New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-15
GRANT AND ARKANSAS.


11oS-AN ANSWER TO THE "srRoNG MAN"
PLRA.
,ypoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON, April 12.-lt il announced that ex-
President Grant Is about starting for Arkansas lie
date of his visit is xed, II may be by an accidental
.co-incideuce for the time when the Republicans OF
the State will be engaged in choosing members OF
convention which will select delegates TO represent
them at Chicago Whatever enthusiasm NAV
be stimulated by his presence will therefore WORK
firectly for the benefit of his candidacy, TACT
which his supporters do not overlook. if he himself
IA obliyicus of il. Some Of tho Arkansas Repub-
iieans may, however, think the occasion fitting
one To brush ND their rccOllecions OF the Brooks
and Baxter war of 1874. the shiftlcss dilatory
eonduct of the Grant administration during that
controversy, and the final decision which gave tile
GoyerpOrship to the Democrats and ended for
generation all hope of Republieanism In the STATE
Now that so many people of short memories or no
memories are loudly asserting that General Grant
when President was the friend and faithful defender
of Southern Republcanisra and the Strong Man F"
who promptly suppressed lawlessness and kept the
gouth in order n brief rehearsal Of the Arkansas
affair dos not seem out of place. l do not ike TO
drag up FROM the grave Of the past the 1oul anu
bloody men cries of the wretched reconstruction
period and should not do so If Grants candidacy
were not constantly pushed upon the false assninp
tion that he was stern and consistent IN oeai'ns
with treason and disorder in the South, and III pro-
tecting the Republican party In that section Inc
truth il he was vacillating and irresolute, often
leaning to tho side of Che Democrats, and rarely
energetic and timely in his action. save IN cases
where his personal friends were engaged in the con-
troversy.
In the Arkansas business General Grant did not
come to any decision until the two rival StaUe
Governments had grappled with each othcr tor
over six weeks. and their militia forces had rough.
half o dozen petty battles and skIrmishes anu
when he did decide no placed In power Demo-
cratic claimant who was not elected, and who pro-
ceeded to turn the State to the control OF inc
Confederate clement. In the election OF ieIz
James Brooks was the Liberal Republican ana re-
form candidate, and Elisha Baxter was supported
nv the Democrats and q small number of Republicans
who followed the fortunes Of the predatory leaders
who had brought disgrace upon the party brooks
vvas elected by considerable majority, but the adj
berents of Baxter having majority In the Legs-
lature, counted him out in manner that was
flaQrantly fraudulent. and tnauguraSed baxIer'
Brooks tried in the Summer OF 1873 TO GET DIS case
before the United States courts but it was thrown
ont ON the ground of want of Jurisdiction. Inc
State Supreme Court, then friendly to Baxter, also
refused TO entertain it, Thus matters went on
with BAXTER in the Governors Office, until March,
1874 when the Circuit Court Of Pulaski County
decided that Brooks was the legal Governor.
Thereupon O body Of Brooks's friends siezed the
State House and installed him In the Executive
chair Both Governors appealed to their lrienos
to take arms. A ragamufan militia OF blacks ana
whites rallied. and the State was filled with the
uproar of the contending factions. For time Bax-
ters army held one end of the town of Little ROCK
and Brookss army tho other, with couple OF COM
NAMES of Federal infantry occupying position be-
tween the two forces, and keeping them apart
Parties of armed men marching to the support OF
the rival Governors frequently came into coliislon
In one engagement nine men were reported killed.
I'm another six, in another thirty. steamboat was
fred upon, with fatal effect Anarchy reigned
everywhere Some towns were held Dy one lsct'oh
and some by the other, and raids, forays' brawis
netty battles. robbery and murder were OF daily
occurrence. Both Brooks aud Baxter demanded
RECOGNITION and aid from the President. General
Grant dall;ed with the affair for weeks, contenting
himself With keeping the hostile forces apart in
Little Rock, while the entire State was filled with
confusion and blOOdshed.
Bv this time Brooke had obtained the support OF
the few Republicans who had stood by Baxter IN
the campaign of 1872. These men had found out
that there was nothing hope from Baxter for the
Republican party. His promises to them OF nom
partisan administrators had been broken and ne
was in the hands Of the Confederate element. ana
evidently
the affairs of the State. The contest had therefore
sssumed thu pbase of astruggle between the Repub-
Iican and Democratic parties. The Republicans
had eou,tv on their SIDE for Brooks had received
large majority of the popular vote. The legal points
were divided-Baxter having the decision OF the
Legislature unfairly constituted In his favor, ana
Brooks the Judgment Of Court To prevent the
Supreme Court from pronouncing upon the case
souad of Baxters militia kidnapped two OF the
Judges and carried them into distant county
The plan. IS was afterward shown, was to assassi-
nate them-a method of disposing Of political cd
versaries not uncommon at that time in Arkansas
but the Judges escaped and joining their OOHfr6reG
within Brooks's lines, united with them in deci'
sion afarming the Judgment Of the Pulaski County
Court Thus Brooks had the support OF the highest
tribunal In the State. All through the month OF
.April the war went on. Arkansas was completely
Mexicanized. The newspapers were filled with the
procamations OF tho rival Governors, and with &C.
counts of the conflicts OF their supporters. Polid
clans of both parties went to Washington and laid
siege to the White House, but the "Strong Man
in the Presidential chair seemed indifferent to the
affair and strongly disposed TO let the combatantt
fight it out.
Finally General Grant suggested a compromise
He proposed that the Legislature should be convened
and the question should be left TO its decision. Both
the Governors agreed to this. Brooks issued cal
for a meeting on the fourth Monday III May. but
Baxter fOrostaled him with call for the 18th Of
May Brooks found that his friends were 10 be pre-
vented by the Democratic militia from attending a
the early date and that the men fraudulenty seated
in 1873 from counties thrown out to make an appar
emit majority for Baxter were to vote on the ques
ton He then proposed that. as there was q quorum
of members whose seats wcre not disputed sucl
members alone should decide who was the Lawful
Governor. Baxter refused to agree to this. Hi