ARKANSAS. 



25 



Villa Occidental would naturally be restored 

 to Paraguay, and the Brazilian occupation of 

 the island of Atajo cease an occupation so 

 offensive to the Argentines. 



ARKANSAS. The political campaign of 

 the year in Arkansas was one of peculiar in- 

 terest. It was opened by a meeting of the 

 Democratic Central Committee at Little Rock, 

 on the 2d of March, which called a convention 

 of the party, to meet at the same city on the 

 19th of June. The chairman of the commit- 

 tee, in issuing the call, said : 



In view of the peculiar circumstances and fearful 

 exigencies of the times, when- every political move- 

 ment should be characterized by the utmost caution 

 and circumspection, and when it is so vitally and 

 essentially important that wisdom, moderation, and 

 dispassionate judgment should influence the conduct 

 and action of all men and parties in dealing with the 

 great facts of our present political situation, I 

 would most earnestly urge upon the people, in elect- 

 ing delegates to our proposed convention, to select 

 the very i>est men they can find among them for the 

 delicate and responsible duties that will be imposed 

 upon them in that capacity. Let us have a conven- 

 tion of delegates who have sufficient intelligence to 

 fully realize the situation sufficient judgment to ap- 

 prehend the real wants and necessities of .the people, 

 and comprehend the best and most practicable'reme- 

 dies to be adopted for their relief. 



Soon after, a meeting of the Central Com- 

 mittee of the " Liberal Republican " party, an 

 organization first formed in October, 1869, was 

 held, at which delegates were appointed to 

 the National Convention at Cincinnati, and a 

 State Convention called, to assemble on the 

 18th of June. In their address, the commit- 

 tee said : 



Believing that the times are auspicious, and the 

 public mind prepared for the adoption of such a line 

 of policy in the approaching national and State con- 

 tests as will insure success to a Liberal party, based 

 upon a liberal platform, which, while avoiding the 

 errors, follies, and extreme measures of both of the 

 old parties, is yet sufficiently wise and comprehen- 

 sive to embrace every measure necessary to restore 

 Eurity to the Government, bring about peace and 

 armony among the people, and promote all the best 

 and highest interests of the country, we feel satisfied 

 that the people of Arkansas will respond to this call 

 in a manner and spirit worthy the great and glorious 

 objects contemplated by this and similar movements 

 throughout the nation. 



The regular Republican State Central Com- 

 mittee met on the 6th of April, and called a State 

 Convention for the 18th of May. There was a 

 division in the committee at this meeting, the 

 places of four members being declared vacant 

 on account of a protest against the action of 

 the committee, signed by them in 1870. These 

 men, and others sympathizing with them, pub- 

 lished an address, setting forth the action of 

 the committee and the cause of the dissen- 

 sion. The other members of the committee, 

 who where in the minority, called another 

 convention, which they claimed would be that 



of the regular Republican party, which was 



to meet on the 22d of May. 



The first of these conventions, in order of 



time, was that of May 18th, which assembled 

 in the Hall of Representatives at Little Rock, 



and included delegates from all the counties 

 but three. Several delegates were colored 

 men. A committee was appointed to select del- 

 egates to the National Convention at Philadel- 

 phia, and resolutions were adopted approving 

 of the Administration of President Grant, ex- 

 pressing sympathy for Powell Clayton "in 

 the assaults which the enemies of the Re- 

 publican party have made upon him," and 

 " unshaken confidence in his honesty, ability, 

 patriotism, and fidelity to the great Republican 

 party; " declaring the appreciation of the 

 convention of the " high character and ability 

 displayed in the administration of Hon. O. A. 

 Hadley," and pledging him "the confidence 

 and support of the true Republicans of Ar- 

 kansas ; and repudiating and denouncing "the 

 action of Joseph Brooks, B. F. Rice, J. L. 

 Hodges, and others who are attempting by 

 every means in their power to disrupt and dis- 

 organize the Republican party of this State ; " 

 and declaring that " we consider the action of 

 B. F. Rice and the minority of the State 

 Central Committee, on the 6th day of April, 

 1872, as premeditated, revolutionary, and with- 

 out precedent, and done for the express pur- 

 pose of accomplishing the disintegration of the 

 Republican party, and that we heartily indorse 

 the action of the majority of the State Central 

 Committee as being eminently wise, patriotic, 

 and just." 



The final resolutions were as follows : 

 Resolved, That to those Eepublicans who are fol- 

 lowing after the strange gods set up at Cincinnati we 

 are constrained to say, in the words of Horace 

 Greeley during the late rebellion, " Erring brothers, 



depart in peace." 

 Resolved, 



That the erring brothers of the Republi- 

 can party, who have been led astray by unscrupulous 

 and designing demagogues, claiming to be Eepubli- 

 cans, are hereby cordially invited to return into the 

 Republican ranks. 



At the convention called by the minority 

 of the Republican State Committee, all the 

 counties but six were represented, and a full 

 ticket of State officers was nominated. This was 

 as follows : for Governor, Joseph E. Brooks ; 

 for Lieutenant-Govern or, D. J. Smith ; for 

 Secretary of State, E. A. Fulton (colored); 

 for Auditor, J. R. Berry ; for Treasurer, T. J. 

 Hunt; for Attorney- General, "W. P. Grace; 

 for School Superintendent, Thomas Smith ; 

 for Justices of the Supreme Court, Wm. M. 

 Harrison and John TVhytock; for Superin- 

 tendent of the Penitentiary, Richard Samuels 

 (colored) ; for Congressman at Large, W. J. 

 Hynes. A ticket of presidential electors was 

 also put in nomination. The following plat- 

 form was adopted : 



1. It is the opinion and declaration of this con- 

 vention that the ring which controls the State gov- 

 ernment, and the bad men who cooperate with them, 

 have inflicted upon this State the most corrupt and 

 oppressive government ever tolerated by a free peo- 

 ple. 



2. They have robbed the people of the benefits of 

 the ballot by fraudulent registration, ballot-box 

 stuffing, and the issuing of false and fraudulent 

 certificates as to the results of election. 



