The Wheeling Daily Register

ARKANSAS.

The Governors' War.

Little Rock, April 18.—Three hundred men from Pine Bluff, fifteen hundred from Washington, one hundred from Batesville and fifty from Saline city reinforced the Governor's troops this morning. The three hundred from Pine Bluff are nearly all colored men. They came in with flying colors and a band playing. The Governor is now holding a consultation with his generals. His intentions are to surround the State House, to cut off its supplies. The State House party have been pressing the colored people into service. The Governor says he will prevent bloodshed if possible, but, by the Eternal, the insurgents must and will be put down. One thousand more men are expected on the train this evening. Brooks has sent out a number of recruiting officers, but they are not to be permitted to return. Brooks has possession of the street in front of the State House, and his sentinels can be seen parading their posts from a point standing near City Hall. General Ira McL. Barton, an old West Pointer and a Federal officer during the late war, has command of the colored troops from Pine Bluff. The State House party captured Captain Sam Houston this morning as he was passing near their lines. He knocked down the lieutenant of the guard, but they dragged him in by force. He was afterwards released. The postmaster has received a telegram from Washington to the effect that all mail matter addressed to Governor E. Baxter and Elisha Baxter, Governor, should be delivered to Baxter, and letters addressed to Governor Brooks or Brooke, Governor, should be delivered to Brooks. All letters addressed to the Governor of Arkansas will be withheld until further orders.

Governor Baxter this morning applied in writing to W. W. Cox, Clerk of the Supreme Court, whose office is in the State House, to supply him with a transcript of the records of the Court in the case of Brooks vs. McClure, wherein the Court decrees in favor of Baxter. The Clerk replied by stating that Chief Justice McClure, the only dissenting Judge on that occasion, who had sworn Brooks in, had the originals and transcript, and could not be furnished the governor.

Last night Mayor Kramer telegraphed the President to direct the U. S. troops at this point to assist him in preserving peace and clearing the streets of armed men. This dispatch was answered by Attorney General Williams to-day, stating that the general government would not interfere. The United States flag floats from the balcony of the Anthony House and a brass band enlivened matters this evening by discoursing music at this point. Several companies have arrived from the country to reinforce Gov. Baxter. Mr. Brooks has made formal complaint before Colonel Rose, post commander, that parties have been deprived of their liberty by Governor Baxter's forces, and has asked that the United States troops interfere to protect them. Colonel Rose has declined to interfere, as he has in cases where Mr. Brooks' troops have arrested the citizens. Governor Baxter refuses to make any complaints, stating that he is able not only to protect himself but all citizens and asks no assistance. Governor Baxter still holds the telegraph office, but Brooks has tapped the wires in front of the State house and has an operator in that building. This evening Mr. Brooks issued the following proclamation:

"To the people of Arkansas:

Elisha Baxter, pretending to be Governor of Arkansas, on the 16th inst. issued a proclamation placing the county of Pulaski under martial law and has called, so I am informed, on the militia of the State to aid him in resisting and setting the law at defiance. I am charged by the constitution and enjoined by my oath of office to see that the laws are faithfully executed. An attempt to set aside the civil law by one who has been adjudged by the Court of competent jurisdiction to not be the Governor of Arkansas, and at a time when the President of the United States has notified him that he can't recognize him as Governor till he shall have appealed to the Supreme Court, and there had his rights adjudicated, can't be longer tolerated. I desire to avoid bloodshed and a destruction of private property, but while this is so I can't sit idly by and see the private property of the citizens of the State taken without compensation by an armed mob, and peaceful citizens halted and maltreated within sight of the capital. In the interest of peace and good order I request and command all persons who may have been deluded in rallying to the standard of a pretender to lay down their arms and return to their homes within 24 hours. If this injunction be disregarded I shall be compelled to take such measures as will in my opinion result in suppressing disorder and in restoring peace and quiet to the State. I don't want to be placed under the necessity of proclaiming martial law, believing as I do that life and property will be better protected under the civil law, but if my request is disregarded those disobeying must not complain of what is in store for them or of the punishment that is meted out. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the great seal of the State to be affixed, at the city of Little Rock, this 18th day of April, A. D., 1874."

