Mr. Editor: In the last issue of your paper you published a portion of a letter from Isaac Murphy, present Governor of Arkansas, in which he bemoans the condition of our State. "Old Imbecility," as you most appropriately head the article, "lets the cat out of the bag" on his brother Radicals, when he says "the legislature to be elected will be chosen from the rebels who have done good service in the war." The factionists and disintegrationists of the North and South have always preached the doctrine that the secession movement was born of a few hot-headed politicians, and never was countenanced or sanctioned by the majority of the people. If Gov. Murphy is correct in his predictions, the State of Arkansas certainly must have been tolerably thorough in its commitment to the movement, or have changed wonderfully since 1861. Gov. M. cannot pretend to say that the Union men, as he calls them, have been driven from the State and thereby left the field open to the so-called rebels: for his Adjutant General, the Solomon of Arkansas, tells us in his immortal work, "Loyalty on the Frontier," that the State was overwhelmingly loyal. He certainly cannot have had the hardihood to contradict the dicta of this famous historian. He said he would have called the Legislature together, but so many had died or "removed from the State" that he could not assemble a quorum. Now, the people would be glad to know the names of some few of the members who have removed from the State. Say one or two of them. Furthermore, it would, doubtless, be gratifying to see the certificate of election, or copies thereof, held by these members who have "moved from the State." By the Governor's order for election we read that several of his pet sycophants who help to palm off unconstitutional and iniquitous laws upon the people of this State were holding "lucrative offices" under the United States, received as part pay for their job. Perhaps he considers them out of the State. Unfortunately we can testify to the contrary. We hope that the Governor will not prejudge the Legislature elect; they may turn out, to his utter amazement, quite as loyal as any of his brother office-holders, and may do the State as much good as his Legislature could do it, even if they had not "removed from the State," until no quorum could be assembled.
Q.
