The true Democrat., 1854-11-15
Address of MT. Prentice.

can do ln return for the com pliment you have paid me Is to thank you. do thank you. With my whole heart 1 thank you. 1 have strlven, as an editor, to deserve we'll of my countrymen. Whether l have or have not succeeded, am grateful to you for your kind recognition and generous appreciation of my earnest endeavors. For more than quarter of century have la bored in my profession to promote what hon. estly believed to be the good of the country am aware that have sometimes been mstak- en as to the means best adapted to the accom- plishment of the object and have no doubt that I shall sometimes be mistaken hereafter. But I have been honest hitherto, and 1 will con- tnue to be honest, and thank God, that, in all my future labors, Ishall have the advantage of a long, eventful, varied and most instructive ex- perience. And l thank God too, that in all my future laborS, shall enjoy the advantage of being governed by the dictates of heart chastened and softened and yet nerved and strengthened by time and the alternations of prosperity and diversity, of warm support and bitter persecution.
 see before me large number of citizens of Arkansas, who have come together to do me honor as their guest. 1 behold an asSemblaga without distinction of parties. Indeed 1 know not but large majority of those present, like a large majority of the people of the State, are democrats. This compliment, like a similar one recently paid me by the citizens of neigh boring State, has affected me most deeply. It has touched heart which was never insensi- ble to kindness. 1 would not be vain or boast full, yet cannot help rehecting, on an occasion like this that there has never before been an instance within my knowledge where warm partzan editor, whig or democrat, was honored pia1 bu ,Ibic n democrats indiscriminately There have been and there are abler and worther whig editors than 1 am, and there have been and there are .abler and worthier democratic editors than 1 am, yet not one of them all in the whole history of our country has, so far as 1 know, ever been ho- nored by both parties with public festival like this. And 1 have been thus honored twice within the brief period of two or three weeks, first by the Whigs and democrats of Memphis and now by yourselves. l accept these extra ordinary compliments not on v as an honor to myself but as certain evidence that the part- gan rancor, which has so long prevailed through out the country and been curse to it, Is rapid iy passing away. l accept them as happy omen that an era IS dawning when all honest men and patriots, no matter what their divisions may have been, will recognize each others ho- nesty and patriotism and cooperate heartily with each other in the great cause of the coun- try. Upon the battle-felds of Mexico whigs and democrats fought side by side striving only to see who should do most for the glory of the American name, and 1 trust and confidently be- leve that time is at hand when harmony, like that which prevailed on foreign soil, will animate all true patriots upon our own.
 Gentlemen, your distinguished committee, in their tatterlng letter of invitation to me, were kind enough to express desire to honor me as poet 1 feel that my humble efforts in that capacity are alP unworthy of such regard. In my boyhood, the writing of poetry was to me a delightful task, a labor of love, but amidst the thousand political discussions, dissensions, and strlfes of my maturer years, have found little time to wander off from this ungentle world to the dear realm of fancy And even when 1 have done so, 1 have scarcely been able, harrassed, annoyed, and vexed as 1 have been, to give an adequate utterance to the thoughts that seemed occasionally to flash like broken glimpses of Eden across my halfdark- ened spirit. If God made me poet, 1 have been unjust to Him inneg glecting the exercise of my powers. But, citizens of Arkansas, citizens of Little Rock, you have poet among your selves, who, amidst the most emlnently success ful tolls of an honorable and laborous protes- sion, has had the tune and the ability to breathe from his great soul strains of poetry that will echo in the ears and hearts of postenty. With him, as with me, poetry has been only relax atOn, a pastime, the employment of an Idle hour, yet he has written what his countrymen twill not willingly let die,' he has written what will float beautifully above the waves of time when his manly form shall be engulphed beneath them. l know that 1t is distasteful to l. s@ nd cannot help saying it.
 Your committee, gentlemen, have thought proper to compliment me as "the tried aad con- sistent advocate of law and order" I have endeavored to be such. Yes, I can proudly say that have been such. Unfalteringly and earnestly throughout my whole editorial life, I have advocated law and order. I have advo- cated them when their advocacy was believed by many to involve pecuniary ruin and the most fearful personal danger I have in all cases, no matter whether friends or enemies were con- cerned gone for the observance and mainte- nance of the laws as interpreted and admnis- tered by the constituted authorities ot the land, and have gone for leaving their execution to those authorities uninfuenced by the clamor oi the public press l have done this, and, so help me Heaven will continue to do it as long as live, though a score of mobs may howl and madden for my blood, and though some good citizens, even the oldest of my personal and political friends, hurried away by their own reused feelings may deem themselves called on to join in the warfare against me- When ] cease to be the advocate of law and order, may l cease to live.
 Citizens of Arkansas, this is the first time ever came among you. 1 came as d stranger, and have been greeted as friend Ihave ne- yer received more cordial greeting in any con- munity. Every hand has given to mine a cor dial grasp. Ihave heard the music of a warm welcome upon every lip. The friendship of all democrats, equally with that of all whigs, has been warmly proffered to me and warmly accepted. The two houses of your Legislature have conferred high honors upon me, and, what value even more, your lovely women even those whom have not had the pleasure of seeing have favored me with tokens of their regard. l shall cherish as long as live the memory of this visit to your capital. 1 shall Keep within my heart a treasured recollection of your generous hospitality. l have come among you as 2 citizen of Kentucky, and