[Signed]

Jos. Brooks,
Governor of Arkansas

By the Governor,

Edward Currey,
Secretary of State ad interim.

Mr. Currey has been a clerk in the Secretary of State's office for the past eighteen months. The Secretary of State is absent, his regular deputy, Gen. Frank Strong, who is also Governor Baxter's Attorney General, is with the Governor. The State House party broke open the safe and obtained the seal of the State. The federal sentinels are now stationed at the intersection of Main and Markham streets and other points between the two belligerents for the purpose of preventing a collision. Baxter has not yet extended his lines around the State House. It has been raining all day. The troops of the two opposing governments and the federal troops between them are all in sight and present a very war like aspect. Governor Baxter has from 1,000 to 1,500 men now under arms and the number is being constantly increased. Brooks at the State house has about 200. Advices received here indicate that President Grant is favorable to Baxter, believing him to be the legal Governor. This has impressed the confidence in Baxter. No one can pass up or down the streets to-night without the countersign or having the pass of some officer.

Little Rock, April 19.—Colonel Rose, commander of the United States forces, took possession of the telegraph office this morning and opened it to the public, relieving Governor Baxter's guards. He has one company stationed at the Ashley House, where the telegraph office is located, and has interfered to such an extent with Governor Baxter's military preparations that he can make no forward movement on the State House. In consideration of this fact, Governor Baxter to-day sent the following dispatch to the President:

"A few days since, in the absence of my counsel, and at a time wholly unexpected, the Circuit Judge of the County Court of inferior jurisdiction rendered judgment in favor of Brooks against me for the office of Governor of this State without notice to me or my counsel. I was then forcibly put out of the office, and that without any pretence of a writ being served on me. All this was done too, after the Supreme Court of this State had twice decided that no Court in the State had jurisdiction of the case at all, and the Legislature alone had jurisdiction. At once on being ejected from the office I took steps to restore myself to get possession of the office and to carry on the government. The people are coming to my aid, and are ready to restore me at once. In making this organization I am obstructed by the interference of the U. S. troops in displacing my guards from the telegraph office, and now it is apprehended that there will be further interference. Such interference breaks me down and prevents any effort on my part to restore the State government and to protect the people in their rights. I beg of you to modify any order to the extent of such interference and leave me free to act in this way to restore the law and peace as the legitimate Governor of the State. Such interference does not leave me any chance to assert my claim to the office of Governor in the interests of peace and of those people who are flocking here to my support by the hundreds. I beg of you to remove the United States troops back to the arsenal and permit me to restore forces, which I will do promptly if the United States will not interfere. There is an armed insurrection against the legal State government here and I call on you to aid in suppressing it. But if you will not, then leave me free to act and order the United States troops without an hour's delay to their own ground and keep them out of my way. I have been thwarted and delayed thus long and in fact ejected from my office because of the fact that I had heretofore disbanded the militia of the State. I make this earnest demand to repress insurrection and prevent domestic violence under my sense of duty to the Constitution and laws of the United States as well as the State of Arkansas, and I rely confidently, as I have all the time, on the assurances contained in your letter of September 15, 1873, to prevent the overthrow of my official authority by illegal and disorderly proceedings. An immediate answer is requested, otherwise bloodshed may be the result."

(Signed.)

Elisha Baxter,
Governor of Arkansas.

The Governor's forces have been increased several hundred during the day. The streets are full of armed men. Brooks has withdrawn all his sentinels to a point inside his barricades at the State house. The troops of Governor Baxter are very eager to attack the place and are only prevented from so doing by the presence of United States troops.

ST. LOUIS.

Affairs in Arkansas.

