New-York tribune., 1874-12-11

the claim of Volney V. q good one. There
was a momentary pause of amusement and
surprise before the State of Arkansas found
voice to inquire "What in purgatOry this man
"vapted q Then Volney V. Smith telegraphed
to Attorney General Williams for "recogni-
4" tom and "more troops" gathered up Mr..
Yonley's four quires of foolscap, put on his
hat, and ran.
There was great chase after him. Ii ne
was really Governor of Arkansas, the people
of the State probably wanted to dress him up
in good clothes, and call for speech, and
;naugurate him with band Of music. And II
he was not, why Gov. Garland may have had
some business with him which the Arkansas
| newspapers have not taken the trouble to
specify. But Volncy V. Smith did not stop
to cxplain things. The hunt was fast and
furious. The scent seems to have been lost
early in the day. The pursuers scattered
in every direction. secured tho whole
country about Little Rock, searched
the morasses on the eastern border and
nnsbed ND into the Ozark Mountains. Now and
then q futtering as Of few pages of legal
can was family deserted in the heart OF
swamp, and distant cry of "More Troops"
went up out of the brown bosom of some far
off cotton field; but these reminders of the
vanished volney. like the deceptive appari-
tions of the will-O the-wisp. only tempted the
chase into tangled bush and briar and dan
| cerous mud hole. Across Arkansas, and
through the mountains of Tennessee, and into
the pine forests of North Carolina the ghostly
cry of "More Troops" went on ahead. Then
there was silence. The Arkansas people be-
leved that VOlney V. Smith was dead, and
went home.
But yesterday morning. dirty and footsore,
with cotton seed in his tangled beard. marsh
mud on his legs, flavor of turpentine about
his tattered garments, and no baggage except
Yonleys Opinion, which was strapped to his
back like a knapsack, the fugitive crossed
| over the Long Bridge and presented himself
at the National Capital. With what feelings
he approached tie City of Refuge we may
never know, but we can guess Dreams OF a
formal reception by both Houses of Congress,
n state dinner at tho White House, conf
Dental interview with Mr.. Williams on the
subject of Yonley's Opinion, and triumphant
return to Little Rock, with the garrison OF
Washington marching few days in advance,
and an IRON clad gunboat going up the Arkansas
River, had checrcd him in the dark nights OF
his flight, when he camped in the swamps or
slept up a tree. He went straight to the
Attorney G enerars Office. The colored mes
senger at the door of the great cabinet minis
ter was startled from his decorum by the
spectacle of this extraordinary figure coming
up the stairs, and muttering "More Troops"
at every landing Fancy Smiths feelings, you
who can, when Judge Williams received him
with cold salute. heard the name of Volney
V. Smith without emotion, looked at YOnley'S
Opinion in disagreeable sort of way, and re-
marking that he didn't command in the
Southern States any more, and was
not granting calls for more troops now
adays to any extent, politely bowed the way
farer out, and resumed his reading of The
TRIBUNE. Worse yet was the condition OF
things at the Capitol. The Republican mem
bers of Congress, having had surfeit OF in
termeddling, were entirely indifferent to the
merits of Volney's case, and refused even to
read the celebrated YOnley's Opinion. Gen.
Grant seems to have been busy. The popu-
lace was apathetic. There was nobody to say
word of welcome except Poker Jack, and
with that worthy Gov. VOlney V. Smith by
this timo is probably preparing to assure the
Northern people that under the rule of the
usurper Garland Intimidation reigns su-
"Dreme," and deliberating how to get home
again afterwards at least expense.