The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-24
Uncle luke Poland to the Front.

not be noticed until their publication.
Uncle luke Poland to the Front.
There seems to be a determination on the
part of those politicians who have disgraced
the republican party by their dishonesty and
mismanagement during the last two years
TO press the Arkansas case on the attention
of the federal government. They are evil
IDENTIFY determined to overturn the settle
ment which the people of the state have
made of their own affairs. Foremost among
the men who are engaged in the disreput-
able work, is the notorious Judge
Poland, of Vermont, who has just been
defeated for Congress in a strong republican
district. This gentleman. famous for his
swallow-tailed coat with brass buttons. his
mild and dignifed demeanor, his uselessness
as an investigator, and his folly as a censor
of the press, has been, as a member of
a congressional committee, examining
into the condition of Arkansas politics
his investigation are given in the
telegraphic columns, and the ominous in
formation is added that the venerable father
of the press-gag law has gone to Washing
ton to consult with the man who stole the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ambo. The attention of
every honest man should be fastened upon
the proceedings OF the party in power with
reference to this Arkansas business, for
it promises to surpass even the shameful
record of political knavery made in Louisi-
ana. Readers of the Sentinel have been
kept well posted on the progress of affairs in
that state, as this paper has expected some
such desperate device as that which is now
in contemplation for the establishment
of the power of a few political adven-
turers in Arkansas. Observe how the game
progresses. The claims of Brooks to the
governorship were considered settled by the
action of the president in May last, and
they could not be revived save by indirect
means. In a conflict of other claimants,
however, Brooks might step in as the Cover.
nor de jure and secure recogni-
ton. With this coup de main in
view, the belligerent Lieut.. Gov. Smith
was brought forward to assert his
right to the chief msgistracy of the state, on
the ground of Baxter's resignation and the
illegality of the present constitution. If
Garland could not be ousted, at least a door
would be opened for the re-entrance of
Brooks. On the maintenance of his claim it
is now clear that the radicals set their
hopes. In adopting him as their cham
pion they present one of the most
amazing pictures of party inconsistency
and DISQUALIFICATION ever exhibited. In
The first place they are obliged to deny every
principle of action affirmed in the Louisiana
case. There the simple fact of federal recog-
milton has been deemed sufficient to secure
tho title of Kellogg to the g~overnorship, and
it has been held that the president can not
alter his decision now that it has
been assumed as the foundation OF a de facto
state government. To install Brooks In
power it must be maintained that federal
recognition has no binding force, and that
the president can make a new governor
every day. If Kellogg's title be considered
good, how can Baxter's fall to the ground?
Moreover, the very fact of setting up
Brooks as a claimant now is an ~acknowledg-
ment of past rascality. In 1872 Brooks
was the opposition candidate. a Greeley re-
publican supported ny Iuo uoHhOChaCNs anu
Baxter was the administration candidate
The latter was put in Office. and was
acknowledged by the federal government
as the duly elected executive of Arkansas
for two years, and now his supporters and po-
litical associates come forward and proclaim
that he was put in power through fraud and
force and that Brooks was really elected
governor. There is butlittle doubt that such
was actually the case, but it is strange that
the republican statesmen failed to discover
the fac until Baxter become a democrat and
Brooks a republican. 1t is even stranger that
these politicians should have the impudence
to confess their own dishonesty. The position
of Poland and his associates on the Arkansas
question may be briefly stated thus: So
long as Baxter represented the minority OF
the people of the state, and Brooks the ma
jority, the administrator party was deter
mined to force the forme upon the people
as their ruler. Now that Baxter has become
the representative of the majority and
Brooks the champion OF the minority, the
republican leaders are determined to foist
the latter into the place of authority. In
other words, the contest is one between a
set of political ~adventurers fighting for the
interests OF a party, and the citizens OF the
commonwealth. As was said in a pre-