recognized governor Of said state hav-
ing sbdicaied and abandoned said office, do
hereby ana 10y these presents make application
70 the President of the United States, under
laws passed IL pursuance thereof to guarantee
sAla state CT Arkansas republican form OF
government and protect the same against do
mestc violence. The legislature Of said state
II nof now in session and cannot be convened AT
this nme without great detiiment 20 the public
<1Ds altOinPe 10 10 80 Nouid result IN
apgmenting confession and anarchy, and would
probably lead 10 strife and unnecessary blood
shed This appeal is signed V. V. Smith.
Governor Arkansas.
IIhe above telegram was referred TO Attorney
General Williams, but DO action has yet been
taken and IT is not contemplated TO take any
to-day. Several parties from Arkan-as hsy.
to-day visited the President and Attorney Cen
eral ia connection with this matter. Itis stated
that the Secretary of State, the Attorney Gen
efai, ana several other state officers are acting
WIN Lieutenant Governor Smith.-ED. STACT