The Arkansas advocate., 1831-06-08
Foa' He arhansns .4dcocate.
 NUMBER '.


 NUMBER I.
 MR. EDTToR-A writer in the Gazette over the signature of t tAmicus,'' has ad- dressed the people of Arkansas in the two last numbers of that paper, and promises continuation in the next, upon the impor- tant and aii-absorbing quest ion of the ensu- ing election of a Delegate to the Congress of the United States. If this writer and his coadjntors, whe occnry so much space III that paper, had contentcd themselves with setting forth truly and fairly, without exagge ation, the claims of their friend Col. Sevier to that high, responsible, and dignified station, and at ;he same time without disparaging and attempting to throw into the shade the pretentions of his competitor Col. Desha, their ill-natured remarks and vile vitnperatioD, " ouId have passed unnoticed and nnheeded by his friends. But this writer and Lis worthy heip-mates III the service of scandal, like iafl blinded party zeaiots, act upon the principle Of the Machiavelian poIiey--the end 7USt!fY Hte meanS--Without the least regard to the dictates of honor, honesty, and truth. On the one hand they deifys their leader with every quality that isgreat and good, while on the other they attempt to degrade, debase, and sink DeslIa, by re-
 
 he is the candidate of Mr. Crittenden; that he cannot move or act without rst asking the permission of Crittenden; that he has Tn great measure defeated the pre-emp- ton law by a5seDting himself from the post of his duty, &c. dc. There is not man who knows Desha, will for one moment be- lieye word of all this stuff. These vile sianderers do not believe 1t themselves.-- Their object is plaihiy, to mislead and de- ! ceive that portion pf the people who are not personally acquainted with Col. Desha, :, and who donot know his private and public character. No doubt they presume much upon these base arts for success.
 They have stated tls;st Desha's acqusint- ance is islimited, and that he IS unknown to the people. In this expectation they will find themselves egregiously disappointed. The public attention, the pnblic mind, and the private and personal friendship of the people, have for long time been settling down upon Col. Desha, as a fit person to | represent their wishes, their feelings, and their interests, in the Congress of the U. States. Why then all this pretended bus tie, noise and ont-cry, about Desha's being candidate! Had lie not as much right to be candidate Sevier! Was he under any moral obligations either by promise or otherwise to Sevier or his friends moi to be candidate! Rather was he not under strong obligations to yield his assent to the wishes and solicitations of his hume, ous friends and acquaintsnces, from different parts of the Territory, that he should be candidate! Was 1t not well known that there was strong feeling throughout the Territory that there should be stl opposi- ton candidate! And was norLal. Desha looked to, from all quarters, as being q fit person for that candidate! It may be asked why was there such strong feeling and wish in the minds of the people, to have an opposition candidate to Segier! The ans wer to this question may be found in the fact, that Col. Seyier never had general permanentpopuarityi in tl'e Territory; and that his popularity however great ii might have been, has been recently shaken to it's centre, and IS now on the wane, hy tic manifestations of his relentless prosecuting spirit of prescription. What man or set of men, who. know and feel Their own rights, and the blessings of liberty be- qneathed to them by the treasure and blood of their forefathers, would aid and assist to elevate to the high, digni6ed and respon- sible office of Delegate to Congress, the man " ho would boast in public speech as matter ofgrcat merit that lie lad caused a Judge to be removed from office, merely because that Judge was found in opposition to him, and had as free man, dared to exercise his elective franchise independ- entiy in voting for another in preference to him; and who has threatened to "nail to the cross" one of our citizens, who IS candidate for public office, because he has had the audacity to have the frmness and indepe ence to avow himself in favor of Col. Desha's electioni And does not Se- vier's friends threaten to make our citizens q rue the day they ever meddied with pc iiticsI" In vain may we boast that we are freemcn--tbat we are Americans-enjoy- ing the blessings of liberty and free gov ernment, if we submit to be ruled by tiie tyrant prescription, introduced hy he pre- sent would-be dictators. For be assured the citizen that dare not exercise lis elec- tive franchise independently, is slave and the indiTidus., by whatever name he