St. Louis, April 18.—The Democrat has specials from Little Rock, Arkansas, via Devall's Bluff, their transmission having been refused at the Little Rock telegraph office. They give the following information regarding affairs between the contesting parties. The embargo on the telegraph was removed this morning and the accumulated dispatches were delivered. Congratulatory dispatches have been pouring in during the day from all parts of the State, offering aid in men and material to Governor Brooks and counseling firmness in maintaining his position at any cost. All parties and classes write in commendation of his course as of the right over usurpation. It is universally admitted by all parties that Governor Brooks was elected by a majority of the votes at the gubernatorial election, a fact which Baxter has himself repeatedly admitted, but claiming the office by virtue of the non-action of the last General Assembly. Baxter seized the telegraph office to-night and will allow no dispatches to be sent or delivered except those of the Associated Press and his own. He is surrounded and advised by ex-Confederate Generals and pseudo chivalry, and has proclaimed martial law through his so-called Brigadier General Thomas P. Dockery, and issued general order No. 1. The call falls still born, and is ridiculed and treated as a stupendous farce. Somewhat augmented by the war record of the doughy brigadier general and military governor, Baxter has appointed his State officers and military organization from the Bourbon Democracy and chivalry of Arkansas and his partizan appeals to the country for men and aid fail in the expected enthusiastic response he hoped for. Jacksonport, upon which he confidently relied for a reinforcement of 200 men, responded at the public meeting called with two volunteers. Governor Brooks holds the State House with a force of several hundred men which will be reinforced by three hundred more to-night. Ammunition and supplies are plentiful and barricades have to-day been thrown up in the State House yard and every means taken to prevent a surprise by the opposing forces. Two field pieces command the approaches from the street and river, and the windows are bristling with bayonets. The aspect is anything but promising for a successful assault, since an enfilading fire upon the attacking party must result most disastrously. Governor Brooks has possession of the executive office, records, great seal of the State, and has the countenance and support of Chief Justice McClure, the Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and all the State officers, beside the leading men of the Conservative Democracy and Republican party, as a unit, among whom may be named the State Judiciary, Gen. Upham, Patterson, Fagan, a well known confederate of influence and position, Col. Lee Thompson, of like record and repute; ex-Senator B. F. Rice, C. W. Tankersly, S. R. Harrington, W. L. Rice, J. L. Hodges, M. H. Benjamin, and many others. The aspect is threatening, with no collision as yet, though deep mutterings are heard of the portentious storm.

"A few days since, in the absence of my counsel, and at a time wholly unexpected, the Circuit Judge of the County Court of inferior jurisdiction rendered judgment in favor of Brooks against me for the office of Governor of this State without notice to me or my counsel. I was then forcibly put out of the office, and that without any pretence of a writ being served on me. All this was done too, after the Supreme Court of this State had twice decided that no Court in the State had jurisdiction of the case at all, and the Legislature alone had jurisdiction. At once on being ejected from the office I took steps to restore myself to get possession of the office and to carry on the government. The people are coming to my aid, and are ready to restore me at once. In making this organization I am obstructed by the interference of the U. S. troops in displacing my guards from the telegraph office, and now it is apprehended that there will be further interference. Such interference breaks me down and prevents any effort on my part to restore the State government and to protect the people in their rights. I beg of you to modify any order to the extent of such interference and leave me free to act in this way to restore the law and peace as the legitimate Governor of the State. Such interference does not leave me any chance to assert my claim to the office of Governor in the interests of peace and of those people who are flocking here to my support by the hundreds. I beg of you to remove the United States troops back to the arsenal and permit me to restore forces, which I will do promptly if the United States will not interfere. There is an armed insurrection against the legal State government here and I call on you to aid in suppressing it. But if you will not, then leave me free to act and order the United States troops without an hour's delay to their own ground and keep them out of my way. I have been thwarted and delayed thus long and in fact ejected from my office because of the fact that I had heretofore disbanded the militia of the State. I make this earnest demand to repress insurrection and prevent domestic violence under my sense of duty to the Constitution and laws of the United States as well as the State of Arkansas, and I rely confidently, as I have all the time, on the assurances contained in your letter of September 15, 1873, to prevent the overthrow of my official authority by illegal and disorderly proceedings. An immediate answer is requested, otherwise bloodshed may be the result."

(Signed.)

Elisha Baxter,
Governor of Arkansas.

The Governor's forces have been increased several hundred during the day. The streets are full of armed men. Brooks has withdrawn all his sentinels to a point inside his barricades at the State house. The troops of Governor Baxter are very eager to attack the place and are only prevented from so doing by the presence of United States troops.