The Russellville Democrat., 1890-07-24
A Few ssscrapsr of History.
Editor DrMoonAr:


 last week. l was not aware that it was necessary to ask an editor to publish an article when his paper was addressed in reply to something that had appeared in it's columns. He says he was not authorized to pub fish the letter, but would have done so, had he been kindly asked. It seems he had authority to mention it and publish q part--why not ail9 l consider had good reasons for having such letter published. have seen the infamous workings of the Republican party in this State, and in Pope county, and l did not want my name associated with it. l will give some of the reasons, and if they are groundless, l will ac knowledge that l do not know right from wrong.
 In the first place, l will take the position that all Republicans are not bad men, but, that there are not good men enough in the party to control it. l also take the position that there are dishonest men in the Dem ocratic party, but that they are largely in the minority and do not control the party.
 We can only judge what party will do by what it has done under like circumstances. 1 thlnk we should not hug the past in bitter, mortal hatred, but should cross it's threshold with unsandaled feet, and tread it's aisles in reverence, study it's history with calm, unbiased mind, snd learn lessons of wisdom. l Now, let us notice some of the do ings of the Republican party since 1887. We will go to the past iol testimony that can be corroborated 1 by living witnesses.
 | After the surrender the people re turned to their desolated homes and went to work to restore and tc build up their fallen fortunes For time peace prevailed 1 Then came the dark days o Reconstruction, forced upon the peo pie by the Republican party. They seeing that they were in the minori ty in the Southern states, well knew that they would have to resort tc unfair means to carry out their hell | ish designs, in the way Of plunder ing the Southern people. Hence tht disfranchising act. This gave tho Republican party the opportunity O filling all the offices with just sucl men as would carry out to the letter the policy of the party. Then ruin as grim as the demons who inaugu rated it, reigned triumphant through out the length and breadth of the whole land. Heavy taxes, extrava gant and foolish appropriations, em bezzlement, and an enormous deb followed. Thus matters continued for a number or years, until in many places with all the abuse of the dis franchising act, they could not con trol a majority, therefore something else had to be done to perpetuatt their rule.
 Then they began to get up dis turbances in many counties in Ar kansas in order that martial law might be declared. In this they hat a double purpose-first, that the. might perpetuate their rule; second tAat they might murder, plundel and steal what the people had accu mnlated by honest toil.
 l Now, will note briefly some o the doings of this dominant party ir my native county (Pope) where ] have mostly lived for over fifty years In 1872 those imported officers o Pope county had become so obnox ious to the better class of people that foul means became necessary to per petuate their infamous rule. This they accomplished by getting ur disturbances in different parts of the county, and having the governor to declare martial law. Thus the coun. ty officials crowned their efforts with infamy and shame as dark as eternal night, when in company with 25 or 30 others, they went to the home of Jackey and William Hale and ar. rested them. They were quiet hon. orable, well to do citizens of Pope county. They then proceeded to arrest Perry West; then they came on to Dover, the old county seat, where they arrested Joe Tucker, an other quiet citizen. These men were arrested without legal process in tune of peace. They said that there were charges against those men, and that they would have to take them before Judge May in Yell county, for examination, but the SC. quel shows, for an entirely different purpose. They started from Dover sometime in the afternoon with the four prisoners. This was the same day on which they were arrested. They arrived at Shiloh camp ground little before night and pretsnded they would camp for the night at that place. After a consultation beng held among the officers and leaders of the party, and the necessary ar engagements being made, they started on telling the prisoners that they could not get forage for their stock at that place. County clerk and sheriff rode ID front then the four prisoners, then the rest of the com pany--s small party having been sent on ahead just before dark. They travelled on near one half mile where there were some thick woods. Here noise attracted their attention, and one of the officers said "It is as dark as Egypt" the other one re marked: Egypt has no eyes,