The true Democrat., 1856-11-18
Puhlic Maetinp


 appointed secretary.
 The object of the meeting was stated by Col Henry NJ. Rector.
 Capt. A. Pike presented the following pre- amble and resolutions, which, after an address by him in support of them, were unanimously adopted:
 WHEREAS, The safety of the people is the upreme law; and self-defence and self-protec- ton are the first and highest duty, not less of every community, than of every individual.
 And Whereas, We know by experience, that the residence o free negroes and mulattoes Tn slavehoding community, is wholly inconsls- tent with the interests both of the master and the servant; offers the latter the strongest ln- ducements to discoutent and nsubOrdlnatlCn supplies apt and ready instruments to the abol- itonst; furnishes the slave with the means of secret indulgence in low and dangerous vices; invariably makes them corrupt thievlsh, treach- erous and rebellious compels the master to more severe treatment, and makes It necessary for him to narrow the privileges Of the servant; and Is every way dangerous to the peace and safety of society:
 dad IVhereas. Many towns ard neghbor- hoods in the State are infested with free negroes and muiactoes, not a few of them living in
  persons, trespas,ng upon the property of their neiyhbors and harborng those of their own color who escape from the service of their mas tera:
 And VAereas, In such neighborhoods and towns, and especially in Little Rock the i'm pudcnce of that class of tho population has ln- creased with the kindness ana favor shown them, until the nuisance of free negroes and mulattoes and negroes and mulattoes allowed to hire and deal as if they loere free, has at length become ntolerable and 1t has come to this that either they must be expelled, or our slaves become entirely worthless:
 4nd Whereas, It is quite as great an evil that slaves are allowed to go about and work, upon contracts made by themselves and them selves receiving their wages, paying their mas tel's part aul retaining part, to make others who have no such privileges dissatisfied and discon tentd, and that many arc allowed to live by them selves, at d distance from their owners, to har- tor ruuaways, sell spirtuous liquors and allow gambling on their premises:
 Ind IFhereas, It is to be hoped that the I whole south will as by one impulse rid itself of all free negroes and mulattces, and force them to settle among those who profess to be their peculiar friends; who are no doubt pre- pared to welcome them with open arms, and | whose zeaIous emissaries many of them are:
 Therefore, be it resolved as follows
 First Tint we do respectfully but most earnestly ani urgently request the legislature of the State of Arkansas to cnac that hereaf- ter uo free negro or mulat;o shall be allowed 10 come into and reside with in this State; or, be- ing mnumittcd, to remain here and that all those, with ut single exception, now within out limits, be forbidden here beyond reasonable period, to b, fixed hy law, and be requested to remove by that time, under the penalty of be- ing d. cmel and taken in law to be slaves that have escAcated to the State, and of being dealt with actonlingly
 2d. Res,lrsi That this legislation will, in our o9,!u.0u, be iab.c to DO constitutional ob- iect.ou; hut jt will be merely the exercise of an uninuh,ed power, and regulation of police, which Ga free white men of the State, by whom alone, and for whom alone, the govern- mett the .eof was created, have a clear and un- questionable right to enact, for their protection, welfare and safety; 1t being entirely competent for them, through their representatives, to de- termine wh1t other persons for whom and by whom the constitution Of the State Was not made or the government set on foot it will be consistent with their own interest and safety to allow tn remain within the State; and that such persoas arc dangerous to the commonwealth, and Eo longer fit to be tolerated among us
 3!. Resoirei That the legislature be also re- questcd to enact moie stringent laws, entirely to prevent the hiring of slaves of their own time, and making contracts for their own labor and !ecey z wages therefor, even for a single day; lasmnch as such custom is an evil N hlch no man can measure; and also utterly to prohji it all oWrers of slaves from allowing them to live apart from and at a distlncc from them, and Tot under heir immediate superv- sion.
 4th Rc,oicai, That our felow-cizcns throu-, ,hout the Slatc, they suffer under the same evil, il these respects as ourselves, be re- questcd to take speed, action on the suIect and adopt like resolutions with these; urging upon the legislature the lnpertivc necessity of i prompt, rlL"rons and thorough action, and the folly uf hali-neaNuree, or a tcmporising poli- cy, in dealing with an evil that every day eats deeper and deeper and becomes more difficult to eradicate.
 5th. Rerired, That copy of these resolu- tinr,, signed hy thc chairman and secretary, be Iy the former transmitted to the President of Inc Senate, and ouc to the Speaker of the House oi Representatives, of this State and that they he also published in the newspapers of the State.
 The meeting thcu adjourned.
 BEN. F. DANLEY, Presr
 WM. II. CACsIX. Sec'y.
 I!osbingtoo, HsmpStead comfy, Ark., ' November 4th, 1856.
 GEN G. D. RoYsroN-
 Str:-Thcre being a vacancy iu the State Se- nate, occlsoued by the resignation of Dr. P R. Booker, which is U be filled by the voters of ' Hampstead and Pike counties on the 26th inst; and believing that il would meet the approba- ton of your political and personal friends in every section of the district We would most re- specially request you to permit Us to place your name in nomination for that office, and in doing so, permit us to assure you that we are urged by a high regard for your political char actcr and ability to serve the interests of the State. Very respectfully your obedient ser. wants,
 E. P. Jett, A. T. Bellar, E. r. trntrn, Lewis F. Carter, George 0. Rike, W. T. H. Williams, John q. McFadlcn, Elijah Ferguson, C. l.. Mcknight A. w. Hevins, John B. Armstrong, T. G. McFaddin, Matthew Moss John II. Irwin, Ihos. C. Smith, C. J. Dutiee, $. II. Harvey, George Mouser I