Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-12-29

| the United States are restrained in the eyar else of civil or political rights in which it ia their privilege to participate it then becomes the duty of those exercising sovereign power to vlndicate and assert that right to be exercised bv the people at their discretion.
 1t may not be out of place in the elucida. ton of this subject, to examine it more at length in some of its bearings. To form more solid foundation and afford some addition al reasons, that might lead to more thorough and full understanding of our political relations and the several rights that are claimed to be exercised under them we adhere to the doe. Urine that the several American States. formino the orth-American Republic, are of them selves, independent of each other. and created by the people an independent State sovereign ty, each retaining every principle of State go vernment, except the powers specially granted Tn the constitution of the United $ ates. neces sary to form national government and all otb CT rights not specially conceded to the general government, are granted and reserved to the several states, or to the people thereof respec | tiVely. Each of the sovereign States, there fore possess and retain the absolute right to | speak out boldly, and announce to the world | snch principles as they believe are republican. aud Tn harmony with the spirit and progress of | the age. Such announcement of principle as will be best calculated to secure perpesnalv. and In sacred manner the great boon of hu man liberty. that the same may be effectual- ly established, which will secure to the peonle permanent independent form of government | Arkansas, as a southern State. claims the rlSht m common with her sister States, to speak lh fearless manner and declare every princi pie she conceves to be right and proper for tht. advancement of her citizens, touching all sub Jects that seem best calculated to secure to her | all her Tights as one of the southern slave States of the Union. And occupying that high ground to which her position entities her. that she may not be humlllated. nor her people de- graded and to place her in condition to as. sert any right she might deem expedient and l proper on question to enlarge the area of treedom-holdng these to be selfevident pro- positions the State of Arkansas has the right to complain with great force of reason at the least lniraction of her reserved rights; and to oppose with every element of power the wrongs that are being done to her, and all of the southern | slave-holding States.
 Few, among the many grievances that she has just right to complain of, and which seem to array themselves the most consncuous agalnst her interest, are the provisions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, made with Great Britain; and which has operated SO as to almost prevent any emigration of the An glo-Saxon race to the South American rennblic. which has been interpreted to be in contrayen. ton oi the plan and settled principles of the Monroe doctrine that no European power should ever interfere Ill any manner in the %. vernment or disposal of the soil nor make ac qulslon ot any territory upon the American con- tinent.
 The treaty alluded to, has, to a great extent crippled the enterprise and energy of our people: and to-day the South American coast is ouard ed by cordon of the navy of Great Britain. to prevent any character of emigration from the United States which the British government does not sanction or approve and thereby be- comes guard on the outposts of the land of freedom and equal rights to prevent the en- larsement of the area of human liberty.
 Such entansng alliances with any nation should lead the American people to think. and take prompt action, by which they may be re- heved from the surveillance and patrol by the power and navy of Great Britain.
 he State Of Arkansas has right to demand that sad treaty should be abrogated at the ear Hest tune that the notice can be given in accordance with it's provisions to the govern ment ol Great Britain
 I he next grievance 1 shall speak of in this connection. Is the treaty made with Great Bri- tam and France, by which the U. $. is bound to equ'p, support, and maintain a large fleet on the coast of Africa at the cost of many valuable lives and millions of the public treasure annually: and Tor what interest Is 1t to us this sacrifice of the lie of our brave seamen are made; and the waste ot millions of dollars from the treasury? Is It to vindicate any princple of honor. or self government, or secure any right that pertains to our existence as political power; the exten. slon of which would be an enlargement of the bounds of human liberty? No, sir, it is not for either, but on the other hand, it is compromit- tlng us by treaties tbat rebound to the political and pecunary interest of other nations and to compel us to stand before the nations of the world as humated-showlngt that we are the patrols: | the guard, to watch on the high seas for great Britain aud France; and our navy to stand as a passive piece oi machinery in the political world | to protect thelr navles and their merchantmen. who are under the hipocritical name of em igrailng tiom the coast of Africa, ship loads of slaves, calling them apprentices, which are pur- chased from the slave holder or owner in Afri ca, and carried to work in the vineyards nlan | tatIons and colonial farms of those nations Great Britain and France know their interest we'll They want more slave labor, which they hpocrltically call the apprentice system. They | have been by combination of circumstances ehdeavorlng to bring about the desired consum ination for producing for their own consump- ton enough of the staple production of the south to make them independent of the United States n that production. France is now inn porting ship loads of Africans from the coast of Gulnea, and carrying them to the fertile islands m the tropics, and opening cotton farms in her Ai9crine possessions, for the production of the leading staple of the south which enriches the southern States of this Union. And to-day. sir, whiie we are here debating this important subject, there Is probably being shipped through the ports oi Constantlnople, some seventy or eighty thousand bales of cotton to the port, of London. Liverpool, and Marseilles
 lhIS astounding fact should appeal to the interest of every citizen ot the southern States; to think that we shall find competitors in the markets of Liverpool London and Havr. in the sale o the rich southern staple of the Uni ted Statas. This fact has been produced by acomblnation of circumstances with the Alger ina Moors, and the oppressed subjects of the h. dian empre, by the cunning and cupidtv of British tyranny.
 Shall We submit longer to have our rigbts tramped on; shall we again be brought into the meshes of European diplomacy, to be over reached and out-witted by British statesmen, who have ever sought to cripple the energies oi the rising power and greatness of the United States, the most powerful nation of modern times
 It has been our misfortune to be bound by treaties that have tended to restrain the ex panslon of our institutions; and held millions of ireemen who have been ever ready and will ling to plunge into the forest of the inviting South American States, an unfurl the banner ot freedom there that new roads might be open ed up to honor and wealth. and lay firm found- atlon for the future home of the nations of the earth, liberal and enlighted in their policy and government.
 The preamble and resolution now under con- sideration only lays down the proposition that slavery Is acknowledged to be correct by the Bible; that it was protected by the common law; that our English ancestors brought it into the colonies; and that the south requires more slave labor; and further, to ask Congress to re- peal the law, that makes it piracy for any one to purchase, and bring from the coast of Africa, negro for slave, into the United States.
 The whole scope of the preamble and resolu- ton, considered in any light one may view them. cannot by any possibility be construed to mean, | that we are affirmatively asking Conpress to re