National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-25

1t Is evident from the tone OF certain leau-
ing editorials in the Arkansas Gasette. the
leading organ of the Conservative party in
that State, that the political atmosphere In
the vicinity of Little Rock is still clouded
with misapprehensiOns regarding the views
of President Grant. 1t assumes that his
active sympathies have been enlisted in
behalf of the so-called Baxter ticket"
No graver mistake could have been made.
When the contest between Baxter and
Brooks occurred, the President was called
upon in his executive capacity to decide
upon the merits of their respective claims.
He did so with the unerring and prompt
decision which has characterized every act
of his public life, and in doing so sustained
Governor Baxter, not because he was a
Democrat, or Democratic-COn Conservative, or
Radical, or because he was opposed for
the time being by prominent so-called car
pet-baggers; but because it was his duty to
do so. He held that the election which re-
suited in Baxter's success over Brooks was
final, and that questions growing out of con-
tests under that election could not be de-
termined in any other way than that pro-
vided for in the constitution of the State.
He further held, virtually, that the contest
had been decided in the manner prescribed
by that constitution, and that the people of
the State, especially the prominent leaders
in the ti-Baxtcr movement, having sub
mitted quietly to that decision for long
period of time, had ratified it. The effort
of Brooks to displace the government thus
sustained and to antagonize the decision
thus ratified, appeared under these circum-
stances to be an attempt to overthrow the
very system of our institutions. In other
words, he held that the voice of the people
had been heard, and although the people
might have been misrepresented by the
agents they had selected to administer their
affairs and decide upon such questions as
the contest to which we allude, the Gen
eral Government had no authority to go
behind that decision. II stood as the law
of the State, unalterable except by the acts
of the people themselves; and as the law
which even the General Government itself
was bound to respect. His aim was to pro
vide a method by which the people, if
they desired TO do so, might alter this
law in a peaceable manner, and in his sue
cessful attempts to realize this aim he was
compelled to refuse to recognize Brooks as
Governor. The result was the organiza-
ton of a constitutional convention and the
adoption of peaceable methods, by which
the people have since then in reality revo-
lutionized the State government. When
the Gazette, or any other journal, infers
from this that the President intended to
show any sympathy for either party in the
contest it is, as we have said, deceived. In
the Texas case, for example, his decision
adverse to the claims of Governor Davis
and sustaining Governor Coke was based
upon non-political considerations, and was
prompted by desire to do his duty in the
execution of the laws regardless of politi-
cal results. That decision resulted in the
discontinue of the Texas radicals, as the
decision in the Arkansas case resulted in
the discontinue of some of the Arkansas
extremists but both have been applauded
by the thoughtful people Of the country as
acts which entitle him to recognition as an
independent and fearless statesman. The
efforts of supporters of this or that candi-
date in the election which has followed as
the result of the Arkansas constitutional
convention to construe his act of last spring
as designed TO advance the interests of either
party are, therefore, unjust in the extreme.
The advantage which Baxter and his friends
gained at that time was purely accidental.
Baxter had the good fortune to be placed
in position where the Presidents duty
demanded his recognition. If he had been
situated otherwise, he would certainly have
suffered as Brooks did