The Arkansas advocate., 1836-07-08
ADDRE

0fhe Comminee appointed at Public .Neet-
 ing ofAte Caisens of Puiashi, Uhae and
 Saline Couities--hetd at LitHe Rock, June
 25th, 1896.
 PEOPLE OF ARKANSAS
 The committee appointed to draft an ad- dress to the Citizens of the State of Arkan- sas, on the part ofa meeting of the Citizens of Pulaski, White and Saline Counties, pro- eeed to fulfil the duty assigned them.
 Deeply impressed with the importance of the trust eoniided to ther by their fellow citizens, they have approached tho subject with ealnincss and deliberation. They have viewed 1t in all it's aspeets-and have en. deavored to form all impartial opinion upon it. In arriving at conclusions, 1t has been their aim to basethem upon facts-and these facts, and conclusions it is their duty to lay before the whole people of this State, to be judged of by their merits.
 We hold it to be an Indsputable fact, as
 1t certainly is one of the most self. evident axioms laid down in every free Consultation, that the citizens have the unquestionable right of meeting in their primary assemblies, and in their individual capacity to take all measures not contrary to constitutional law, which tend to the general good. When the peo- pie meet together personally and indiscrim- inately, to consult and deliberate, they but exercise aprivilege which cannot be wrested from them without making them slaves.
 It was by no means the intention of the citizens whom we now represent, to instruct or dictate to any other portion of the people of Arkansas. We recognise every man in the community as having equal rights with ourselves--equally entitled to form and main- tain his opinions, and tossupport these opn- ions with his vote. It was simply the desire of that meeting to spread before the people of the State their reasons for taking certain steps and adopting certain measures-and for opposing certain men and supporting oth- CTS; i'll order that these reasons may be judged of by the people ill other counties of the State, that they may say whether such req sons are sufficient or insufficient, and wheth- CT they will side with us or against us.
 We conceive the present to be q crisis of peculiar and momentous importance in our government. We see great struggle go- ing on, in which the parties are distinctly defined, and on one side or the other of which we are called tc enlist. Oh one side we see an immense host of hundred thousand office holders, together with expectants and de- pendants to double that number, regularly organized, and acting in concert for the same end. On the other we see the common peo- pie, uuaided by power, by the public Treas ur,,, by any thing but their own virtue and their innate love of liberty and hatred of usurpation. waging doubtful war against misapplied treasury, pensioned press, and broad and extended system of corruption. One glance at the nature of the contest will furnish matter for the most serious reflection. ] It is remarkable fact, that with but here and there solitary exception, every office holder in the United States is found on the 1 side of the powers that be. This single fact should starte and alarm every true patriot. We may suppose two things with regard to it-either that the rule is established through out the country, that no man who differs in political opinion with the ruling dynasty shall be appointed to any office--or else that q change of opinion follows as natural con- sequence of appointment. If the former be true-if in free government, established for the benefit of all and not of any portion or parts of the people-a monopoly IS to be built ) up, of the most odious character-a monopoly of office--if the gifts of the people (for such are all offices, are to be perverted by the ser wants of the people to 6ne uses and purposes of faction, and bestowed upon one portion and party, when they are held in trust by the government for the joint and common benefit l of all--then has practice, iniquitous and 1 pernicious in tho extreme, crept into our gov. ernment. If tie latter be true, we have the