The Arkansas advocate., 1834-03-07
STATE GOVERN MEN r .

 STATE GOVERNMENT.
 To tbe Citizens et A. ,a4ii;!hstsssssae i!stsssss f By a reference to the proceedings of Congress, you will observe that your Dele- gate in that body, has introduced resolu- ton iii the House of Representatives, in structing the Committee on Territories to $ inquire into the eXpedieney of allowing tho people of Arkansas to form State Government preparatory to their admission 1 into the Union''--and bill for that purpose l has been read twice in the Senate, and re- ferred to select Committee. As this is a matter which requires the attention of eve " one, allow me, in abrlef manner, to offer l a few considerations upon 1t.
 Arkansas. at this time, IS iaboring under an increasing Territorial debt, and one that will continue to increase, as long as she re- mains under her present form of govern- ment; for 1t Is certain that the causes, what ever they may be, which now operate to en- large her debt, will continue to enlarge it. because no system of retrenehment can be efected-and t is not to be supposed that the General Government will pay 1t and 1t will readily be acknowledged that State Government had better be formed before the Territorial debt shall become barrier to that step. The only appaient cause which We have for this increase of debt, is the instability of onr present form of gov ernment, and the fact that no sure system of revenue can be established by Territory.
 But 1t may be said that the population and .4rI. t.ka e.4w the purposes of a State Government, and that she had better wait for an increase of them, to enable her to support herself as H State. 1 will endeayor 10 show that the forming of State Government Is probably the only mode by which she can increase them to any considerable degree. Missou- II, at the time she was admitted as State, had a fraction over 33,0O0 inhabitants Arl1a.asesz, tlIcst tsszo3 had Siuour Iv10@ In 1880, (ten years from the time she was admitted Missouri had about 40, ,0O0 in- habitants, and Arkansas had but about 35,- GOO: making the increase of population in Missouri, nearly three times as great as in Arkansas. Now, what is the cause of this great difference? Is 1t because. Missouri possesses a more fertile soil or more gen. iaI climate? No. Or IS 1t because capital can be employed to a greater advantage there than here? No. On the contrary, the inducements to migrate to Arkansas are much greater, to all who are removing from any of the cotton growing States. for it is an acknowledged fact, that as good cotton can be raised in all the South of Arkansas as in dq,g of the States. The same may be said of most of the Northern part of the Territory, in regard to corn, wheat, &c., What, then, is the cause of the increase oi I.population being so much greater in Mis- souui, than in Arkansas Nothing more, than that all emigrants psefer living under a State Government, where they can exercise aH the privileges of freenef, than under a Territorial one, where they cannot exercise the one hoH. How, then, can 1t be expect cd that Planters vii! w#il bring their capital and privileges and protection of State govern ment And who but the Planter is it, that pays the heavy taxes in all the Southern l States! There Is not the least doubt that ii < flsansas were formed into State Gov enment, the increase of taxable property In five years, would be nearly double what 1t IS at present.
 Another reason which should call your serious attention to this subject, is the fact, that attempts are making in the Northern and Eastern States. to accomplish the total I abolition ct Slavery. It is too evident thet there IS spirit abroad, whose avowed in- tention ii is, to strip the South of their slave property, and thus totally destroy the cotton growing interest. Anti-slayery Societies are every where springing up, and anti slavery Conventions are constantly held, for this sole purpose. The following extracts, taken from long Declaration adopted at an anti-slavery Convention lately. held in 1 Philadelphia, will show something of the spirit which is spreading there. Hear I them
 < That all those laws which arc now in force, admitting the right of slavery, are before God, utterly null and void, being afr audacious assumption of the divine prerog. ative.
 We maintain that no compensation should be given to Planters emancipatlns ] their slaves.
 i e shall organize anii-slayery Socie. lties, If possible, ii every city, town, ane village Ill our land.
 We shaii circulate unsparingly and ex tenslvely .anti-slavery tracts and periodicals
 We shall aim at a purifcation of tht Churches, from all participation in the guil of Slavery, l As this spirit is gaining ground very fast there IS at least possibility, if not great ~