Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-05-04

your paper upon the grounds, that you advocate principles a atagonistic to the in- terests of the west.''
 Very truly your friend. *.
 We received the above letter from friend and agent of our paper at Fort Smith, and as 1t contains charge of quite seri ous character we consider it proper tRo- tee It. If it is true, as declared, that we advocate principles antagonistic to the in- terests of the west, our enterprise deserves the frown of every citizen. We are for mally arraigned; we plead not guilty, and put ourselves upon the country"
 This charge can have reference to noth- ing but the course we have taken upon the "per diem" question. The remarks we made upon this subject have aroused the ire of various individuals, who have not only brought the subtle weapon of logic to bear against our observations, but when little common sense puts to shanie their logical disquisitions, have punished us by discontinuing our paper. The Herald of the I'd inst, contains a communication from some Junius, who civilly undertakes to re- flute our views upon this vexed subject We do not propose to consume time by arguing this matter for the sake of sustain ing the couse we have taken, but simply to investigate the charge referred to, and brand it with theIseal of injustice.
 We have sad that the members of the legislature who insisted upon, and actually received ninety-six dollars of the public snoney, as per diem pay, for the days of the recess, did wrong, that if by technical construction of law, or a process of abstruse reasoning it could possibly be made to ap- pear that the action of the per diem mem- bers was not reprehensibe; it was at all events impolitic and improper, and that such action would assuredly be repudiated by the people. We endeavored to show, that about ten thousand dollars had been paid for services not performed, and that the peoples money had thus been squan dered without even the shadow of an equl- valent Tn return; that the people had paid something for nothing, and that they would naturally be dissatisfied with such unscru- pulous greediness. This is the '' head and front of our offending" and for this are we slandered as above. We have been fre quently asked by hard working persons, men who earn their bread by the sweat of their brows,' who coin by hard knocks every dollar they possess, if it is true that legis- lators received ninety-six dollars for doing nothing. We have invariably told them what we knew about the matter, and pret sented the strongest arguments we have heard in defence, but they have always fail ed to convince, and are treated with just indignation and contempt; all the sylogisms, and logical deductions are blown away like chatf before the breath of common sense.
 Oh ye poor, hard. working, honest, though ignorant sovereigns, can't you un- derstand that the legislature was, in con temptation of law and logic, in session, du- ring the recess; that your representatives, though in reality one hundred and fifty miles from the state-house, were construct lively in their legislative seats, doing con- struct5ve service for you? Can't you ap. precate the distinction between a proroga- tion and an adjournment? Don't you per ceive that the executive transcended his constitutional prerogative in proroguing the legislature? Are you not aware, that if you presume to question the proprety of taking pay for constructive service. you are subject to the accusation of C ddUocdttng principles ontagontstic to Me interests of Me acest." Rut we do not complain of harsh treatment, when our paper is discontinued for such reasons as the foregoing, where we have lost one subscriber who entertains like anomalous opinions of the "interestS of the west" we have gained five who think with us, that an advocacy of western inter- ests does not consist in making war upon the True Democrat, the Governor, or Se nator Sebastian, nor in applauding public representatives after receiving wages for la Dor never performed! We are willing to abide the verdict of the people; they will pass upon this matter at the ballot box The principles we advocate will be tested there; hey will either be condemned, or our accusers will be discounted and openly re- buked
 We are inexperienced, in public affairs, and may draw conclusions from false prem ises, but it does occur to us, that a perfect agreement with the political views of the gentlemen who wish our paper stopped" :" and an advocacy of western interests, are not correlative terms.
 The Arkansian is the tool of no party or faction, and is controlled by no out side influence, it has no political favorites to whom it is pledged, but it has thus far es- poused what its proprietors conceive to be right, and condemned what to them ap- pears wrong-it will ever continue so to act