The Van Buren press., 1874-09-15
IConpeatioa- Concluded.l J

Fletcher and Cravens were appointed as
the committee to wait on Gov. Baxter.
Mr. c avens said he never backed out
Of anything, although he disliked to IN
form man that he had beat him.
Laughter
RECESS TWENTY MINUTES.
Nominations for chief justice were an
nouncel in order.
Mr England, of Lonoke- placed in
nomination Hon Z II English.
Mr.. Wilcox placed in nomination Hon.
David Walker, of Washington county.
Mr.. Davidson said Judge Walker could
not accept the position, and therefore
did not desire the same.
Mr.. Wilcox then withdrew the name.
Hon. + ii. English was then nomna
ted for chief justice by acclamation.
Mr.. Williams moved the appointment
of n committee of one to inform Judge
English of his nomination. Carried, and
Mr.. S w Williams was appointed.
Nominations were then announced for
associate justices.
Mr.. Cook placed John T. Beardon in
nomination; Gen. WIN II Burke. of
Phillips, placed the name of j. ID. Walk
er in nomination, and Mr.. Tillar placed
VIM. NJ Harrison in nomination
Mr.. Coffin, from the committee APP
pointed to wait on Gov. Baxter, appeared
at this juncture and submitted the follow
ing letter from the governor:
Executive DEPARTMENT, !
Little Rock. Ark, Sept o, lS7AA =,
To Messrs. Coffin, Hampton CraNens, Fletcl,-
err. j. T.. Eagle. committee:
DEAR SIRs: Your communication convey
ing to me the information that l have been
nominated for governor by the conservative
convention, now in session IL this city, has
been received
The circumstances surrounding me in the
past few months are such rs to. render me
duubly sensible of the high honor thus con-
ferrtd; aud | can only say that | am more
than gratilied by this renewed token of your
confidence.
During the period that | have held the Office
of governor, have had no alternative except
either actively TO assist in the destruction OF
the last vestiges of the liberties OF the people
or else to make stand at all hazards in de-
fense of their rights ! claim no credit for
having pursued the plain path OF duty in an
emergency so vital to the public welfare. In
doing so | have violated no pledges. The
platform on which | ran was made up OF
promises for better government. Whercv-
er had the honor to address the people re-
iterated those promises with the strongest
emphasis of-which was capable-so far was
from concealing my sentiments either from
friends or foes. | recur to these things now
with the most profound and intimate conyic-
ton that i have forfeited no pledge have yio-
lated no promise thus made. Pursuing the
course which had thus proposed to myself,
having in View the complete restoration oi
the entire people. white and black. rich and
poor, to the inestimable privilege of self-eov-
ernmcnt. rs dear to the American people as
the air which they breathe; II course exact
ing the overthrow Of a set OF men who have
hedwed themselves around with every con-
ceiyable device in order to degrade the gov
ernment to Il mere private monopoly, 1t was
Aot to be expected that should escape de-
traction, vet. in all the obloquy that has been
heaped upon me. it has never. so far as l
know. been objected that have proved rec
reantto il single principle or the platform on
which WAS elected. or II single engagement
which thus Assumed.
The facts bearing on my official conduct are
sufficiently well known and>it is not possible
TO fil>ify the trntks of history. We have had
and legislatures. made up in
great part of men having no residence and
scarcely any acquaintance in the communities
which they pretended 30 represent; miSgoV-
crnment his invaded every department and
pro .uced effects which it would bc painful
to state in detail Everywhere public pc"nla
ton and private cXtoltiOn walked hand IN
hand. Enormous taxation was attended by Il
still more enormous waste of public revenue.
The public debt increased more than ten mil
lions of do lars in less than five years. Tax
es were increased three fold. ard still largely.
failed to meet the public outlay, and every
year the disproportiQn between the income
and the expenses of the government was en-
banced The countr, b.ing greatly imporer-
ished by, a destructive and disastrous civ'l
war it was not possible that this conuition
of affairs should long continue.
Soon after | was installed rs governor. "A
bill was introduced into the legislature for
the release Of the state lein on railroads which
she had aided in buildings; and also another.
which regard rs wholly unparalleled in the
legislation of ills continent | refer to the
police bill, by which it was pro-
vdcd that three paid commissioners should
be stationed in each county, endowed with
the right to arrest. without warrant or evi-
dencc. any citizen. at WILL and to send him to
be incarceratcd at the capital, provision of
money and men being made for carry ing ont
these extraordinary powers This law would
have amounted to u perpetual suspension ~
the writ of habeas corpus, would have created
limited power in every county, and would
have reduced over half million of American
citizens to subsection to system Of govern
ment far more odious and oppressive than
that of the celebrated Council of Ten at Ven
ice Had this bill became a law-and its sue
cess at one time deemed ccrtlin-no citizen
would have been safe by day or by night. at
home or abroad; a reign of terror must have
ensued elections would have subsidized into
n mere idle ceremony; the courts would have
been impotent; there would have been an
end of all substantial indications of free gov
crnment and anarchy itself would have been
hailed with n sense OF grateful relict. My
successful opposition To these two measures
was the origin of plans to eject me from the
office which hcld-pllns which for while
were intended TO be kept secret, but which
were fully revealed bv thar bailled rage which
ensued short time atcrN ard, when retus-
ed TO issue railroad aid bonds which | 'liev'
ed TO be Illegal until the law should be settled
by the courts. Ii Is useless TO recount the |
events which followed. and which are fresh |
In the minds of all. Suffice 1t to say that the |
great body of the people, without distinction |
Of party, rallied TO my support, and that the
or President Grant caused the |
dispersion of desperate men whose hSt, hope |.
If success appeared In the delusivc form OF n 7
hcartlcss civil war.
The legislature having been called togcth.
er. | recommended to it to submit to the
people the propositionsof constitutional con-
ton. which was done and the people respon-
led with the unprecedented maioritfsof near
" 1000 in favor of convention. That con- |
yention has Just submitted to the popular |
vote constitution containing all the ele- |
ments of free republican government max
Ing all the Offices elective at the hands of the |
people embodying no distinction Of class or
rit,If l..f,g La,