Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-12
Mass Meeting in Pike County.

Fursuant to general notice given, a large bod, of the citizens of Pike county, Arkansas, irrcspcc tive eff party. convened iil mass meeting at till court house, in the town of Murfreesloro' on satur day, the 29th inst, to make an expression of thei views in regard to the present political excitement now distraeting our country.
 On motion of Rev Sam'i Kelley, Hoh Wm B Gould was, by acclama.on, called to the chair who, after thanking the meeting for the honor con fefred, ,iha few brief and very appropriate remarks explained the object of the meeting.
 Wheraupon, Vim. J. Kelley was nominated, and by acclamation, improved as secretary.
 On motion, committee of sixteen, representing the different townships in the county, were then ap. pointed to draft solutions expressive of the sense of the meeting, consisting of the following named gentlemen, to-wit: Rev. Sam1. Kelley, Hon. David Huddeston, James McWha, Henry Merrill, esq., Rev. L. Covington, Henry Sparks, A. M. Walton. Rev. Elijah Kelley, Mason Stinnett, Wm. J. Kelley, J. L. Kirby, J. B. P Elzy, Thomas Me. Farling. David Halcolnbe, J. R. Bush, and Dr. G. K. Mauney, who retired, and after short interval returned, and by their chairman, Rev. Sam'I. Kel. Icy, announced themselves ready to report Where upon, Rev. Sam. Kelley, as such chairman, offered the following preamble and resolutions: hhhfAs, ne present state or political affairs, and the distracted condition of our country, de- mand an expression ot opinion from the citizens of our common country, without distinction of par- ties or localities, making it incumbent upon them to defne, as nearly as practicable, with the lights before them, their position and the line of policy pest adapted to restore peace and tranuuilitv where all is now strife and discord. The election or man ts Freskiot of tic Usiited Statas ls.A party purely sectional, with policy in open hostile ty to the constitutional rights of fifteen of the fofo Ia, T,,,o source of great modification to all men who love their whole country, and of tself calculated to arouse spirit otindgnant resistance in the hearts ot the southern people; that we feel as senstivey as our brethren of any other portion of our country auy invasion of onr rights, and would as feave.s vindicate them against the world, but that we can not see that any encroachment has been made which has not existed through the entire admins. tration of the present Presdent that our constitn ton and liberties under it, purchased bv the blood ot our fathers, at sacrifice of every thing they held dear, and that it behooves us to weigh we'll the causes which would require us to part from them, or endanger their existence; that we regard much of the evil HOW threatening the coun- | try, as the work of demagogues and sm,ll poli- tcians, both Moth and South, who to satisfy law | less ambition would blast the bert es of thirty millions of freemen and destroy the best govern, ment ever conceived by the genus of man; and that the time has come when the people should rise in their majesty as the true sovereigns of the land and taking their interest in their own hands cleanse | the Augcan stables of the foul vutures, who like vampires are sucking the life blood ol the country ana re assert their rights, independent of the ugg ling process of political tricisery. Therefore, lst Be h resotred by tue citzensof Phe couatg in mass meeting aSserbted, That this Itreamble anl res rlut'ons shall be considered the expressed will | of this meeting, and that as such, we do not con. sder the election of Abraham Linconas President oF the United States, of i'sef, sufficient cause for the dissolution of the Union.
 End. That we look upon and regard the null 'if cation Of the fug tive slave law by Il numaer of the northern states, as directly in co!ict wita the c- shtu'1on oi the United States and the rights Of the slave holding Stttes and that 1t is il C use of scyi ons compinnt against them, and they should if they desire to perpet 'te the government, rcpell t'len hnt we are m favor ot tle who.e south in ,Stn : upon an1 demanding repeal of all such laws at their hands,
 3rd. Tnlt we are for demln4inc, and if nncess,, rN, hsGt.ng for oHr rights i'll the Union, but out ot It, that we ask only what is eht and wll sub init to nothing that is wrong; that we are in favor of all the southern States uniting uDon some sure basis, and solid deman liug pernane nt rec ,gni- ton ot all the constitntunli rights of the southern people, anl insisting upon some sure guarantee of the pcre'Gat 0't, but that regard the .e;a,,stc secession o any one or more States, as q violation oI the constitutional compact, and an abandonment of riafts and beueiis secured alone b; the con.ti tutlon, and that the adoption of such means is but laying the sure toundation for gretter evils tlan those now upon Us.
 4th. That we approve tho recommendation of President Buchanan in his last message, fur Il con venton Of all the S tds, for the purpose o adjust. ing the difficulties which so seriously threaten the perpetuity of our great country.
 oth. That i'll our opinion, much more good can be effected by deliberate action, calm reflection and wise councels, than by hasty and nconsiderate means, which may preciptate'' happy peop!e into revolution and entail upon them all the evils resulting from civil war.
 9th. That we are in favor of the present leeisla- ture ot Arkansas now in session, passing a law to call State convention, and that in OUT opinion said convention should co-operlte with all the southern States ill fixing an ultimatum and if upon fair trial, the North refuses to concede the rights suaranteedby the constitution, that the best means should then be devised for uniting the whole South, present solid front and all go together under tine naienable right of revolution, when oppression has ceased 10 be tolerab'e.
 1th, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the newspapers in Little Rock Ar. . and also the newspapers published in Washington Ak, and that copy of the same be forwarded to our Senator and Representative in the legislature
 Whereupon, said preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted.
 Several gentlemen being called to the stand, sus- taincd the resolutions by very appropriate speeches, which were listened to with mark el attention and met with repeated applause.
 On motion, the meeting adjourned.
 WM. B. GOULD, Cun.
 WM. J. KELLEY, Sec'y.
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