The Van Buren press., 1874-10-20
GEN. TKOMASON'S RECORD.

This gentleman has not worked very
well in Democratic harness for year or
two, and as he claims to be such a good
Democrat, it will, perhaps, be interesting
to many to know something of his politi-
cal record since '73, and which record
will enable the Democrats to Judge
whether he is entitled to what he claims
in this particular.
Let it be remembered that prior to 1861
Thomson affiliated first with the Know
Nothing and then with the Wing party,
and with the Democratic party from the
beginning of the late civil war up to
1873.
In the year 1873, short time prior to
the Van Buren city election, few gen.
tlemen of both the Republican and Dem
ocratic parties, met at the Court House,
and put out mongrel ticket for city of
Gcers, among whom were some very OBJ
jectionab!e Radicals A large number
of Democrats refused to support the tick.
et Hence, Democratic convention was
called for the purpose of nominating a
Democratic ticket. Thomson was pres.
ent at this convention, and, he, upon be-
ing invited to preside over it, declined to
do so, for the reasons, that it was Demo.
cratic convention, and that he intended
to support the mixed ticket The Demo
cratic ticket was elected with the excep
ton Of one alderman, who was defeated
by a Radical who was on the ticket
Thomson supported.
A Democratic convention was called
in June, 1874. for the purpose Of nomi-
mating q candidate for delegate to the
Constitutional convention. Thomson
was opposed to the calling of Demo-
cratic concention and wanted Peoples
convention. In the Van Buren, Demo
cratic township convention, he labored
hard to turn it into Peoples convention,
and insisted on letting several leading
Radicals participate therein but the con-
vention turned deaf year to his plead.
ings, and did not admit them His
friends succeeded in several wnships in
converting the Democratic conventions
into mongrel conventions. BY this means
together with all kinds Of trickery.
Thomson received the nomination by
convention in which there were only sew
en- out of eleven townships represented.
He at once announced himself the "peo.
pies candidate" and not as the Demo-
cratic candidate.
Thomson was elected delegate from
this county, and while in the convention
he was more in harmony with the Radi
cal than the Democratic delegates He
consumed a great deal Of time in making
buncombe speeches, and thus iTpeded
the progress of work in the convention,
when he knew the Democrats were labor
ing earnestly to complete the constitu-
ton as soon as possible. Finally the
labors of the convention were well nigh
ended and the fixing of the time to hold
an election to submit the new constitu-
ton to the people for their decision and
the selection of all officers authorized by
it came up. In view OF threatened
Congressional interference with our State
affairs, on account Of the Brooks Baxter
embroglio, the Democratic leaders con
sidercd it important to adopt the consti-
tuition and to have the new government
machinery In operation before Congress
assembled. The 18th of October was
proposed, and Thomason worked with
the Radicals against the adoption of this
proposition, and for his efforts in this
particular that virtuous sheet, the Little
Rock Republican, applauded him.
Thomson was to have been the indie
pendent Democratic candidate for gov
ernor against Baxter in case ofhis nomi'
nation by the Democratic party. Baxter
was nominated the second time by q
unanimous vote and declined to accept.
Thomson had believed Baxter would
not decline, and as he was Republican