The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-18
The Merchants, the BUSINESS Men, tne
Soldiers and the Clergy Denounce
Bandit Sheridan.

Soldiers and the Clergy Denounce
Bandit Sheridan.
I'VE are under obligations to w.
Austin Esqr. (some years ago a resident
Of Davenport, but now one of the leading
business men of Little Rock, Arks.) for a
CODY Of the arkansas Gazette, containing
several columns Of documents in regard to
Sheridan's infamous proposition to declare
the white people of Louisiana, Mississippi,
and Arkansas ''banditti" and leave the
rest to him. First is protest adopted at
a public meeting of merchants. business
men and members of the chamber Of com
merce and signed by a very long list OF
names, Of which the following is a copy:
I'VE, the undersigned, merchants OF
Little Rock, render our solemn protest
AGAINST the foul and infamous imputatlon
made upon the fair name and fame Oh oul
state by the recent dispatches sent Dy
Lieut. Gen. Sheridan to the secretary OF
war. and assure the civilized world that
life and property are as safe IN this state
"a in anv state of the union; that there is
no existence of any armed white league,
or any organized body hostile to the gener-
al government.
1--WE appeal to our fellow merchants
throughout the United States, with whom
we are connected in commercial ties to
fully consider what effect such foul and
unfounded charges, as the establishing OF
such government as Gen. Sheridan does
suggest, will have on the commercial
trade of this country, and how much busl-
ness would suffer. if such policy was to
be carried out. We condemn the un9ar
ranted action of the military in dispensing
the legislature of Louisiana. thereby set
ting precedent which, if not rebuked,
will have the tendency to subvert our lib
critics. We further appeal to your better
Judgment for your and our interest, ano
condemn any action which will overthrow
our present civil government, indorseo py
all(excepting few political vampires, per
haps) and bring ruin to trade and CONNER
cial welfare, to say nothing OF CIVIL noe 81
ties" @ *
Then comes document directed to the
President, signed by residents OF the cap
ital of Arkansas, or Of its immediate yicln-
ity, officers and soldiers of the army of the
union in the late war, or in active sympa
thy with the cause of the union during that
war" in which Sheridan's course is denounc
ed in the plain outspoken words of soldiers
They say. in relation to Sheridans bandit
letter, that from whatever source ths
lieutenant generals information may have
been derived, it was simply fabricated GU
of whole cloth. Such statement coming
from any man conversant with the stat
of affairs in Arkansas, can bear no apolog!
of honest error, or of prejudice; it is, o
necessity. deliberate and Infamous false
hood" They then set forth the iac' ina
,sace and good order prevail In the state
that life, liberty, property, free speec
and free press are protected" and tha
under the present state government "th
rights and interests of all citizens, withor
distinction of birth, color or political opiI
ion are safe - that "the sole feeling of il
security arises from the Vaccinations
mere handful of unscrupulous politician
who are striving to regain power" an
they close by saying they are 'contel
with their government and ask to be pc
mitted to pursue their avocations in peace
This soldier document contains very lor
list of signatures, and says "the immedia
nature of the exigency, and the scan
means of communication in this state, pr
clude the addition of thousands of sign
lures, which would otherwise be given"
Next comes despatch from Lee count
as follows;
MARIANA, January O
To the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Seventeen hundred colored men regret the Sta
ment of Gen, Sheridan in regard to Arkansas, &C
nected with Mississippi and louisiana He must
totally ignorant of our condition or he has wilfu
mlsrepresented us, We are satisfied with the p
sent state Of affairs w, Fl. FURBUsH,
Sheriff of Lee County
And this is followed by card from t
clergy indorsing the statements of t
business men and the soldiers. The whC
is rather an ugly document for Bant
Sheridan to digest