Year: 1874

flourish with impunity was not the only
instance in which Mr.. Poland served a.


the tool of notorious Rings at tue late
session of Congress. He had previous
ly offt red resolution concocted by Boss


Shepherd and his confederates, the pre-


text of which was to inquire into the re-
latons between the United States and
the District Of Columbia-which had been
established for three quarters of u centu
ry-with a view Of laying the foundation
for on assumption Of the debts which
these plunderers had created.


de made a report to that effect from
the Judiciary Committee, which seems to


be the chosen pack horse for all such
jobbery, right in the face Of the invesu


CATION which had disclosed enormou


au1 .yetsas~tis -fsands. trsnscanding "a


magnitude any perpetrated by Tweed
and his crew, when the population


wealth, and resources Of the two com


munities are considered That report


was prepared to order, and WAS intended
to augment still more the illegal gains OF
the combination by which the District OF
Columbia had been bankrupted and the
national Treasury robbed of millions.


After long hesitation the President
finally threw the weight OF his Official
position into the scale OF the Arkansas
controversy and sustained Gov Baxter
The motives which controlled him ard
well understood. IL he had supported
Brooks, that decision would necessarily
have discredted the electoral vote of the
State which had been ostensibly cast in
his favor, and would have branded as
all the State officers VINO were
on the same ticket with Baxter, and the
Legislature which had sent the carpet
baggcr Stephen w. Dorsey to the Senate
Of the United States.


Senator Clayton and his followers
we're not content with that settlement
They had quarrelled with Baxter, who
was their own candidate, because he re.
fused to sanction new raseaity. and they
made a covenant with Brooks, whom
they had opposed bitterly for Governor,
because he subscribed to their conditions
and in case OF success was to share in
their spols. The triumph of Baxter in
evitably insured the downfall OF Clayton
and the carpet baggers.


Having failed at the White House for
the first time and for the reasons sug-
gested, C.ayton directed his efforts upon
Congress in order to break the force OF
this defeat, and if possible to secure such
as might enable him to con
tinue that ruinous ascendancy By which
q rich State has been sacrificed to the Gu
pidity Of an organized gang OF thieves
who have fattened upon its rdesosation
and made reconstruction the instrument
of retaining partisan power by the most
monstrous villainy in registration and
pollution of the ballot.b box for the past
six years.


Mr. Poland was selected as the fttest
person for the service which these carpet
baggers required They knew his char
acter by experience. and had seen how he
yielded to seduction when the Washing
ton Ring was first Investigated in 1872,
and how he was subdued by the great
who thronged the House
Of Representatives during the Credit Mo
biler inquiry They chose him because
he was plable and was open to persua
sion.


To make his record more odious than
it already was, Mr. Poland moved the
appointment of special committee to
inquire into the condition ofatfairs in the
State of Arkansas In other words, he
was used to reopen the dispute which had
just been closed to tbe satisfaction Of the
people, and to give Clayton and his gang
another chance by partisan influence to
regain the footing which they had de-
lost.


This committee took testimony ut
before the adjournment, and
a subcommittee has been in Arkansas
pursuing the inquiry Clayton summon
ed some Of his chief mercenaries to the
capital as soon as the resolution passed
Among the most impartial witnesses ex-
amined at Washington. who had no con
nection with either side. was Mr.. Liberty
Bartlett, of the Southern Claims Com.
He throws great deal Of light
on the subject, and few extracts from
his testimony will enable the public to
look behind the scenes and to see tho
actors in this drama as they
really are:


Q-Stats your residence and occupation.
Al reside ut Little Rock. Arkansas am
1t present Special Commissioner for the
Sou hern Claims.


Q-You have been Judge of the Circuit
Court therrY Ayes. was Judge from
1854 to 1868. or 60. There are Fix counties In
HE circuit. including Pulaski county. In
which Is the capital.


Q-Are YOU u Northern man? Ayes I;
md have always been n Republican could
be nothing else than n Republican from prin-
,iple.


O-ror whom did You vote In the election
set and partly for the other. voted for Bax-
Ter and for the largest part Of the Brooks
ticket.


These few intcrrogatories show that
MIR. Bartlett is at least entitled to conf
lence from neutral position In regard
20 the local difficulties, and that his state
nents are entitled to great weight.


O.-State what you know In regard to the
,rigin Of the difficulties between Gov. Baxter
md the leaders of the party that elected him.
A.-As understood Il at the time. Il origi-
,ated with an effort made on the part o, the
eaders ~ the Republican party proper mhich
elected BAXTER to carry through The railroad baL
They made an application TO Gov. Baxter to
'avor TIE bin. but he said that he would rath-
n they would not press It. upon him. IL erig.-
,ated pith his opposition 10 this biz or Nth his
declaring that h. could defeat The biH.


Q--What was the nature OF the bill? A.
There had been 81. 100000 State aid bunds Is
ued and the object Of the bill was for the
State TO assume that indebtednsss aud TO take