Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-31
To the People of Pulaski County.

~ De neld on the 4th of Marcl next we have with much reluctance. con seh'eo to do so. The time fixed by law .or hoioihg the election, (1Sth February 10 ., So near at hand, that it is almost impos. Sioie for thorough canvass of the connty to pc made. It therefore becomes pacossa. " TOT us to define our positions in rego rd TO the troublous attitude our oovarn,0on, mas assumed Tn the last few weeks To on, haihos, the question is now reduced down to secession and resistance, if necessary on the part of the South, or uncond;6onol su5. m'sston. With our voice, our State never snail be reproached with the cowardice and lgnominy of having taken the latter corrsa '
 me only course left for our State to pursue with honor, or safety to herself is to follow the six gallant States which have already gone before her. Her right to do so at thls late day, we presume will hardly pc questioned. If any deny her right we VIII simply refer them to the lang1ace of the Declaration of Independence. made bv our forefathers in 1776. In that declara. tion IS included the right, whenever form ol government becomes destructive of the interests or safety of the people, ito alter or to abolish It, and to institute new government, laying it's foundation on such pflnclples, and organizing its powers in snch form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. ," On this point we will add further, that the most talented and distinguished statesmen this country ever produced, boldly and fearlessly asserted this right Such states men as Madison, John Quincy Adams, Calhoun and Webster
 In 1889, in public speech, J ohn Quincy Adams used the following language: sNa- tions acknowledge no judge between them upon earth, and their governments, from necessity, must in their intercourse with each other, decide when the failure of one party to contract to perform its obliga- tons absolves the other from the recipro- cal fulillment of its own But this last of earthly powers is not necessary to the freedom or independence of States con nected together by the immediate action of the people of whom they consist.
 ''To the people alone is there reserved as we'll the dissolutng ss the constituent power, and that power can be exercised by them only under the tie of conscience, binding them to the retributive justice of Heaven.
 W ieii lhSSo quailuCaJlOnS, may we admit the same right as invested in the people of every State in the Union, with reference to the general government, which was exercised by the people of the united colonies with reference to the supreme head of the British Empire, of which they formed part, and under these limitations have the people of each State in the Union right to secele from the confederated Un- ion itself?
 "Thus stands the RIGHT. But the in dissoluble link of the Union between the people of the several States of this con federate nation is, after all, not in the riqlt but in the hear If the day should ever come, (may Heaven avert it, when the affections of the people of these States shall be aienated from each other, the fra ternal spirit will give way to cold ndiffer- ence, or collisions of interest shall foster into hatred, the bands of political associa- ton will not long hold together parties no longer attracted by the magnetism of con clliation, interests and kindly sympathies; and far better will it be for the people of the disunited States to part in friendship from each other, than to be held together by constraint. Then will be the time for reverting to precedent, which occurred at the foundation and adoption of the consti- tutlon, to form again q more perfect Un- ion, by dissolving that which could no longer bind, and to leave the separated parts to be reunited by the law of political gravitation to the centre''
 But some say why will you secede, and form southern confederacy? It would nhal,J ha kat caused the present fearful agitation of the southern mind what has produced in the minds of large portion of the southern people-a people by their history remark able for their loyalty and fidelity to the con- stitution and Union, in moment of the very highest financial, commercial and agricultural prosperity, an intense convic- tion that their safety, independence and equality of rights can be maintained only by secession? The answeris simple, direct and sufficient Because, the constitution upon which the government is founded, from which 1t derives its powers and which Is the only bond among us of Union has been, and is still, by a majority of the northern States, openly trampled under foot, it's plain provisions for our protection nul lified, and it's power and influence perverted from their legitimate aim; and used by this sectional fanaticism, to the subversion of every end sought by 1t to be attained, and for our ultimate utter ruin and degredaton. We do not complain that in the language of Senator Toombs:
 " Ihe instant the gouernmem ,cds orqanized, at the uerg first Congress- t4e northern States euinced general desire and purpose to use t for their 6ene, and 10 perrert tts poIcers for sectional ddUan td9e, and they haue steadily pursued that policy o this day. They demanded monopoly of the business Of ship building, and got prohibition against the sale of foreign ships to citizens of the United States which exists to this day.
 They demanded monoply of the coasting trade, in order to get higher freights than they could get In open competition with the carriers of the world. Congress gave it to them, and they yet hold this monopoly. And now, day, if foreign vessel in Savannah offered to take your rice cotton, grain or lumber to New York, or any other American port, for nothing, your laws prohibit it, in order that northern ship-owners may get enhanced prices fordoing your carrying. This same shipping interest with cormorant rapacity have steadily burrowed their way through your legislative halls, until they have saddled the agricultural classes with large portion of the legitimate expenses of their own business. We pay million of dollars per annum for the lights which guide them into and out of your ports. We built and keep up, at the cost of at least another million year, hospitals for their sick and disabled seamen, when they wear them out and cast them ashore. We pay half million per annum to support and bring home those they cast away in foreign lands. They demand and have received, millions of public money to increase the safety of harbors and lessen the danger of naviga ting ourrivers All of which expenses legitmately fall upon their business, and should come out of then own pockets instead of common treasury.
 Even the fishermen of Massachusetts and all New England demand and receive from the public trea- sury about half million of dollars per annum as pure bounty on their business of catching codish The North, at the very first Congress, demanded and received bountes under the name of protection for every trade, craft and calling which they pursue and there is not an artisan in brass, or iron, or wood, or weaver, or spinner in wool cotton, or calico maker, oriron master, coal owner, in all of the northern or middle States, who has not re-