The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-06-08
Arkansas Politics.
CIRCULAR OF HON. A. RUST TO HIS CONSTITUENTS

CIRCULAR OF HON. A. RUST TO HIS CONSTITUENTS
Hon. A. RUST, member of the House OF
Representatives from Arkansas, has ad-
dressed circular to his constituents, in
which he ably discusses the prominent polls
teal questions of the day. The greater part
of the circular is devoted to State policy. In
that potion of it which relates to national
politics, Mr.. RUST contends that there is
party in the South whose leaders at heart
are disunionists, and who now seem careless
about concealing the aim of their policy and
in order to carry out their schemes, have
availed themselves of the just resentment ex-
cited in the popular mind of the South, caused
by the recent outrages perpetrated upon the
citizens and soil of Virginia by the fanatic
BROWN and his followers. These violators
of law having paid the last earthly penalty
of their crime by an ignominious death, Mr..
Rust thinks the same should be accepted by
the Southern people as the most ample ex-
pation that could be rendered, instead o.
producing such degree of sectional bitter.
ness and evaporation as Ito use the Ian
guage employed by Mr.. YANcEY in his let
ter to Mr.. SLAUGHTER, of June Is, 1857
"to fire the Southern heart" and enable them,
1.-THE seeding Democrats) by zone organized,
concerted action, to precipitate the cotton
States into revolution"
Mr.. RUST says:
am free to confess that for such men
feel neither sympathy nor liberation that l
regard their designs as mischievous, unpa-
triotic, and criminal and cannot cooperate
with them in consumating measure fraught,
in my humble opinion, with ruin and dis
aster to my country.
l believe l may safely assert that those of
the people of Arkansas who know me, know
that l am not too prone to submit to az.
erosion from any quarter, and would, as
their representative, be as ready to meet
consequences and dangers, and incur sacri>
fees in repelling any invasion of their rights
or assaults upon their equality, their inter-
ests or their honor, as the noisy demagogue,
who persuades himself that be attests his
loyalty to the South by making unreasona>
BILE and unjust demands in their behalf, and
advocating a policy which must result
in incalcuIable woes and calamities to her
people.
They are not disunionists "per se," but
demand, in violation of solemn compro-
mise entered into by the National conserva-
tive men of both sections, as an ultimatum
what they know will not be, and do not de-
sire to be granted slave code for the ter
ritories protection of slavery by Congress
where it does not now, and they admit will
never exist. Not one-tenth of the votes in
the most conservative district north of Ma.
son & Dixon's line would be cast for any
candidate upon such platform, and they
know and admit it.
The question on slavery in the territories
was left by this compromise to be settled by
the people thereof, in conformity with the
principles of the constitution. This settles
ment was accepted by statesmen of the south
and regarded as a concession to them. l
aver upon my honor, that it was concurred
in by conservative men from all sections of
the Union. On future occasion will
prove to you that every candidate, present
or possible, before the Charleston Conven-
ton for the Presidential nomination, except
perhaps one, who has political record. is
fully committed to this doctrine. All were
agreed that the people of the territories, un-
der the constitution, should control their
own domestic Institutions. And when there
was conflict of opinion with reference to
their powers under the constitution, all
were agreed that the Supreme Court Of the
United States should determine their extent.
The argument used by statesmen from all
sections of the Union in favor of this method
of settlement, was that it would translate
from the Halls of Congress to the people to
be affected by it, the discussion of the irri-
tating and unending question; that the time
of Congress might then be devoted to the
consideration of practical and salutary legis-
lation, beneficial to the whole country. Do
those men who advocate Intervention by
Congress in favor of slavery expect to OBJ
tain it without discussion?
The question was thus settled, and you
my fellow citizens, and the people every
where in the South, unconscious of the great
wrongs under which you were living, were
contented and happy. But unfortunately
for the peace of the country, pettifogging
quibblers and special pleaders, professional
politicians, to whom agitation is the breath
of their nostrils, the food and raiment of
their bodies, the bane and curse of the coun.
try, discovered that you were wronged, in
suited, dishonored, robbed of your just share
in the common Territories OF the Union,
and denied equality in our National Con-
federation. have seen, feel, realize no
injustice or oppression, and deny that you
or l are the subjects of either. am not to
be deferred by the clamors of small politi>
clans from expressing my honest opinions.
If entertained views with regard to ques.
lions of public policy of which not one citi-
zen of my State approved, and l knew it,
honor and candor would require me to avow
them. and l should not shrink from express
ing them.
1t is with this feeling that declare, as
Southern man, studious of the interests of
my section, if the Northern members of
Congress would voluntarily offer to protect
slavery in the Territories by Federal laws
and Federal arms, the South ought not to
accept it. I will prove, or attempt to
prove, on the future occasion to which I
have referred, that it would be uuwise and
inexpedieut for her to do so.
The developments at the late Charleston
convention Indicate the imminsnce and mao.