Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-14
ARKANSAS POLITICS.
Particulars Of High Handed Proceed
ings at q Mass-Meetins OF the
Democracy OF Crittenden
County, Related by
Prominent Citf-
zens.

MARION, ARK, May "a Democratic
mass-meeting was held at this place on the
fourth instant for the purpose of appointing
delegates to the State congressional, judicial
and senatorial convention. The various por-
tons of the county were very well repre-
sented. The meeting was organized and
resolution passed to the effect that the dele
gates to the State cor gressional and Judicial
convention should eo chosen piud UOce, but
that the vote for delegates to the senatorial
convention should be by ballot. The reason
for making this difference in the manner of
voting was that two citizens of the county
Major r. F. Crittenden and Major j. +. Earle
were aspirants for senatorial honors, and
that the chief interestof the meeting conferred
on this vote. The appointment of delegates
to the State congressional and Judicial con-
vention was effected quietly and in
good order. Two sets of delegates
were then named, one representing Major R.
f. Crittenden, and the other representing
Major Earle. 1t was agreed that the dele
gates receiving majority of the votes should
be considered as appointed and instructed
for the candidate they represented. But on
the first attempt to vote, spirit of turbu-
lence seized the meeting, aud the greatest
confusion and disorder prevailed. The prin-
cipal cause cf this disturbance originated in
the attempt OF number of Republicans to
force themselves upon the meeting, for the
purpose of casting their votes for Major Crit
tenden. The Democrats were, of course, I'M
willing that these men, who were known to
be under the control of w. D. Hardin and E.
B. Lewis, leading Republicans of the county,
should participate in the vote to be cast; and
it was felt to be impossible to get a fair and
correct vote unless these Republican interlop-
ers could be eliminated from the meeting.
Various efforts were made to accomplish this
purpose. A division was called for,
and the Crittenden and Earle men
assembled on opposite sides of the room,
when it appeared very evident that, exclud-
ing the Republicans from Crittenden's party,
Earle had decided majority. One of the
delegates named for Crittenden, Mr.. L. F.
Scruggs, has admitted this since the meet
ing. The noise and confusion continued, and
nothing was done toward taking vote. A
call was then made to go out into the court
house yard, where, it was said, there would
be more room. Upon going down into the
yard, the Crittenden men-made up of Demo-
crate, Republicans, ard some non-naturalIzed
residents of the county-formed liue, and
list of those men was made by the secretary
of the meeting, but he made out no list of
those opposed to Crittenden. The Earle men,
finding they could not get rid of Crittenden's
Republican followers, called out for all Demo
Gratis to repair to the courthouse again, where
they undertook to exclude the Republicans
by refusing them admittanee into the
courtroom. The most of the Demo-
Gratis had returned to the courtroom,
when the secretary of the meeting offered
his resignation, and directly afterward the
chairman of the meeting announced that
Major Crittenden had received the nominal
ton by an almost unanimous majority. 1t is
enough to say that this summary disposal Of
the case By the chairman was of the nature
of a snap Judgment, and was altogether IN
warranted by the facts. We therefore unite
in declaring, mnhesitatingly and emphatical
ly, that no cote # any sort was taken by the
meeting, either for delegates to the senatorial
convention or for the nomination of any can
didate for State senator; that the proceedings
in reference to the vote were irregular, and
the announcement of Major Crittenden's
nomination farce, and that if correct vote
had been taken by the Democrats present the
delegates named to represent Major Earle
would undoubtedly have been appointed.
CLARKE BREWER
L.W. BUTLER
JOHN SULLIVAN,
T. C. S. WHITSITT,
REEFS DAVIS,
]. Il. SMITH,
w. f. BEATTIE,
WEST HARRIS,
]. Z. MATHEWS.