Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-11
HIS NEXT VICTIM.
The Report that Gives the LIE 20
Grants Arkansas Message-What
POlandis Committee Say.

Grants Arkansas Message-What
POland's Committee Say.
The special committee on affairs In the
State of Arkansas presented their reperfs
Saturday. The majority report is sighed
by Messrs. Poland Of Vermont, Scudder of
New York, Snyder Of Ohio, and Sloss of
Alabama. They give a statement Of the
whole history Of affairs in Arkansas in
chronological order since the reconstruc-
ton acts Of 1855. They recognize the va
lidity Of the election Of 1874, and Of the
new constitution They don't see how the
United States could interfere, except in
case of domestic violence. The new con-
stitution they regard as republican in form,
and in many respects an improvement on
the constitution Of 1868. Some cues
ton has been made as to the dropping
from the declaration Of PRINCIPLES
some Of the professions Of loyalty con-
tanned in the old constitution. Most
of the reconstruction constitutions contain
rather a surplusage on the subject. The
committee is satisfied that the convention
10 frame the constitution and the eonstitu-
ton itself were voted for and are s~atisfac-
tory to the majority Of the voters aud peo-
pie of the State. The State officers were
certainly elected by a majority Of votes
cast, and we believe by a majority Of the
voters in the State. The condition of the
State has been as peaceable since the new
government was inaugurated as it ever has
been. Acts Of violence have been vely few
indeed. II is alleged that this is all be-
cause they are now under Congressional in
~vestigation and on their good behavior.
The committee believe that in Arkansas
the mass Of the people on both sides are
inclined to peace and good government and
to allow all their enjoyment Of all their
legal rights, but there are a class Of men,
the outgrowth Of the former state of soci-
ETY., who delight in disturbing and de-
priving the colored people and North
ern people Of their rights. These
are the young men, who cannot be
restrained. This class ofmeD, together with
the general custom Of carrying deadly
weapOns-anOther legacy Of barbarism-
are the real causes Of violence and blood.
The changes caused by the war, giving
freedom and political equality to the color
ed people, are not yet we'll relished by the
Southern people, but mOst Of them would
do nothing TO disturb them. But the class
to which we have alluded feel that they
can invade the rights Of colored men,
especially on any political ground, and
that there Otfenses will be Winked
at. We are satisfied that the true
prosperity Of these Southern
States depends more upon just and stern
dealing by them with this lawless class of
than any other cause. As to the
future peace and quiet Of the State, the en-
forcement Of the laws and protection to life
and property, Arkansas probably presents
different condition from that Of the 9TH
er cotton States, whose political control has
passed into the hands Of the class who
ruled before the war. The committee say
ave are asked to recommend that the
National Government shall declare In some
form that the new constitution has not SUI
perceded that Of 1868, but that the old one
is still the true fundamental law Of the
State, and that Mr.. Brooks, who doubtless
elected and ought to have been de-
Governor, is now the lawful Gov
of the State, and that the Government
will support and uphold him as the lawful
Of the State. Your committee
will take DO time to give their views of the
true relations and duties of the General
and State Governments. Questions
1f great d~elicacy arise in dealing
with them. The people Of every State
have the right to make their " constitu-
ion to suit themselves, provided it be re-
publican in form and in harmony with the
Constitution Of the United States, and the
National Government has not authority to
them Of that right. Here we have
he case Of a State having a Constitution,
republican in form, adopted and ratified by
/ large majority Of the people, governed by
49, Of Fhofr nhofaa an1 -.snU E.rro-N |
with reasonable quiet and peace. Your
committee cannot find any solid grounds
IN which to stand to say the General Gov
can or ought to interfere, and no
AMOUNT Of i~rregularity in the processes by
this state Of things was brought
lbOut furnish just reason for doing so.
"The committee believe that upon prin-
,iples now well established, these defects
md irregularities in the proceedings must
De regarded as covered by the verdict of the
The election held for ratification
vas under the form Of law, and the officers
Fbo conducted 1t acted under appointment
md under official oaths, and though We re-
sard all as defective because prescribed by
he convention instead Of the Legislature.
till we believe they are entitled to be re-
yarded differently from mere voluntary
meetings held under nc pretence Of legal
authority.
"The committee do not recommend any
lction by Congress or by any department of
he General Government in regard to the
State government of Arkansas"
TIE MINORITY REPORT.
Mr.. Ward, Of Illinois, the other member
# the committee, presents a minority re-
,ort, and takes an entirely different view of
be testimony. The following extract is a
eff banditti or a mob Of armed men may
axe possession Of a State, depose its Off
,ers, arrest its judges, close its courts, III
imidste It's people through violence and
provide its own way Of holding
md its own officers to hold elections, and
IS Own officers to declare the result, and
he fruits Of such defiance of all law are
upon the people Of such State and
lpOn Congress, then the present pretended
7Oyernment Of Arkansas is legitimate and
must be recognized as such, but not other
rise. Those who will read the evidence
1ust be satisfied there was a reign of ter
Or throughout Arkansas during the period
D which the sO-called Garland government
being formed and set in motion ell
rely inconsistent with a full and fair K
ression Of the viii of the people on that