Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-12
A Vivid Picture.

in the heart of the patriot chastened those feelings ofjoy and reorganization usual upon those festive occasions, into soberness and seriousness. Christ. mas with it's merry greetings, its social re- unions, l it's many hallowed and sacred associations and sublime ceremonies has passed and gone-"wrung ont the old and wrung in the new''-woud to God we could say, "wring out the mroag, and wrung in theruei" The new year is up 1n us, and still the gloom, the doubt. the despondency, remain chilling into silence the usual hearty and joyous ,utaton, ''a happy new year to you.' And why is all this? A great nation, the proudest of them all, has be- come the Niobe os nations," weeping at the madness of her children of the North, who fed and pampered and enriched by the toll and sweat of their brethren of the Soth have in their pride f power, dared to islander, traduce and viIify, and deprive them of their equal rights under the sacred compact of the constituton-a constitution that has been violated in spirit and in form-and that glorious fabric based upon it's massive pllars--the temple of our national existence is torpling, in deed has already toppled into ruin, shattern, in it's fall the shekinah of a nations hope.
 But the failure of the federal Union in the ohects and purposes for which it was created is not the 1aliure of republican principles. For the federal Union was never the representative of republican nrnsse'ss hut merely an association of separate lands Or special pafposts, ahd hil sNc fuay apprns tas \ union of republics may fail in the objects of that union, without injury to the great and eternal principles which underiie republican governments. The State governments remain organized and in all their integrity, ready to discharge the egiti- mate functions of government. Let not the friends of republican government despair, nor it's enc. mics be delighted at it's destruction, for the prn- ciples of freedom, carried into practical operation by the forms of republican government, are inde- structable--they are embodied in the very nature of man, and grow and strengthen with lengthening years. The dissolution of the Union is not there fore the destruction of republican principles, but simply the legitimate consequence of its failure in securing the objects of its creaton which was to 1 promote the general welfare and secure domestic tranquility
 From out the gloom and darkness that now en- velops us, gtters the star of hope-a southern re- public-a confederacy of slave holding States, where, educated in the same schools-thoushts, feelings harmonious with institutions homogenious 1 binding Us in closer bonds of union--w th produc tions absolutely essential to the comfort md happi ness Of mln-.n peace and quiet we can safely work out high destiny among the nations of the earth. My heart swells within me ill contem- plating the future of our beloved South, if her soEs are only true 10 themselves, and stand firm and united. United together, and we must be great
 free md prosperous peope-greatin in all that adolrs, emde.lishes and bcautifcs civilized life--tnl htving no lsonistic elements i'll our midst, des- tihed, trust to c0ntinae and lauiis to the last sylnhle ot recorded lime. I have said that the past fortnight has been full of incidents of all in- 1 teresting and somewhat extrAoftn ,ry cbnraetcr We nave been interested, instructed and astonished by divers speeches of some of our dstngai.hed men. First was the Hon. Commissioner from Alabama, Mr. Hubbard who recounted in il torcib}e m nner the wrongs and insul inflicted upon fhe south by the fanatica and uncon1promising North. which has ben accommodating and increasinc for long series Of years, until it has final Y cumnatcd in the election of black republican President, sworn to the destruction and extinction of our cherished institution. He asked emphatical]y could we trust further guarantees fom people which had shown themselves reckless of all oh';.o tion both human and divine + they d;sregsrd and set at nauSht the guarantees already in the constitution, which he contended were altogether sufficient if they only observed they spurn anu spit upon those guarantees, laced in that sacred instrument by our tath' IS, sanctioned and halowed they are by the prestige of their mighty names and exalted character; and which the lnnse of time IS only calculated to increase-if they will not regard guarantees made when the St,tas were all slave States, when there was no Gnoti cIsm-how can you believe that they will observe any guarantees whatever, made at this late day, when they only depend upon the will of il reckless and irresponsible majority, crazed with fanaticism and regardless of consequences? The history of guarantees and compromises shows too plainly tho puiic faith ot the North -compromises, made only to be broken Why then hesitate to assume onr normal condition q harmonious and united com federation of slave holding States? Our hanpi ness requires it, our ,fety imperouslv demands t His remarks upon forming an association of cotton P'h'erS ana regulate their own exchanges after the m'nner Of the East India Company were emi nently worthy of the consideration of our planters.
 On Thursday night last, by special invitation, our d'stln9ulshed citizen the poet, lawyer and statesman Of Arkansas gave us one of his cllm. well considered and pitIotc speechca upon the state of the country. He seemed to think that tbe St uth had abundant cause for secession, and that secession was perhaps after all the only remedy for existing evils, and as to compromise from the an. tagonistc elements involved, he utterly despared oI any whatever being effected. He asked em. photiclly, could the South submit to the rule of a Prcsiden.e elected by ab )tionsts and free ne roes He traced with master-h md the cause, the rise, the progress anl the ultimate designs of abolition. and warned the South with start,ing em ha s. that it mu.t nolo take st tn l. tirm united and unanch. ing, for the preservation Of their rights the pro teetinn an security of their homes and fre;;des. thelr wives and daughters and in tones of pathetc an thrilling eloquence told that vast and listening auditory that although it was hs fte to have been bonn in the rock ribbedregions otthe Norh-.f thev could notttust him, he had children to the manor barn," whose faith, whose honor and devotion could not be dorb.ed and that he offered them upon the altar of patriotism, the rights anl honor of tte South-they at least would not sliirk the duty. Altogether it was Il speech worthy of the high refutt of Capt. Pike, and worthy of tie occasion which cl'lel it forth On Mond " niaht
 1st' we had the pleasure of hearing an able speech from tien. 1dl,'upon the slne subject; who main tlne' pretty much the same rost,ons a; th se as- sumed by Capt. Pke orif anything, rather stronger for immediate action upon matter ot such vital importance to the Souih-that Lincoln shoud not be allowed to take his seat--that WashiDetcn should be seized upon, and all the advantages ot Chat position secured for the South.
 Alter Gen, Yell had concluded his speech, q cal was made upon Dr. Gibson, q gentleman well known in this community, and highly respected foi his many private and social virtues. Whereunor Dr. Hieson mounted the rostrum and delivered him sell satisfied that his speech met with the