The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-02-13
ARKANSAS.

mot disguised his hes. friends, by rnding
message to the Senate on Tuesday, askin
congress to-" settle" affairs in Arkansas b
ous,ing the present state government and n
cocpIzing the Brooks faction and putin
them into Bower The proposition is so e'
traordinary, that it is chsritably supposed
be the hatch O, presidential midnight org,
The President sends this infamous propos
ton to congress the very next day after tn
Poland committee had submitted report t
the house of the result Of their investigate
in Arkansas last summer and in which repoi
the pretensions Of the Brooks faction ar
shown to be without legal or equitable foun
daton. In this light, the Presidents propose
is an insult to the committee, which was com
posed of his own political friends.
Settle affairs IN Arkansas! Not one OF al
the southern states-not even Lonsiana-iol
half dozen of years after the close OF the re
bellion, was more UNANIMOUSLY tramplod upon
and plundered by the carpetbaggers and
scalawags, aided and upheld by federal bayo'
nets, than Arkansas. 1t is notorious that Al
half dozen of elections in succession The
people by an overwhelming majority voteu
one way, while the carpet baggers, VINO had
possession of the government, 50 manipulated
the returns as to cheat the people and keep
themselves in power Two years ago there
was another election at which Brooks and
Baxter were opposing candidates. 1t happen.
cd that in that election tho "thievcs" quarreled
among themselves and were divided, but the
Baxter party had the inside track, and after
the farce of voting was over doGiGred the re.
turns as usual to suit themselves, and Baxter
was declared duly elected Governor aud ~
such was inaugurated. Supposed TO be lru.
ly loil," Baxter WAS as readily recognized at
Washington as any of the half dozen scoun.
lrels who had held the Office in defiance Of
he will of the people before him. 1t was not
until six months afterwards, when Baxter
to offend some of the Presidents
,ets in Arkansas, that the Brooks emeute OF
asst summer was Concoctcd to olst him. AL
hough that failed at the time Baxter real.
zed that via; the Washington government
opposed 10 ain, he occupied bed of 'horns,
nd therefore Joined the movement to get up
new constitution for the state which shon'nn,
lace the government, for The FRS, time since
he war, In the HANDS of its own people The
convention 10 frame that instrument was reg
larly called, their Work was fairly submit.
ed to vote OF INC people, and was adopted
y vote of four to one The only legal ques,
Ion In the case was, Baxter having been
lectcd tor three or four years, could tho new
constitution order an election for another
oyernor Immediately? TheoOubt was over.
ONE by Baxter resignaag, and lhereupon
iarlaud, the present governor, was elected by
t least twothlrds of all t.sc legal votes of the
tate.
Peace and quiet for the first time since the
ebellon has reigned in Arkansas from
hat day. All disorder, all local fclids, all
outrages" have ceased, and content with
ulers OF their own choice, the people of Ar
,ansas ceased to talk politics and turned their
ttention 10 promoting the material prosper
ty of the state The Poland committee look.
ny on the scene, earnestly commended the
moderation and practical good sense of the
'cople of Arkansas in bringing it about and
deprecated any action at Washington that
naight disturb it.
And now on the heels of this recommended
ion comes the mandate of the President that
his happy settlement of the troubles in Ar.
KANSAS shall be bi oxen mp to crafty the infa-
nous Brooks faction, and the state remanded
back TO disorder and anarchy, to be again
Dlundered by political adventures and
he case, the most infamous proposition that
was ever submitted to congress.