, 1874-11-19

Thoro ia ono foaturo of tho Arkansas question
which may III vol stand corrected. There can
bo no profit to the Republican party in distor-
ton Of plain truth, mud in this extract, which wa
make from M editorial Of yesterdays Inter-
Ocean, tuero Ia auol, distortion
An Gov. Daxtcr Ind bocoins tho tool Of tho Demo-
cratic leaders, lie undertook TO carry out lo,r plana
regardless Of oil constitutional provisions or rcstrc-
tlon. How did he rrocccd2 uo appotntod tb,rsv-
tlfco Representatives and i've Senators to various
'ocai ocea assunod that as many vacancies oxisted
as'u ordered special election to fll anoh yacaucjes
ba in order to secure tho return Of Democrats to a.
auch vacancies. hc superseded ihc existing boards Of
hc8lstry throughout tho State by tho appointment Of
new Boards of Registry, otc.
Wo have on flo extracts from tho Little Rock
Republican aud tho Little Rock Gaxette, showing
the current Of political events in Arkangas, "a
they occurred, In 1878. Those extracts wore
mado by us at tho timo, md arc tho best Of TO-
lfablo witnesses. From these 1t appears that at
tho ond Of tho regular session OF tho Logisla-
ttro, in April, 1879, Gov. Baxter, bc!ng then in
full accord with the political majority OF tho
Legislature. appointed several scnators mud
Representatives (aH stated abovo) to various To-
cal offices In his gift. Otllors wcro upon tho
recommendation Of scnatota Clayton and Dor
soy, appointed to of1!ccs in the gifs Of
tho Federal Administration. Tie Legislature Of
Arkaneaa iB biennial body, and 1t waB not ox-
pected, when these appointments land vacau-
cies) occurred, that there would be sny further
employment for 1t during tho remainder of ite
3Gfm. 1h6an1 Rim n1ot1,
DO resumed upon call OF tho Governor. In No.
Vember, 1879, special elections woro held to fill
nino vacancies in tho Senate md forty in the
House. Those elections acre held under tile
then existing law. and with oil tho existing
forms, and BY tho existing Boards of Registry
They wore required and hold as legal formnlity,
to cover possible contingencies, just as special
elections havo boon held In Illinois to fill yacan-
olea in our Legislature, without concurrent ex-
poctation Of service to bo required.
It would appear, Furthermore, from our own
memoranda Of Arkansas politics, that, after their
special election in Noyombor 1873, no one was
more surprised ut tho result than Gov. Baxter
himself. Tho Legislature Of tho proccding
winter, to accomplish the election Of Nir. Dorsey
to the United States senate, had, by the CO.
operation Of Dorsoy'a frienda and q Democratic
restored to oil thoir rights Of tho
ballot some 10000 white citizons Of Arkansna.
asfrancllsaed under tho Powell Clayton Canstiu-
lion Of 1868. Tho Democrats, thus reinforced in
voting strength, carried tho special elections Of
November, 1873. What had been Republican
Legislature, living, became Democratic Locis-
aturo with dormant lifo. 1t ut onco began to be-
that this Democratic Legislature, If by
any means assembled, would scrutinizc tho
election returns Of 1879 aud recognize Brooks as
Governor rather than Baxtor. 11eroupou arose
conflict between Brooks and Da1tor, III which,
IS IN tho stagc~play, the con,batanta exchanged
heir politics instead OF their sworda. In tho
'oIght Of tho rumpus, when tho President recon-
nended Ill assembling Of tho Legislature, Gov.
5axter Was still reluctant to call it; and, wheu
he Legislature did assemble, it Was confronted |
Fith most perple1ng embarrassment. Hero
zero the election returns Of 1879, notoriously |
to elect Daxtor, and loro was
3rookH, whom the Democrats elected, q Repub- |
lean It was nil muddlo. The handiest vay
ut Of it seemed to bo to cut clear Of tho past
nd begin anew. That is what tho people Of
lrkansas hnve done. and we SEQ no evidence of
ny departure thcrein from the Reasonable re-
uircmentB or forms Of law.