The constitutional union., 1861-02-01
Shaking at Rrnwnsuilla

A correspondent furnishes us the following report of Judge ToTTEN's speech in debate with MT. CAN'T, last week at Brownsville. It is upon the point to which we called his attention, in our remarks upon his letter, in last Fridays issue.
 BROWNSVILLE, Jan. 28 1861.
 In his speech, Judge Totten said: It is due to the importance of the subject to bestow passing notice the criticism of The Constitutional Union, upon my published letter. 1 accord to that criticism the merit of having been guided by ! candor. The name Mr. Rhea selected for his paper, shows his Union procliyities.
 The criticism refer to, shows he stands firm for the right of the South, [Judge Totten here read at some length from the article of The Con- stitutonal Union, and then attracted attention to | the following paragraph from that article l Judge Totten's idea of making effort to main tain and protect Southern rights and the equality of Southern States in the Union, if not already so, will have been fully and fairly tested before the meeting of our State Convention" He then said it is very likely that this conclusion of Mr. Rhea's is just. Our Convention is in the distant future, and plans are being inaugurated both in Missouri and Virginia, to arrive at this very test Such efforts could originate no where with better hope of success than with the ancient Common wealth of Virginia. It is the voice from the tomb of Washing gton. But if Mir Rheas premo- milton shall hold good and the Union is in fact lost, l shall deem it my duty to recognize the great but unfortunate truth; and in such case the position 1 choose for Arkansas is already stated in the published letter: It is that she must remain indissolubly connected with the South And as l am earnest in desiring to avoid this national catastrophe, so if it must come, 1 shall be found equally earnest in the preparations that may be necessary to meet il, in such manner as the safety of the people and the honor of the State may require. Of course, in such result, the State will be separated from the General Government: the external relations of Arkansas on the west and northwest would make separate national ity that had it to be sustained for any length of time, bWthensomc upon her in the highest degree The maraudcrs of Kansas have to be kept in cheek by a standing military force; the annuities ac- cruing to the Indian tribes, ought to be regularly paid, not by the North, but by the South For It Is unreasonable to suppose, that those tribes will be the enemies of those who pay the treaty annuities ill good faith, and the friends of those who refuse or fail to pay at all. These responsi- biliies are too heavy to be assumed by State, no stronger than Arkansas, unless such assumption becomes indispensable to her safety. This diff culty, however, may be obviated by her speedy association with her Southern sisters 1 believe have fully answered the precise point, to which Alr. Rhea, in his article, attracted my attention. If the efforts for pacifcaton fail, a. he suPposes they will, their value is not wholly lost; they place us right before the judgment seat of the world, and in the hour of danger and of strife, they will relieve us self-upbrailings; and amidst all the difficulties that may arise, We shall have the consolation to know, that they could not have been avoided on,our part; and consequence of these reflections we shall have united people at home