The Van Buren press., 1876-04-29
ARKANSAS.
What Democrat tanks of its Condition
and the Infamous Ring at it,
Capitol.
from Missouri Democrat. 18th inst. ]

Vie DeLuocIat IOr some Vine past, 1 atu
induced to esteem that paper as coming
nearer to the true standard OF indepen.
dence in journalism than any of those
that boast SO loudly of independence.
While you are an unwavering republican,
yet you give evidence of the salutary
fact that you can see error although 1t is
found ia the ranks of your own party. |
It will be better for our country when the
democratic journals learn such wisdom
Excessive party spirit, or perhap. more
properly, partisanism, ever blind to its
own mlsdeeds, is the present curse OF
our country. lam democrat, but of
national school, and can feel the effects
of latter day democracy as keenly as any
republican. l do not close my eyes to
its many grieyous blunders-blLnders
that do not result from its principles, but
are the result of party tactics, forced up.
on the organization by incompetent, i'm
prudent and selfish party leaders. The
grievous mistake of barely mentioning
Fernando Wood in connection with the |
next speak srship is but one of a very
brood Of thenmade by party, in both
state and national capacity. Believing
that you desire true reform, l feel inclin
ed to give you few items of importance
as to the local politics of Arkansas.
From your columns see such matters
are of interest to you, and know they
are to your many readers of all political
parties in Arkansas. In the settlement
of the Brooks Baxter trouble, while many
democrats, who had aided in the election
OF Brooks, thought be ought to have the
Office, there were but very few who did
not honestly abide by the decision OF the
president. When the time came to nom.
mate candidates for state offices, the Ga
zette ring at Little Rock had manpula.
ted the county primaries until they had
majority ofthe SO called delegates in
the convention instructed fer Baxter for
governor. The democratic delegates
present, who felt that continuation of
Baxter would be but strengthening the
case made by Clayton & Co. before the
congressional Investigating committee,
) insisted upon some one else, they cared
not who, provided he was an honest man,
prelerrlng, of course, n democrat. This
did not suit the Rourbons, as they had
certain plans of their own to carry out
( nomination, for reasons shrewdly sus-
e pected by Others, but best known to him
self They took Garland, a good and
ahle man, and he was taken because be
was the best known and least objection
able. But, mark you, it was conceded to
the Bourbon ring that they could by any
means get Baxter out of the way they
could name the ticket. There was, there
fore, no preparation Of candidates by the
people. so the ring put forth their candi,
dates, most of them from Little Rock,
Ii and then Baxter delegates nominated
j. them. | am thus particular in this ac.
~, count that you may see that the errors
11dt 10 aa zaf down 10 fnSeaTcAd!11 acd1ans ~ ouSn
L party, but only to the account of the
'6 Bourbon ring. This is but a continuation
e OF the old Johnson ring that impoverish
70 ed Arkansas by mismanagement and fl
nally led us into rebellion. The demo
- cratic party Of the state does not indorst
its dongs, aud protest against being held
responsible Tor its msdeeds All we ask
is for the honest and independent press
Of the country to place the censurc where
it is deserved. We can never have Q
,e prosperous condition of things so long
70 as selfish politicians at the capital rule
the state. While you are doing all in
u your power to reform the country by ey.
l. posing corruption in all parties for the
? sake OF reform, put in word now anC
As then for the people Of Arkansas aaains,
h the infamous ring at Little Rock thai
- ~ rules by trickery and rules only to dis
NJ grace US. Yours,
e Xxx
The above is from the pen of the editor o.
e the Argus, Hon. G. Wilcox, W itten to rad
c. lcal paper In st. Louis, that out-radcals al
If other radical papers in the West. We wisl
>. our democratic readers to weigh well the Ian
guage and meaning of this le ter, addressed
70 as 1t is by professed National Democrat >
" to leading republican paper, and ask them
l selves as to the motive prompting it. and why
10 why 1t was not contributed to home paper
In sympathy with the gentleman.
The letter. 1t will be noticed was writer,
20 just after the adjournment of the first session
0 of the legislature, when the State was Just
b out of the clutches of the Clay on dynasty
d and was struggling for existence, and the
ia Financial Board appointed by the Legislature
composed of Governor Garland, @ N. Peay.
II and Judge U. Nj, Rose, were making efforts. in
q obedience to an act just passed, to obtain In
] New York. st. Louis or other monied mar
y kets loan sufficient to carry on the State
:. governmental The object, 20 doubt, was to
cripple the efforts Of the Board, and throw
: every obstacle in the way of the State get
J ting any relief from the monied men of the
d East.
II Referring to the portion Of the letter speak.
!. ing OF the State convention, We wish our rea.
! ders to recollect that Mr.. Wilcox was a men,
ber OF the convention that nominated the
Bourbon-Gazette ring-ticket," and acquies-
r ced in all Its proceedings and got himself at
r tached to the tail-end Of the Executive Com.
!. mittee for the State. How much more manly
1t wonlo have been for him to have signed
his letter lone Of the Democratic Execu utive
Committee" rather than Xxx" Now, to
e show his consistency we find Mr. Wilcox, in
g his paper advocating the denomination of
not less than four of fthatterrible bourbon ring
ticket. and among them Hon J, N. Smlthee
who at the time was editor of the Gazette
} Was there ever such hypocrisy
r | Ia "