Des Arc citizen., 1859-12-14
A VIGILANCE COMMITTEE IN DIES
 ApE


 At preliminary meeting of the cltl' zens of Des Arc, on Monday Afternoon, committee was appointed to report by preamble and resolutions.
 On yesterday morning at 9 o'clock the citizens again assembled, when the fol- lowing preamble and resolutions were adopted unanimously. They speak for themselves:
 WHEREAS, Des Arc has heretofore been the most quiet, peaceable and orderly town on
 White river or the West, and her citizens had the reputation far and near of being civil, courteous, industrious and moral {; and whereas, recently our quiet condition has been broken by the fierce feuds, strife and quarrel of strangers, and we have heard in every direction, horrid .oaths from the dirty mouths of this basphemous set, and seen the bowie knife and pistol constantly brandished by this set of outlaws, out-casts, frequenters of gambling he'll and fiends incarnate. And
 WHEREAS, We believe that this class, con- sisting of gamblers. and all manner of pu- tridity from the filthy sewers of cities and towns, which have been driven off by the fierce torrent of public opinion and ont ragged decency, from other places, are be- ginning to congregate here, and make this their head quarters, and for the purpose of accomplishing more effectually their dia- bolical purposes, pursuing more successfully their hellsh practices, and converting our Eden into a pandemonium, have imported into our midst lewd women and whereas, also, from what we have seen and learn, we believe there are Abolitionists in our midst, persons unfriendly to the institution of sa- very as we have it, and who are tampering with our slaves, endeavoring to instil into minds evil principles, and whereas, we look upon this class (abolitionists) as thieves, hypocrites, cut-throats, incendia- ries, false to themselves, traitors to their Icountry, hypocrites in religion, and false in feverything and untrue to everything save the devil and his service and as we believe "self- preservation to be ''the first law of nature," and as the exigency of our situa- tion is not such as to permit us to await the tardy and uncertain relief of the law therefore be it resolved:
 1. That all gamblers are hereby notified to leave Des Arc within 24 hours after the ap- pearance of this resolution in print, or they will be dealt with summarily by the vigilance committee
 9. That all lewd women, and women of lll-fame, are nereDy notlned to leave DeS Arc within 24 hours after the appearance of this resolution in print, or they will be summarly dealt with by the vigilance comittee.
 3. That all abolitionists, or persons inimi- cal to the institution of slavery,sor who do not believe that African slavery as it exists among us, is right, and all persons who asso- ciate with, keep company with, and put them selves upon an equality with our slaves. be notified to leave Des Arc within 24 hours after the appearance of this resolution in print, or they will be summarily dealt with by the vigilance committee.
 4. That each and every member of this meeting bind themselves to keep profound secret the actings and doings of the vigilance committee, that we will divulge nothing that is done by the vigilance committee under any circumstances, nor any information commu- nicated to the vigilance committee by any of it's sub-commitiees.
 5. That we hold ourselves in readiness to support the vigilance committee in everything and upon the shortest notice, and we pledge ourselves not only to support the vigilance committee, but to support one another in every thing pertaining to the good of the town.
 6. That the names composing the vigilance committee be published.