Year: 1879

AAaAl 4s3AN OE 9OA1AOffs

 We can but admire the tact and persistency of Col. Johnson's person. al organ, the Gazette, in using every word or utterance of those who op- pose the election of that gentleman, to arouse public sentiment m his fa vor. The strategy which that paper has used for weeks past, to present Col, J. to the people as one ol the worst persecuted men Tn America, is truly admirable, but we should not think it would be very gratifying to a man of that high .sense of honor which is attributed to Col. Johnson to see his claims pressed upon the people on this ground. No word or utterance of those who oppose his election is allowed to escape the keen eyes of the editors of his organ, but all are treasured up and distorted in l eo ssiA Sudl1eo oo eso VI aiouoS sp III i'a- thy for the muchly persecuted man of sorrow, Col. R. W. Johnson.

 In . recent issue, that paper cop jed a paragraph from letter written to the Traveller, by some anonymous correspondent in Pope County, in which It was. claim ed there had been a rousing re ac- tion in favor of Col. J. caused by the unius5 persecution of that gentle man. Commenting on the extract the Gazette says:

 There is no doubt about the reac ton. There is not a man in or out oi the state who knows Col. Johnson who would believe that he was capa- ble of offeringa 8 bribe to any one and l there is not man in the state who will openly fairly and squarely make the charge. It is easy to insin- uate and hint always taking good care to leave ''get out hole" by such phrases as Sit is said" 'they say Or mind you l don't say so myself" 1" The game is contemptible one to ruin the character of an old citizen who has done more for the state than any other man 1t and has lived sixty y-four years without reproach or even suspicion on his name. Ofcourse there will be reaction. Ev- cry honorable man in Arkansas will revolt against such sneaking politics. In another place in to days paper we have taken occasion to give our opinion of the reaction that has transpired in Pope county, and our purpose in this article IS simply to warn men against allowing their sympathies to be worked upon by such sophlstry, and thereby have their better judgement clouded so as to lead them into error in this mat ter.

 The Gazette has tried with the greatest persistence to make it ap pear that there is "a game to ruin the character of an old citizen who has done more for. the State than anybody" By thus ap- pealing to the SYMPATHY and GRAFT TUDE of the people, two of the strong est feelings in the human nature, the Gazette has sought to create a reaction in favor of it's pet.

 We deny that there has been, or is anywhere, any such game. Col. Johnson's personal honor has never been assailed by any one in this con test, and the arguments used against his election to the Senate have beer as far, square and open as those used by bis friends against other as pirants.

 About the only re action which the Gazctte's efforts will bring about is such as Is indicated by an anony- mcus letter, once in while, like that of "Old Arkansan"i to the Traveller, which represents no ones feelings but his own, and which would per haps never have been written only for the fear of being numbered amongst those who need expect nothing from the Johnson dynasty in case it's sway should unfortunately once more be inaugurated in Arkan- sas.