The Van Buren press., 1874-09-29
"The Arkansas Republicans
(From St. Louis Republican. !

| IL IS little ullilcuIt tOtreat TINS SUBJECT
seriously When VIC fnl statecouven
tion selecting for its chairman a man like
SrErnEN W. DORSEY, ane promulgating a
five column address to tie country, sign.
ed by 4" Poker Jack HcClure as chair
man of It's central committee, we may be
pardoned for giving wG to disgust of a
depth which finds It's most eloquent ex-
preston in silence. md yet there are
some features of this affair calling itself
the Republican state cnvention of Ar
kansas that demand scricus consideration
and earnest, if not respectful discussion.
The Republican part Of South Caro-
lima may have been mos predatory; the
Republican party of louisiana may have
been more successful "a its usurpatons
than has The Republicmparty in Arkan,
sas. But this fact has ,een the result OF
accident and not because of any LACK of
intent on the part Oft: leaders The
patriotism and bluff hnesty of ELISHA
BANTER alone stood baween Arkansas
and band of maraudrs whcse pillage
Of her treasury would lave been as com
plete as that wrought b. Scott or Moses
in South Carolina, and Mosc destruction
of her liberties would hive been as utter
as that visited by kellogg upon louisa
ma. The frlnness of Gov. Baxter aad
the almost unexpectep jistncss of Presi.
dent Grant toied them Now these men
claim to be the administration party in
Arkansas, the loyal adherents of Grant.
And here is what hey have to say
about the result of Grants action last
winter; after first "piedging fidelity to
the Republican party ":
1--WE deny the authority Of Elisha
Baxter as governor, and asserting
the election Of Joseph Brooks; that all
acts Of Elisha Baxter since the decision OF
the circuit court are null and void that
all acts done by the constitutional con
vcntlon and legislature that called it are
null and void that the thanks of the par
ty are due to the soldiers who supported
Joseph Brooks; that the election provis-
ion in the new constitution is mean as an
instrument of intimidation in the ap.
preaching election: that the constitution.
al convention was a conspiracy Of mem
bers of the white league, kuklux and
leaders of the lost cause to overthrow
the reconstructed government"
This is another way OF saying that the
recognition Of Baxter by Grant is "null
and void" for that recognition is "the
authority" by which Baxter "acts as
governor" Here is an issue between the
President and the Republican party OF
Arkansas, which is none the less determ-
ined because it Is made in n roundabout
way. We leave it between the parties
most interested in it Proceeding to con.
slider the attitude which the Republican
party Of Arkansas assumes toward the
state itself, we find it to be one of revo-
luton and the advocacy Of new recon.
struction. The address Of the conven-
ton ignores the action of the president
and appeals to congress in the following
terms:
ave feel confident that Congress will
an early day take up the Arkansas case
and decide in our favor Inc North has
not changed its Mid toward the South
since it wrested the Southern state gov.
ernments from the hands Of disloyal men
in 1858 The question is not one mere
ly of contest, but whether congress has
power to regulate state governments.
We contend that il congress finds that
Republican form Of government has ceas
ed to exist in this state it has power to
restore the government to those to whom
it rightfully belonged. On the side of
Baxter are arranged Tic most vindictive
rebels OF the South, formerly u.klux,
and to-day members Of The white league
When congress is Informed of this fact,
that the members of the lato convention,
the officers appointed by Baxter and the
Democratic nominees Tor state officers
were nearly all membcn of the confed.
crate army and followers of the lost
cause, and now seek TO organize gov.
crnment of rebels at the South, we have
no doubt but loyal congress will heed
the justness of the caus, presented to 1t
by the loyal men of Arkansas"
That sounds like 1866 1t is the, dc
spairing cry Of set OF bankrupt and dc
moralized political sharters and advent.
urers who vainly seek TO find the bottom
that has already once sunk from under
their feet. We shall be perfectly content
to see "oyal congress" attempt a new
reconstruction Of Arkansas merely = to
save Powell Clayton, Stephen w. Dor.
sey, and Mcclure from perdition. We
can easily imagine the effect such a loyal
proceeding would have on the country
But to look little further, we must re
gard the adoption Of this retrogradc pol
icy, this determination to go back to the
graveyard of politics and invoke the
ghosts of eight dead years, as the result
Of the advice of presidential aspirant,
Oliver p. Morton Recent occur ences
stamp this uttcrance Of 'McClures CON
mttee with the seal of Senator Mortons $
approval. We are perfectly content to
accent il in that form Not long ago one