Wilmington journal., 1875-02-19
THE PRESS AND THE EARKANsAS


The New York Herald finds in this
Message new cause for Grants re-
signation It says, the strasge Arkan-
sas Message, unaceountable' even from
Grant, must intensity the Republican
regret that Mr.. Wilson is not at the
head of the Government Lis Excel
lency seems to have lost his memory,
besides abdicating all the claims he
ever had to common sense. 1t is IN
conceivable that any man who had not
hopelessly lost his wits, it is astonish-
ing that any man ontside the walls OF
an asylum for lunatics, could have
sent to Congress Message which SO
condemns and repudiates his own re
cent policy respecting affairs in A-kan-
ses, In 1872 Brooks ran on the Gree
ley ticket and Baxter on the Grant
ticket. The Grant party in that State
counted Brooks out and Baxter In,
with the Presidents implied sanction
Brooks has since changed frontand be-
come supporter of Grant, and. for no
other reason known to the public, His
Excllency has also changed front, and
maintains at this late day that Brook s
was elected. Why did he not make
this discovery more than two years
ago, when the returns of that election
we're rs accessible as they are at pres
snt It is scandalous for the Presi-
dent to change his opinion on such q
point, for DO other disoernible reason
than that the Greeley Can idate, who
was counted out, has turned his politl-
cal coat and become supporter of
Grant Did this whiting Office
seek ker's desertion of his supporters
change the number of votes cast for
him in 1872? There is a still stronger
reason, if a stronger be possible, why
the President should not have made
this late recognition of Brooks. No
longer ago than last May General
Grant issued proclamation, in which
he asserted the title Of Baxter and de-
MED that of Brooks to the Governor
ship. The argument put forth
in that proclamation was sound aud
satisfied the country. That argnm, III
was founded on a pro ision OF the
Arkansas constitution which makes
the Gsueral Assembly of the State tlI.
final Judge of the election of State
officers, and on the fact that this tri
loo IN huh
declared that Baxter was legally elect
ed. Such q decision foreclosed con-
troversy on that subject, and the Pres
ident wa so advised by his Attorney
General. and made the opinion of that
officer the basis Of his proclamation.
In that document, which all political
parties approved at the tim the Pres
ident used this language Whereas
said Elisha Baxter has been declared
duly elected by the General Assembly
of said State, as provided in the con
stitution thereof, and has for long
period been exercising the functions
of said office, into which he was in,luct-
ed according to the constitution and
laws of said State, and ought by its
citizens to be considered the lawful
Executive thereof" 1t is amazing
that, after such proclamation so re-
cent and SO we'll Remembered, the Pres.
ident should publicly turn his backup
on himself" and declare that Brooks il
the rightful Governor. What has
wrought this wonderful change? How
did the President acquire authority to
review " and reverse the decision of the
General Assembly. which the State
Constitution makes the final Judge III
such cases ? Even If the new Arkan
sas Constitution is void, as the Presi
dent contends, he bound himself, by
his May proclamation, to support Bax
ter and repudiate Brooks. The Te
cent message, compared with the May
proclamation, presents the most re-
markahle instanaa- of self qualification
TO be found in the official records ol
any government. It cannot doubted
that the country, irrespective of party
differences, would feel sense of re
lief on the resignation of such Pfesi
dent, nor that the republicans woald
hail with aoclaiming Joy the substit'l-
ton for President who so wantonlv
defies public opinion of true, tried
and judicious member of their OWE
party like Viee-President Wilson.
The Troy Times, one of the most
loyal of Republican organs, says, "the
President has erred" The Springfield
Republican says, ''no wonder that
such astnte politicians as Henry
Wilson are wringing their hands. ;.
The Utica Herald, the leading kepub-
loan organ of Central New York,
edited by distinguished Republican
member of Congress, says, "we cannot
conceal our surprise that the Presi.
dent should have felt called upon to
issue this Message" The Republican
Boston Transcript thinks ''it is
inadmissible to reopen the Arkansas
troubles. The Philadelphia Ieie-
graph, also Republican, says, s.it is
most devoutly to be hoped that Con
gress will turn deaf ear to this Mes
sage; that it will not so obstinatelv
persist in driving the Republican
party to ruin as to yield moments
consideration to its peremptory in
structioDs.
It will beremembared that IN sustain
ing Baxter, Graue sustained himself
70. Arkansas gave the same vote fol-
Greeley that it gave for Brooks. At
thattime the two senators, who are now
such setive friends for Brooks, were
then aquaily active of Baxter, as the
following letters will show:
~ New York, June 8, 1873.
To Governor Elisha Baxter: E .r.....
You have the unqualified support of
myself aud friends. The revolution
II