The Forrest City times., 1892-06-17
s a NOMINATING FISHBACk.

Hon. John IT. RoEers's Eloquent Tribute
 to the Fort smith Statesman.
 NIT. Cbairmah and Gentlemen of the Conven-
 ton:
 I salute you with gratitude and fre,dship, and l rise in the name of Sebastian county, aye, m the name of four-lifths of the Democratic party of Arkansas tapplausel to put in nomina- tion the lion. William Nj. Fishback. In February, 1869, came to Arkansas and cast my fortunes with the people cf .he city in which he had lived for some ten UT fifteen years prior. Among my earliest acquaintances was Col. Wm. Nj. Fishback, at that time all active practitioner at the bar of that court. I have resided in that commu nity continuously from that period un- til now. If any man in the state is authorized to speak of him or his per sona characteristics, or of his stand ing in that community and i'll Arkan- sas since that period, 1 claim that l have that right. Applause.
 IN THE VERY FIRST CANVASS
 which occurred after l came to the state, William NJ. Fishback was found in that canvass ih behalf of the democ- racy of Arkansas IapplauseI and against the reconstruction government. am told that in lSo7 when delega- ton of republicans came to him and asked him to unite with them in organ izing the Republican party looking to the reconstruction Of Arkansas, he re- fused, and told them that he would sacrifce the last dollar that he owned, if necessary, to prevens that; and when the campaign afterwards opened for the establishment of a reconstruction government, he took the ground. as did the people of Arkansas, against 1t. In 1870 following the next campaign, William NJ. Fishback was again lead ing the democratic hosts in Sebastian county. It was that famous year, 1 believe, or in lS72--I am not certain whichwhen he was a candidate, then beng voted for from district com posed of three counties, that he was counted out by the registrars scratching off 2500 votes from the registration lists in these three counties; and, there fore, he failed to obtain his seat i'll tbe Arkansas legislature.
 When the Brooks and Baxter war had overturned the state government and the friends of the state had come into possession of it's management and control, and the legislature had ordered an election for members of constitu tional convention to frame q new con stitutioD, he became a candidate for d seat in the constitutional convention. l had
 WATCHED HIS COURSE,
 l knew his power and his aggressive character; and knew that he could be of greater service to the people of Ar kansas than, perhaps, any other person in that part of the state; and knew that he was determined, ii possible, to secure the complete and full restora- ton of the government into the hands of the people of the state; and although he was confronted for that positionsby, perhaps, personally the most popular man and one of the purest and best fitted men in the county, whom many of you respect and know, viz: Dr. Elias Duval, took that stump i'll behalf of William Nj. Fishback, and canvassed every township in that county, and he won splendid victory, and secured al seat in the constitutional convention which framed the constitution of 1874. My friend, if you will go back and take the history of the proceedings of that convention, l undertake to say that you will find the impress of lis handiwork as closely connected with the establish ment of all safeguards for the preserva- tioH of personal rights and individual liberty, and for securing an economical and correct administration Of the state government, as that, perhaps, Of any other single individual Tn that, one ol