The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-11-04
"POker Jack"
INTERVIEW >BETWEEr AN ARKANSAS
CARPET BAGGLR A u ATTORNEY
GENERAL WILLIAMS.
[St. Louis Republicans Chattanooga Ect-

I've "oo'o CnuttQn0OGl ECt
ter.
| As rule, the carpet. Dagger O
the south has numbered among hi
distinctive traits the rankest COW
ardice and personal poltroonery
lie has been adroit at manipulating
the votes and molding tho opinions
of the colorcd brother. lie ha
aflectcd religion and philanthropy
Ito has managed to present himself
to the gaze of the people of the
n1rth in the attitude of martyr.
But he has always been non.comba
ant: y Whit Of smoke sends him
bust!ing into the nearest CUSTOM
house. A half dozen boys out on a
fox hunt terrify him into calling for
"more troops" Aud so on. This
is the sort of carpet.bagger we find
III Patterson and Moses, aud kellogg
and Spencer. But the Arkansas
carpet 'bagger is different breed
altog ether. He affects neither re-
l1g'on nor philanthropy. A harden.
ed sinner, he eloties in his depravity,
and SCOTS at hypocrisy. But he has
nerve and is game. There il Nc
CIure Poker Jack they call him a
perfect type OF the Arkansas carpet
bagger. The best illustration | can
give II McCiurc's character is By
describing All interview betw cen him
and Acknowledgement Williams last
wlhtcr, after the administration had
deed 10 favor of Baxter.
Mcclure came to Washington with
his blue eyes full of blood. The
opinion Of the attorney general had
struck him in the region Of the
diaphragm, and to say he was mad
would bc to draw it very mild. lie
went mp to the department Of justice
and demanded to sec Williams. That
furctiohary received him.
"I am Chief J ustice Mcclure, Of
Arkansas" he began, "and l have
read your opinion on the case recent.
Iydecided by the president. Now
sir, | wish to say that the papers on
which you based your opinion, and
which you refer to as having been
""rt;G"I - ~" ny tho nlo,ls of my
court, are either forged or garbled." )"
"W lat toyou say sir :" asked
the astounGcd attorney general. lie
had been accus,omel to the behavior
Of tho lackcy on tho part Of tho
traditional carpet. dagger, but here
was one playing the bully. 1t was
incomprehensiblc to the attorney
geucral.'
81 say, sir" replied the impcrtur-
bable Mcclure, "that behave those
papers arc either forged or that new
matter has been interpolatcd in them
aud [ say further, sir that the repu-
tation of your department and the
known character Of yourself incline
me to the belief that these frauds
have been enacted in your Office,
and by your instigation or conni-
va ,cc.'
"W hat DO you mean, sir 7" gaspcd
the breathle>s Williams.
81 mean just what | say,' replied
Mcclure still as cool rs a rcfrigcra-
tor, "Lnd I want to soc the originals
of those papers which you claim have
been certified to you by tho clerk of
my court"
81 have sent them to the senate,
sir" said Williams.
"You talk, sir like man who is
lying," said Mcclure. "In fact, sir,
believe you are lying. Not to
put too fac point upon it, you are
Il liar, sir. Original papers are
never sent to the senate or the house
except by special demand for them
The resolutio Of the scnate ia re.
gard to these papers called for copies
and copies were sent. You do not
wish me to soc the oriTinals, sir, for
fear that will detect tho interpola-
tions that have been perpctratcd in
your Office. / believe you have been
bought up 10 this matter, sir.'
At this, Williams turned and left
the room. Ills chief clerk then came
up to Mcclure and said 81 regard
your remarks as n personal insult ia
myself"
600" said Mcclure. "You dom,
know the difference between an in
suit and an apology. There is MOI
a man in this department who j:
capable of resentipg anything
Don't talk to me at all, sir
Then Poker Jack strokcd his long
beard, walked up and down th'
room II few minutes and took hi
leave. Well, that is tho sort o
c.rpc, .basgcrs the people Of Arkan
sas have TO deal with. Men VIII
know neither scrnplc, compunction
nor fear. They mean to revolution
IL: the state over again. They ar
proceeding about it in very sys
tema way. And they will make
deal of trouble before they are di:
posed of.