The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-04-23
Bleeding ArkansAs.

Arkansas Just now is enjoying inc Hun
airy of double state government. Not
only are there two governors, but they
are discordant and belligerent. 1t is only
another instance of the supreme folly of
those measures called the reconstruction
acts, and is very nearly 4 parallel to the
Louisiana affair. In 1872 the republicans
split into two factions bearing the eupho-
NOUS titles of Minstrels and Brindles
Baxter was the candidate for governor of
the Minstrels, and Brooks of the Brindles.
The Democrats made no nomination. The
Brooks party, it is claimed, elected its can
didate, but the Baxters threw out votes
enough to elect their candidate. Baxter's
friends, stealing march, installed him in
office in January, 1873, together with their
whole state ticket. Brooks appealed in
vain to the Legislature and the Supreme
Court-they both ignored him
The Republicans as soon as they found
that they had "caught Tartar in THEN
new Governor. Baxter, began to cultivate
Lhe Democrats and helped TO form the
Senate in opposition to the regular Repnb-
ican candidate About half the offices in
his gift were filled by him with Demo
Gratis. The ''Minstrelr faction became
greatly alarmed at his performances and
concluded that they would he a great deal
better off with Brooks as Governor.
Brooks finally brought personal suit in
the State Circuit Court, presided over by
Judge Whylock, tor the possession of the
office of Governor and its emolumentS.
Gov. Baxter Ignored the case and declared
that he would not submit to the jurisdiction
of the Court.
After a decision in his favor Brooks
made raid on the state house. got pos
session, and holds it by garrison Baxter
and forces are also ready for fight, but no
collision has Yet occurred. The President
declines to interfere, and so the matter re-
mains
New YORK. April y. A Memphis dis
patch states that Major Gibson of the
Regular Army has returned from Little
Rock, and says that all danger Of fighting
is over, both parties are good humored
and they joke about affairs daily Both
Brooks and Baxter say that they Shall act
on the defensive and both parties have de-
cided to leave the contest for the Courts
to decide. 1t is stated that both parties
desire to control the next Legislature so as
to elect a L. S, Senator
1t will not be surprising il our ladies when
they, come to take the lead in public affairs
would 60 rather wild in some directions. We
indications of this in their manner of CON
Quoting their temperance movement. They pay
but little attention to logic i'll their acts. The
eX-post tacto manner i'll which they propose 10
deal with inn-holderS and saloonistS shows this.
They propose to have punishment inflicted up
on them for acts committed before they have
enacted law They ask that the Licensing
Board shall refuse them licenses when they
have not as yet offended against any existing
order or bylaw of that board. Prog. Age
If the ladies do not proceed more logic
ally and forcibly than the Age has in stat
ing the case, they will deserve to fail An
ex post tacto law is an enactment made
after the commission of the offence which
it is intended to punish and is forbidden
by the constitution Now let us see if the
ladies are proceeding in this way. Inn
holders and vctuallers are licensed, or re-
fused a license, as the municipal officers
may think proper II licensed, they give
4 bond in the penal sum of $500 to observe
the requirements of law. One OF these is
that they shall not sell intoxicating liquors
This was known to the meeting, and to
the age, ior tnat paper says Inal MI.
Calderwood there explained it, The re
solve passed at the meeting asks the mu-
nicipal officers to refuse licenses TO such
persons as have violated the requirements
Of former ones, as being unfit. and to sue
for the penalty of the bonds What can be
more logical, or straightforward than this
1t is simply an exercise Of the right OF
petition for a redress of grievances, which
the Bill of Rights declares to be sacred 50
far from going wild III this matter, the
ladies have made a very clear, sharp and
strong point upon the licensing board and
one which that body will find it difficult to
avoid if disposed to.
The question of the propriety or Justice
of the law itself is distinct matter, and
one which we do not intend to here discuss
1t is well understood that the theory and
methods Of prohibition, as set forth in the
Maine law, have found no favor in these
columns. Our purpose is to defend the
ladies against the unfounded and unjust
attack of the Age, which charges them
with folly and stupidity, the very reverse
of the course they have taken