The Russellville Democrat., 1889-02-28

tinue to deny this? The Gazette further adds that It is journal of opinion and advocates principles from 8 sincere belief that they are best for the gov ernment of this country" If this is true why did not the Gazette defend the state and the democratic party against the vicious assaults of the Claytons and the rabid republican press of the northp Why was it left for the Appeal, the Republic and the Courier Journal and other papers outside of the state to come boldly forward to the defense of the state while the Gazette had not word to say, even going so far as to publish the Clayton manifesto and the com ments thereon, false though they were in many instances as the Clay ton letter itself2 If this be democ- racy God save the mark!
 The Gazette, we observe, is op- posed to going back into the past. So is the DEMOCRAT. But if the re- publican howlers can afford to do so for material to assail Arkansas with, we believe it the duty of democrats to accommodate them with com parlson of the conduct of the two parties in this state. The democra- cy is abundantly able to stand it. Ii the Clayton brothers can afford to publish to the world blood curdling recita,s of democratic crime and wrong doing, false as the most of il is known to be, why in the name oi reason is it wrong to offset these charges with the story of carpet bag misrule, a history reeklng with crime and corruption of every sorti If it is right for the Gazette to meet as it does the charges against it by counter-charges, why not employ the same tactics in treating the States traducersp A little wholesome ex posture of this character would be very becoming just now in journals protesting democratic opinion from 6 sincere belief that it is best for the government of this country" Ii would check the onslaughts of those who gain courage to defame our state by the inactivity and taclt acquies cence of leading state papers includ' ing the Gazette.
 It is a superfuous denial on the part of the Gazette to announce that it is not an organ of democracy. No one familiar with it for the past month would think of seriously ac- cording to it such distinction, Still, with a great flourish, it refers to the years of its unselfish and unfalterng deyotion to the democratic party ID the past. That may be, but what of the present. Where are the evidenc- es of its unselfish and nnfaltering devotion to the party today Let the Gazette point them out.
 "The Gazette does not recognize the right of any man to tyranize over it in the name of democracy or any other sign" Indeed! The party then is small matter compared with the Gazette. Such assurance is quite refreshing and quite encourag- ing to the '1ittle political basses scattered here and there over the state" as the Gazette terms those who have had the courage to criti- cize it. These .."little bosses" be- lieve in and advocate genuine and democracy with spir- 1t that shows no trucking to the en emy and devoid of the new fangled notions of the "big boss" in the Ga. ,ette office.
 Tue DEMOCRAT denounces and de- Dlores the assassination of John M. Clayton as sincerely as does the Ga .ette. It desires the arrest, conyIc- ion and execution of the red handed 'ssassins and hopes that it will be peedily done. It believes in law nd order, free elections and fair ount. It condems fraud, bribery 'allot box stuf1ng and asssssina- ions, and all that But 1t does not elieve in permitting islanders to go unanswered and the State traduced Y men whose hands are red with be blood of some of her best citizens nd during whose reign in 1868 rimes of every name and order al- lost were freely committed and the shielded by the strong rm of the law.
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 That ReDublIcan Meeftng.