Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-04
DORSEY AND CLAYTON
Together, Even Though the Democrats
of Arkansas Divide, Cannot MA
honIze that State.
So Says Ex-Edifor LaDue, Now of Mil.
waukee. wisconsin - How the
State Debt Was Made.

The Milwaukee wis Sentinel, of the I'd
instant, contained an interview with Mr.. La
Due, of that city, formerly of Little Rock,
relative to the Mahonizing Of Arkansas, in
which he says:
"Before the war the bonded Indebtedness
of Arkansas, principal and interest, was less
than S4.000,000, contracted principally for
the establishment of the State banks. In
1873 the bonded Indebtedness exceeded S44,-
100000 which enormous increase of the
debt was caused through the schemes of
Clayton and Dorsey at time when the total
valuation of the entire State was about
So, 100000.
"But how" interrupted the reporter, "did
Messrs. Clayton and Dorsey successfully
carry through their fraudulent schemes, and
what were the schemes
"To state the matter briefly" replied Mr..
LaDuc, 81 was editor of the Little Rock
Daily Herald for few years after the close
of the war, and naturally took an interest in
the State politics. White men at that time
were disfranchised, and the negroes ruled the
roost. Clayton and Dorsey, with others,
introduced bill for bonding the State for
81 900, 900, the money to be used in building
railroads and developing the State, and as
an honest phase was given the project by
Senator Blaine and Vice President Wilson's
Endorsement, the Maroon legislature passed
it, and their constituents ratified the act.n
"What was done with these bonds?"
millions Of these were disposed of in the
European market for whatever they would
bring, some being sold at seventy-fve per
by Dorsey, Clayton, Mcclure and their
frie.lds in private speculations, Parker being
one of them"
"Who was McClure?"
The chief justice OF the State, who rem
dered the decision in the Nealter- bolter)-
Brooks contest. Through the efforts of Clay
ton and Dorsey, Brooks, Republican, was
elected governor, these gentlemen believing
that it would s;rye their interests. In this
they were mistaken, as he pronounced the is
suing of the bonds fraud upon the people,
and absolutely refused 10 affix the guberna-
torial signature TO any more of them. They
then resurrected a writ of quo iuGrrdato, which
had been drawn 10y Bakers friends immedi-
ately after the closely contested election, and,
notwithstanding their former action in Sc
curing a decision that Brooks was legally
elected, through Judge Mcclure they secured
a decision to the contrary, and he was re-
moved from the gubernatorial chair, and
given stmastership to keep his mouth
shut, and Baxter was sworn in as governor.
The effect. though successful, was attended
with much bloodshed, men being swept like
dogs in the street, aud the riot is known as
the Baxter Brooks war. The excitement
thus created led to thorough investigation
of the bond business and resulted in such
condemnatory sentiment among the people
that Baxter dared not serve the schemers.
The arrangement of Dorsey and Clayton
grew from misunderstanding on the divi-
sion of the spoils. Dorsey, being an unfor-
tunate man in financial undertakings, and
thus when in need of the oil to set his lamp
bright and burning before the dear people,
he like the foolish virgins, oallel tho upiss
and discreet Clayton for election grease, and
met with the answer that Mr.. Clayton's
aspirations for a high office could not be
realized through Mr.. Dorssy's popularity
and Dorsey's diets; and hence their efforts
since then have been directed to exposing
each others rascality. Under these circum-
stances, the intention of a consolidation Of
the two factions into one seems absurd, and
furthermore, considering the above facts,
which are historical, relative to the origin of
the States Indebtedness, facts well understood
by the people Of Arkansas. Clayton and
Dorsey would be two beautiful fgureheads
to lead off in the move to repudiate tia
debt which they contracted. Let the Demo-
cratic party of Arkansas divide on the ques-
ton of State Indebtedness and run two State
tickets, and, in my opinion, Clayton and
Dorsey united would not have followers
enough to defeat either wing of the Demo-
CT attic party in that State"