Year: 1873

course give only the substance of whsI
occurred between us. In reply to my in
quiry as to the truth of any of the many
rumors afioat in regard to the signifi.
canoe of recent changes in political and
military circles, he said In substance
that


NONE or THE RUMoRs ALLUDED TC


WERE TRUE,


that in some instances sensational news.
mongers, and in other instances unscru.
pulous foes of his own, had originated
nd busily circulated such reports; thai
he himself had nothing to do with thS
c c1ange in the management of the cen.
tai organ of his party; that the only
change that he had made whatever was
the matter of the militia, and he made
that change from the highest eonsiderai
I ons OF pGGdence and policy, looking tC
the 'relfare of the State a the best in.
terests Of the people of all parties anC
glasses, that he had no other change tC
make in his general policy; that the
line marked out by him early in hiI
term, and which caused the late troubles
in his party, would be strictly adhered tt
by him, without regard to the question
as to who might approve or who con-
denim it, that he still intends tc
make mis- administration a Republican
one, so far as party politics were con.
cerned; but he would not be ''run" or
dictated to by any man or set of men
That for some months past, because ol
the disaffectiOn in the ranks of his par.
~ hrrrrunf ohnr,f hrv ft,a Of \.
central organ, but few Republicans had
though, In the last few days, for every
vacancy there were conflicting recon-
mendations. That by the management
of some of its leaders the party seemed
to be reunited, the war upon him in its
ranks had ceased, and it presented itself
to him as a united party claiming fro %
him recognition as the political organ
iEation which had elevated him to
power, and he had no right to Tepel it.
To my inquiry, whether or not, where
there were


CONFLICTING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR


OFFICE,


the fact that one of the applicants was
a Republican and the other not, would
be an overwhelming consideration, he
answered in the negative, saying that
in such a case he would have to decide
1t according to all its circumstances 4;
though all other things being equal, the
fact of one Of the applicants being a
member of his own political party
would necessarily, and, as with any
other administration, have its certain
amount of weight TO my suggestion
that in some localities in the State q
Republican could not be found who was
fit for any public station, he frankly
assented, saying that in such an in
stance he would have to choose the best
qualified and least obnoxio of the op-
position. Upon my stating that there
was very general apprehension that
he would, by some contrivance Of his
party leaders, be induced or compelled
to vacate his Office, thus turning the
government oyer to Cover
nor Smith, he assured me, with much
animation and very considerable en-
phasis and energy, that there was not
money, nor was there position enough
in the United States to induce him To
resign until the expiration of his term,
or


THE PEOPLE


had a chance to elect another in his
stead. Upon the subject of registration
he was most positive in his assurances
to me that there would be no change
either now or for the election of 1874,
except where vacancies might casually
occur, when they would he filled by the
same rule as that observed by him in the
selection of the present registrars; and
that no registrar would be removed ex-
cept for failure to properly do his duty,
when, if the fact was made known to
him, he would remove the registrar
wherever he might be. Upon my stat
ing that the people had been so grossly
deceived sometimes by some of the
leaders Of his own party in the State
that there was feeling of intense dread
among them when they witnessed the
coincidence of a somersauIt
by the Republican, and change in the
policy of the executive at the same time,
and both of them occurring so suddenly,
too, he replied that when he first con-
the important step in regard
to the militia alluded to, he was aW are
that it was likely to be misunderstood,
and cause


APPREHENSION


in many quarters, but that he considered
il best for all concerned, and ifthe people
should suspect him unjustly, or accuse
him wrOngfully, he knew of nothing he
could do about il, except to regret il,
which he alleged he did most sincerely
Upon being reminded that these changes
so sudden in their nature, had taken
place Just on the eve of an election, and
were popularity believed to have been
Oh 4,
part of Senator Clayton, and that appre-
hension was felt In the public mind that
Immediately y preceding any other cleo
ton, the senator might produce Just
such another political earthquake, il he
was indeed as powerful with the State
administration as the current rumOrs
gave him credit for-the governor reit-
Grated the assertion of his total inde-
pendence of all undue and improper in
fiuences, from whatever quarter, and his
determination to conduct the affairs OF
government, to the end of his term of
service, in such a manner as to leave to
none just grounds of complaint. Upon
the shbject of


A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION,
he said that he had for a long time
thought that il was the only means OF
permanently and satisfactorily remedy
ing the ills in government so generally
of, and that when legisla-
ture came up from the people he In
tended, in his message, to submit the
question to it, and if it should see fit to
call one, so far from throwing any OBJ
staeles in its way he would gladly assist
in its early convOcatiOn. And now,
doctor, you have the governors side of
the story, as given by himself. Against
il, we have the assertion of some that
they k,1OlC the fact that Senator Clay
ton has bill of sale of him; the decla-
ration of others that the "ring" has re-
turned to power, and the thousand and
one wild rumors afloat in the commu-
nifty, etc., etc. There is nothing for us
to do but to await developments, keep
ing alive in the meantime the fervent
hope that instead of pleasing his enc
mics well enough to do the things they
predict OF him, Governor Baxter will
improve all the time, and will continue
to administer the government for the
full protection OF all the rights of the
whole people. We will see what we will
see. Please present my regards to your
family, and my many other friends in
'ever faithful Saline" and write to me
often. Truly yours, etc,


h. c. NEWTON.


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kunITIONAI RIVER NPRG