The Van Buren press., 1874-04-28

Brooks (pointing to chair) General
Strong (thc deputy Secretary OF State.
who had gone in with johnson J, take a
seat. Mr.. Curry (Mr. Brooks ad interim
Secretary, take seat
All were then seated.
Johnson-Mr. Brooks, when / left
here short time since, leaving my Dep
uty, Gen. Strong, and my clerk, Mr.
Curry, in charge, everything in the Office
was quiet and orderly. l now come
back and find q body Of armed men IN
possession of my Office, and my Deputy
elected from the same, Do you recog-
nize me as Secretary Of State!
Brooks-f certainly do.
Johhson--Then you had better get
yourself and your men out of my Office.
The Secretary and his Deputy then
left
Yesterday morning the Secretary went
back agaia The guard at the front gate
refused to admit him. After some little
parleying they concluded to let the Sec
retary go in. On entering his office he
inquired for Mr. Brooks. He was asked
if he meant Gov. Brooks. Johnson re-
Piled that he meant Joseph Brooks, and
started to go into the inner room. but
was stopped by Gen. Upham, who told
him that he must send his card in. John
son replied that that was his office and
he would enter without any card If he en-
tered at all, and ordered all the men cut of
his room. Brooks heard him and came
out. The Secretary then said to Mr.
Brooks that that was his Office, and he
ordered him and his men to get out of
there. He desired to know again il
Brooks, did MT recognize him as Secre-
tary or state.
Brosks--No, sir, not since your extra
ordinary conduct in signing that procla
nation Of BaXter's convening the Legis
lature.
Johnson-l was not aware that Judge
Whytock decided that was not Secreta.
ry of State at the time lie declared you
was Governor BY what right do you
keep armed men in my office?
Military necessity.
Thereupon Johnson left, and in the
afternoon sent the following letter to Mr.
Brooks:
LITTLE Rock, April 20, 1874
Hon. Joseph Brooks
Sr-On my return, after short alb
sence from Little Rock found the office
Of S cretary of State, to which was
elected in 1872, and which have held
regularly since the 9th day of January,
1873, until this time, occupied by armed
men under your command; and this
morning, in demanding possession of the
same. was refused by you and men un
der your command, and now ] am out OF
my Office by the action OF yourself and
your forces, and unable to perform with
facility the duties of such office.
When | left here short time since,
the government of the State was being
conducted under the management and di-
rection of Elisha Baxter. as Governor OF
Arkansas. / then recognized him rs the
lawful Governor Of the State, and have
not heen apprsed Of any lawful change
in that office, and know no other per
son as Executive Of the State.
When left, at the time named Gen
Frank Strong, my efficient Deputy. was
in charge of the Office and carrying on
the business of the Office satisfactorily,
but on my return | find he has been
elected from the office by you and your
men, and has no control Of the Office, the
papers, seal or anything connected there
with
The duties Of my Office cannot be dis
charged without great difficulty, unless
am admitted to the place where the pa
pers and archives Of State are kept, and
| now make demand upon you to deliver
or have delivered to Inc, the possession
OF the rooms in which the Office of Sec
retary Of State is kept, and has been kept
since the time | was installed in office on
the 9th day of January, 1873 as well as
the papers, docuu ents, the seal Of the
State, aud my official seal, all of which
under the law, am the proper custodian
Very respectfully yours,
j Nj JOHNSON,
Secretary Of State.
The Secretary also sent the following
additional letter:
Hon Joseph Brooks:
Sn-Under the law Of the State
CAN'T Digest, pages 527, sections 2,74s
and following, as Secretary of State OF
Arkansas, | am entitled to the control OF
the public property on the State House
square during the recess of the General
Assembly, and under the same law, ]. as
Secretary of State, am the State Libra
rian, and entitled to the custody and di
rection of all books, papers, maps, charts
and all til ngs belonging to the same and
am enjoined by such law to take special
care OF the same.
The occupation and possession Of all
such property by you and your men
claiming to be commanded by you, is
withheld from me, and such property is
being seriously damaged and injured in
consequence of such holding by you and
your men, thereby | cannot discharge
my duty under the law, in respect Of
such public property; therefore, ! de
mand of you that you and the men refer
red to, surrender the possession Of such
property TO me at once And l request
this be done without delay, as am com.
pelled under the law, to have such build.
ngs in good condition and repair by the
1lth of May next, when the General As
selnbly is to meet in the samo, and the
use Of them by your forces necessarily
put them in such a,condition as to re.
Quire much work and large expenditure
4 nly . ta r N