Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-12-12
PROCLAMATION To the people of Central and North
 Missouri

FELLow-CITIzLNs;-In the month of June last was called to the command of handful of Missourians 4ho nobly gave up home and comfort to espousc, in that gloo- my hour, the canse of your bleeding coun- try, struggling with 5he most rauSeless and cruel de~poti>m knoWa among clvlIizef men. When peace aud protection could no longer be enjoyed but at the price o' honor and liberty, your chief magistrate called for fifty thousand men to drive the ruthless invader from a soil made fruitful by your labors and consecrated by yonr homas."
 To that call less than five thousand res ponded; out of male population eXcced- ing 200, GOO men one in forty on Y stepped forward to defend with t!srir Per7on@ ~mei .a~ir Itve-, tie ca"%e of con5tltutloNal llo- ertv and human rights,
 Some allowances are to be made on the score of want of military organization; a supposed want of arms; the necessary retreat of the army southwark the block ade of the river, and the presence of an --~.eeI and organized foe. But nearly six ,''""'"T .I, ",~~ ~ow elapsed: your crops have been tllien' your harve>ts have bcan roanoJ. your preparations for winter b,va beo, made; the army of Missouri, organized and equipped, fought its way eo the river: the foe is still in the field the country bIoeds. and our people groan under the indictions of foe, masked with all the characteristic ics of barbarian warfare, ,-and where now are the 50 900 to avcnge our wrongs and free our countrv9 Had fifty thousand men flocked to our standard, with their shot guns in their hands, there wnnld not now be a federal hirelipg in the State to polute our soil Instead of ruined communities. starving families and desolated districts, we should have had a people blessed with pro- lection, and with stores to supply the wants and neces sites, and comforts of lie Where are those 50,000 men? Are Ms. rouians no longer true to thomseIves?-- A1e thev timid, time serving, craven race, fit oly for subjection to despot. Awake my 0puntrvmen, to sense ot what con stituhs the dignity and true greatness ot free p&ple. A few men have fought your hattlest 4 few men have dared the dangers of battlefield. A few have borne the barlship,o of the camp-the Scorching- suns of summa the frosts of winter, the mala- ria o. the svamps, the privations incident to our circrrnstances, fatigue, and hunger, and thirst, oten without blankets, without shoes, with insufficient clothing, with the cold wet earth for bed, the sky for GOV ering, and s'ene for pillow, glad onl y to meet the enemy on the fiel1, where some paid the noble.t devotion known among op porth tn tb, of and your>rights with their lives.
 But where one has ben lost on the field, three have been lost by diseases induced bv privation and toll! Durng all these trials we have murmured not; We offered all we had on earth at the altar ,f our common country--our own beloved Miss ~ouri and we only now ask our felloN-citizens-our brethern, to come to us and lelp to secure what we have gained, and tolvin our plo- rious inheritance froU lc crlel hand of the spoiler and the oppressor. Come to Us! Brave sons of Missouri! rdlv to your standard. must hav 50. GOO nen! call upon you, in the name of youl country, for fifty thousand men Do you stay at home to take care of your properts? Mil lions of dollars have been lost because von stayed at home. Do you stay at home for protection? More men have been murder ed at home than have lost in five success ful battles. Do you stay at home to secure terms with the enemy? Then, warn ypu, t,e day will soon come when you may be surrendered to the mercies of that enemy. and your substance be given mp to the Hes- sianand the Jay Hawker, cannot, l will not attribute such motive to you my coun- trymen. But where are our Southern-rights friends' We must drive the oppressor from our land. Imust have 50, 900 men. Now is the golien opportunity to save the State. Now IS the day of your political salvation The time of enlistment for our brave band is beginning to expire. Do not tax their patience beyond endurance. Do not longer sicken their hearts by hope deferred. They begin to inquire, "Whare are our friends?" who shall give them an aRswer9 Boys and