Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-08-22
Truly your friend, etc.,
 JOHN KING.


 HANGING PRIvATEEBsMEN.-The follow ing article is from the New York Times It says our privateersmen must hang. If such should be the case, retaliation will follow, of course It is impossible to read the following without the blood almost freezing with horror. Nengeance-terrl- ble vengeance, will yet be visited upon Lincoln and the wFetches around him.
 "The United States government will soon be confronted by q question, the de- cision of which may add extreme acrimony to the war now waging between the loyal States and the south. The trial of Capt. Baker and his associates, of the privateer Savannah, must very shortly result in their conviction, and their condemnation to suf- fer the extreme penalty of the law for pira- cy. Nothing but pardon or respite from the President of the United States can stay their doom, after the decree of the Court and jury is entered up.
 It is not likely that Mr. Lincoln will in terfere with the regular course of law in be- half of these criminals. There is no plea that can be made for clemency. They sin ned wilfully and wickedly, and not penitent even for crimes they have committed. And unfortunately for them, their followers in buccaneering business will not let their of fence nor its enormity fade away from the public mind. Every day or two fresh IT, ritation is given by the impudent acts of the rowing pirates Sumter and Jef. Davis, and the popular demand grows louder for summary vengeance on such pestilent ma- rauders.
 It must go hard with Captain Baker, therefore, and he had as we'll be preparing for the final surrender of his commission from Jeff. Davis, and the acceptance of one, with sealed orders, for voyage over the dark sea that is the boundary of human life.
 But what if Captain Baker is hung? We now know that Jeff. Davis has sent a letter to President Lincoln, threatening prompt and cruel retaliation on citizens ot the United States, unfortunately Tn his power, if Captain Baker and his crew shall be hung. Is it not hard to leave our coun- trymen that are prisoners at Richmond to such hard fate, when we might save them? Is it not poor exchange, to give up good men to be murdered, in return for the sat" isfaction of hanging lew characterless pl- rates?
 So many will inquire, and all will admit it is serious matter. But we apprehend the catartrophe is unavoidable if we lose good men for pirates, it must be ac- cepted as one of the hard fortunes ot war. It cannot be avoided. Many good lives will be sacrificed in war, and men cannot always select the time and manner of thelr dying. If they die for their country, the honor must be deemed the same. If Jeff. Davis chooses to murder men in cold blood because the Uuted States hangs buccan- eers according to the forms and requre- ments of law, 1t must be so. We cannot yield principle, policy, and the regular awards of our courts and our laws, under the threat if we do not, an arch rebel will become murderer besides.
 The country will require some other mode of dealing with Jeff. Davis besides submitting to his indecent and barbarous threats. And if 1t be true, as we suppose 1t is, that Gen. Mcclellan has captured Col. Pegram and near thousand rebels in Western Virginia, we hope they will be retained as prisoners of war and hosta- ges for Jeff. Davis, good conduct-not coined into "Union men, as the custom has been, and turned loose under the slen- der shackles of an oath. We want these men as stock in trade when the war of barbarism begins. And when Baker is convicted and condemned, we wish Presi- dent Lincoln to send a notice at once to Jeff. Davis; informing him of the fact, and of the unquestionable purpose to hang him;