The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-07-05
POWELL CLAYTON.
His Career aud Character rs PORTRAYED
nv "a Democrat of His State.

His Career aud Character as PORTRAYED
by Democrat of His State.
There being in the Philadelphia Times
of the Sd instant very unjust and abu-
Sivc attack on Gen, Powell CLAYTON, of
Arkansas, it is perhaps well that should
tell YOU who and what the man really is.
As a Democrat, can not be Supposed TO
have any particular partially for Gen.
Clayton, but, being closely connected
with Arkansas in commercial way. and
spending the greater part of every wear
l I that state for half a century, | can
give you the actual facts in reference 10
him.
He was born in lS8, in Delaware
county, Pennsylvania, where the family
have lived since the settlement of the
county by William Penn. The Clnvtons
of Delaware and Maryland are of the
same family. His brother, Thomas j.
! Clayton, who lives Mt Chester, Pa, is one
of the District Judges of that State, and
another brother has been for nine wears
United States District Attorney at Fort
smith, Ark. Gen. CLAYTON served
throughout the war i'm the various ranks
from Captain to Brigadicr General. In
1863 he married Miss McCraw, of Helena,
ARK. His wife was born in Kentucky,
| and her father was connected with
the Confederate army throughout
! the war; As soon MS Gen. CLAYTON
was mustered out of the SERVED he
bought plantation near Pine Bluff.
Ark, which he still owns, and upon
which he lived for two years prior to his
taking part in politics, In 1868 after the
passage of the reconstruction measures,
he was nominated 10y the Republicans
and elected Governor, the Democrats
putting up no candidate against him,
taking the position that the reconstruc-
| ton measures were unconstitutional.
and adopted policy ofnon-action. The
most important action of his admins
tration was his declaration of mnrtii |
law in several counties of the State. ana
the putting of state militia In the field
| 70 suppress the so-callcd ku-
kluN organization. These meas
urcs were vigorously enforced. and
for the time engendered a very stronv
and bitter feeling against him on the
part of his political opponents. The feel.
ing mas, however, almost subsidized,
nearly all being willing now to acknowl-
| edge that the result of his policy wns
the establishment of peace and order i'm
the state. In 1874, toy. CLAYTON wns
elected TO the United States senate, and
served out his term of six years. Since
retiring from the Senate, he has been
engaged in private pursuits, being now
the Nico-Presldent and General Mana.
ger of the Eureka Springs railroad, an
enterprise founded by him and con-
structed under his supervision. Besides
his Interest In this railroad, which IL
large, and his plantation interests, hohas
9ther important interests IN the State.
| lie rendered valuable assistance To tho
Government in the Star route invcstiga.
! ton, az eN-Postmaster-Ge General James
anu eN-Attornoy-Genera McNeauh can
! testify TO. From the foundation of the
Republican party in Arkansas up To
| senator Clayton's retirement from tho
senate, his title to the party leadership
was undisputed. Upon his retirement
from the Senate the leadership passed
into the hands of his rival, ex-senator
Dorsey, who had still two Years to serve
ln the Senate, and under Mr.. Hayes
administration was given full control of
lhe public patronage In Arkansas
The result Was Ilnyton's friends were