The constitutional union., 1861-02-08
The Discussion Saturday.

The candidates for the seat of Prairie county in the State Convention-Judoe Tor TEN, Col CAN'T and Col. QUIsENBERRY- addressed the people of this place last Satur- day, and defined their positions We listened to each of them attentively, and feel prepared to give their views as correctly as we under stood them to have been expressed We ccr- tainly do not wish to reflect them otherwise Mir. QUIsENBERRY made the opening speech in the discussion, in which he proclaimed his sentiments to be for the Union. under all and any circumstances and that he would vote, as a member of the State Convention, against any resolution or ordinance of seces- sion for Arkansas, no matter what the other Southern States might do from the present time to the assembling of that body. If the Union had to be dissolved and a Southern Confederacy should be formed, he was for placing this State in confederation with the Middle States, independent of the cotton group. This is what we gathered to be his idea, when listening to his not overly clear and connected remarks and 1t is almost use less for us to say that we deem his notions wild, improbable, and impossible.
 Col CAN'T then followed. and reiterated his peppery, straight-out, no-otherwise inten- tion of wheeling Arkansas out of the Union under any and all circumstances, although he loved the Union, such as was left by the Father Of our country He thought the time has already arrived when the people of this Con- monwealth should pick up their beds and walk, despite any plan which could be fixed upon-if hope for it is yet possblc-as guar antee for all our rights in the Union; he would have them do so, even if the already seeded States should consent to return to their former position in the Confederacy, upon grounds which they might think honorable. fair and cognizant of their rights. He wanted no more compromises; would be unwilling to have the troubles allayed and the country kept together undivided, even upon such a basis as IS proposed in the wel-known Crit. tenden resolutions. He denounced these measures as oppressive to the Southern States although such men as TooMBs. DAVIS and HUNTER, have expressed their willinoness to accept provided the Forth would pledge its faith to maintain them. And these resolutions every intelligent political reader is fully aware are amendatory to the Constitution and to this effect: They recognize the right of the Southern slaveholder to his property, so far as to guarantee him protection in it while so- Journlng Tn or passing through non-slave- holding or free State; and should slave es- cape from his owner into free State and be Kept from recovery through the agency of an Abolition mob, recourse for his value is guar anteed, to his legal holder, upon the Federal treasury; furthermore, by suit against the county in which the slave was taken from his possession; and the county has recourse upon the individuals engaged in so acting The old Missouri Compromise line of 36O 30' is to be established, and slavery, in the language Of the resolutions, shall be protected" " in the territories south of itup to the time of forming their State Constitutions These measures, Mir. CAN'T would not have Arkan- sas to receive, though all the Gulf States be- Edss should say to the contrary. In fact, he