, 1875-02-08


There is cause for general rejoicing at Il,
almost unanimous conclusions reached bytbs
Congressional Committee on Arkansas A.
fairs. Tho purport Of tho majority report
signed by Messrs. POLAND, soupnER, sAY1ts
and SLoss, four out Of the five, is TINT Con.
gress and tho Federal Government al!oll l..
Arkansas alono to abide by the Constitu,io,
and Government which minority Of Ii,
people Of that State havo adopted by popu.,
vote. This is wiso conclusion, thorough,
in keeping with tho nature Of our Goyero.
ment md tho principles Of tho Republican
party. Mr. WAND, of Chicago, tho remain
ing member Of the Committee, disscnts fror
this report, no doubt under the honest CON
viction that tho recognition Of tho pressed
GARLAND Government will be dangerous ID
The rights Of tho negroes Of tho State md,
menace to constitutional principles, as h
ssys. But wo prefer to believe TINT LIS zsJ
is mistaken, and that tho Judgment Of L,
majority Of tho Committee Ia not only ID,
best solution Of the difficulty, but also fiji
conclusion on tho evidence before it.
To appreciate the relative meritg of tho n,
reports, We shall recall in word the Series {,
complications in Arkansas. Bnooxs and B4,
TER were the opposing candidates for Cor.
ornor in 1879, DRooKs on tho Democrat,
ticket and BAXTER on the Republican ticket
Subsequent revelations have proved thtt
BnooKs received large majority Of the votes
but BAXTER, as the Republican candidate, ws,
declared elected and duly installed Son,
timo utter both these gcntlomon roYerscdtht,
political creeils, BAXTER becoming a Dena
crat and BnooKs turning Republican. Thera
upon the Republicans in Arkansas, hcadedl!
tho two Senators from TINT State, united II
depose BANTER and plnco Bnooxs in povs,
BnooKs set up Government Of his oTa,
relying upon the Supreme Court Of Il,
State, which changed its politics whom Ii
did, and also upon recognition Of tho Federa
Government. The two factions cana b
open war, ind President GRANT was asked to
interfere. He pursued tho snmo coursel II
had taken in Louisiana recognizing tho |.
Jscto Government, which, in tl1is case, ws
Democratic, and ordering tho BnooKs faeGsn
to disperso as insurgents. Peace boing ths,
restored, a Constitutional Convention WI
called, which adopted new Constitute,
providing for State election in October last
The now Constitution YVES adopted, and, u
der 1t, A. Fl. GARLAND Domocrat) was cleet
ed Governor by an almost unanimous vote, ta.
Republicans generally refusing to vote o.
tho ground that the election was illegal 1al
the new Constitution void. BAXTER, thoh
jacto Governor, recognized tho validity Of tLs
election; but one SMITH, elected Lieutenaat
Governor On the BAXTER ticket, tilouglbs
sat in tho Constitutional Convention mi
sanctioned all the proceedings, afterwaa1
issued proclamation claiming to be ID.
Governor Of the State since BAXTER had IT,
signed. SMITH had no following, and Eu
speedily sque1ehed.
This was tile tumble and confusion Of It,
kansas politics for two years, and, when ths
Congressional Committee arrived at Li'ls
Rock, they found new Constitution, q re-
ognized Government and peaceful COIL
ton Of things throughout tho State. For .hs
first time in two years there wns no coude4
and the people had Constitution and Cor.
o1AtAE4t ~ L12G41 OWL helEGL1uu. IL Hthe
have been exceedingly unwise for the CO.
gressional Committee to have recommended
any Federal interference with this condition
only to restore the confusion and anare51
TINT prevailed before. The Commi!'es
find. moreover, TINT the new Consti;a.
ton ia republican In form and u
improvement over that Of 1865; tAs
tue present Governor was elected not onlyT
majority Of thoae voting but by majority
Of the yotora in the State that Arkansas
as peaceful as any Of the Southern States, u
having desperate class Of young men toe's
tend with that tho late election was held
duo form Of law that, though the promuSt
ton Of the new Constitution by ConvenA's
instead Of by the Legislature may be dst'>
tive, 1t WAS adopted BY majority Of the Peo'
pie Of the State, who hayo tho right to choo@
a Constitution that suits them and, ansl!!'
that Congress should not interfere.
This decision, We believe, assures ps'ee u
Arkansas, and henceforsh q rule by the NJ
jority In that State. We wish all the trouole
in tho Southern States might bo settled y
easily.