Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-04-23
LITTLE ROCK NOTES.
Baxter and BrOOks--.WhO 1h ey
Are.
The Late Fight in the City Of Roses

The man who understands the pecu-
liar phases of Arkansas politics and can
give a correct account of such must
have the memory Of mule and the
comprehension Of philosopher. The
troubles started in 1872, when the Re-
publican party split into Minstrels "
and " Brindle Tails" The Brindles, "
opposed to Ulaytons State House ring,
resolved to support Greeley, and their
State ticket was headed by the redoubta-
BILE Joseph Brooks. The Minstrels, ="
or Clayton Republicans, nominated
Elisha Baxter for Governor. But who
is Baxter and who is Brooks2
The Democratic Convention of Ar
kansas determined to make no nomina-
tons, and committees Of Democratic,
Brindle and Liberal Republican or
CARNATIONS, recognized the Brooks
ticket so as to give Democratic repre-
sentation upon it, and thereby strong
anti. Clayton ticket was formed.
WHO THE MEN ARE.
Joe Brooks came to Arkansas from
Iowa at the close of the war, having
served as chaplain in an Iowa regiment.
Under the reconstruction laws which
DISTINGUISHED hree.fourths of the peo-
pie of the State, Joe turned up in a
negro county as State Legislator, then
State Senator. Quite able'a good stump
speaker and demagogue, he soon became
a power in the State, and developed, as
above explained, into the candidate for
Governor on the Greeley ticket.
Elisha Baxter has lived in Arkansas
since before the war. AT the breaking
out of the unpleasantness he was Union
man, or so-called traitor to his State,
was imprisoned by Confederate authori-
ties, and claimed to have been persecu-
ted on account of his Union sentiments.
He served in the Federal army against
his State and people. At the close of
the war he also was Radical, became a
circuit Judge under the odious Recon
struction laws, and in 1872 became can
didate for Governor on the Ultra Radical
Clayton ticket. In that memorable
contest the Brooks ticket and the Gree
ley Electoral ticket were, beyond all
doubt, elected by a majority of not far
from 10000 votes, but the Clayton ring,
who he'd the entire election machinery
in its control. repeated the practices by
which they had before placed them
selves in power, and threw out the votes
of entire counties on account of irregu-
larities in the returns made by their own
officials, as was alleged, by their insti-
CATION. 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 Janu-
airy, 1873, together with their entire
State ticket.
Baxter, when he favored Dorsey for
the United States Senate against the
Republican nominee, started war la
Andrew johnson, and then, unlike Andy,
he filed half the offices in his gift with
Democrats. The Minstrels caught a
Tartar, and swung corners to Brooks,
which resulted few days since in over
turning the State Government, placing
Brooks entrenched behind barbados at
the State house, and leaving Baxter in
the street. These are the Two Rose"
of the " City of Roses" but there is an
other Rose, by the cognomen of Colonel,
which smells quite as sweet. Little Rock,
having three, is entitled to the poetical
appellation. Last evening Lieutenant
Cushman of Company c, Sixteenth In
fantry, reached here from the beleaguer-
ed city, having left the place at one
o'clock on Tuesday night. Our item
hunting reporter visited the latest arri-
val, and endeavored to master the Ar
kansas situation as rapidly as possible.
The Lieutenant is modest and accom-
plished gentleman, who gives correct
yet amusing account of the fight and
stampede of last Tuesday evening. The
press reporters of Little Rock are par.i-
sans, one of the press agents being an
A. A. G. on the staff of Baxter, and the
others being Brooks men. Lieut.. Cush-
man being soldier, gives his version
from an intermediate standpoint, without
favoring either.
Colonel Rose, commanding United
States troops, induced Baxter and
Brooks to agree to a truce which should
exist from o clock on Tuesday morning
to o'clock on Wednesday morning,
neither party to cross respective lines or
make any hostile movement. The
Colonel had Company c stationed mid
way between the State House and An
thony House, in which position they