Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-02-14
The Election Monday Next.

people of Arkansas will be called upon to
 vote for delegates to State convention,
 and to vote also for or against convention.
 On this subject we desire to make an
 appeal to the people, not in behalf of the
 South, but in behalf of our own State.
 A convention is necessary, whether we are
 for secession or not, for there are many
 grave questions to be passed upon by the
 people in convention, even if it is determined
 not to secede immediately. These are per
 ilous times, and require the action of the
 people in their soy ereign capacity, and they
 can act in that capacity only by means of
 convention. Some urge the expense at-
 tending a convention as reason for voting
 it down, but, even if such penurious views
 should prevent, it ought to be remembered
 that whether the convention assemblies or
 not, the mileage of it's members, who are
 made messengers to bring up the vote,
 'Jor or ogainst he convention ,'' is to be
 paid out of the State treasury, and that as
 the convention will necessarily sit but Q
 few days, the mileage will constitute at least
 two-thirds, if not three -fourths of the cost. Thus whether we have convention or not, we will be at the expense of one. If we
 refuse to call convention, if a majority of the people vote against convention," we
 will still be at two-thirds the expense the assembling of convention would subject us.
 - Now, as we are to pay for convention, or pay rwU-tniros cost of c1fe, ~iieciier- we have 1t or not, why not have it? No man would oppose the holding of convention who believes in the capacity of the people to govern themselves. No one would op- pose 1t who believes in their capacity to elect good men. Something must be done, either to save the Union or to take the State out of it. Nothing can be done except by the people in their sovereign capacity. They can only act by means of conven- ton, and as we are to pay the greater part of the expense of convention any acoy why not have one? Then let every man. whether he is for immediate secession, or for cooperation with the border States, vote for convention. Let those only vote against it who have no confidence in their judgment to vote for men who would rep resent their views.
 Now as to the issues. We have two parties in our midst, one for immediate se- cession, and one for delay and cooperation with the border slave States The co.ope- rationists tell us to wait before we act wait for some overt act on the part of the federal government, or until the border slave States choose to act
 The immediate secessionists show us that it is folly-madness-- -suicide-longer to delay. Delay is division, division is weakness, and weakness will invite civil | war. The secessionists are right. Seven States have already gone out of the Union and only eight slave States remain in it, With the power of the eight slaoe States 10 Me Onion, combined with the nineteen free States, Mr. Lincoln will consider himself strong enough to coerce the seven seeding States back into the Union, and he will as- suredly attemptit. The consequence of the attempt will be civil war, and Arkansas as the border slave State will be the battle ground. Nothing but secession, and inn mediate secession at that, will save the country from all the horrors and evils of hla2ay and long protracted civi! war.
 If the South will secede at once, and thus be united, there will be no civil war; while therc will be a hope of reconstructing the government of the Union. Secession will bring us face to face with the northern States, and as upon the ruins of the articles of confederation in 1787 was reared the present Union and constitution, so upon the ruins of the present government will arise more perfect Union and safer and better constitution. We live in a country and an age of progess, and old things are constantly passing away. What served us fifty years ago, will not serve us now, and union men, and submissionists, and all, may endeavor to save the Union and the constitution as they are, but to no pur- pose. The inevitable decree has gone forth against them-they are doomed and they must die.
 This is our last appeal to our fellow citizens. Before another issue of our paper, the question will have been decided, and, if decided in favor of longer continuance in the Union as it is, we beg our people to and hold us guiltess of the blood shed that will inevitably follow. The re- sponsibility of the civil war that will fol- low the division of the South will be upon the heads of those who urged portion of the southern States to remain in the Union after the balance had seeded.
 Ey- We learn that the Crockett Guards, | commanded by Col R. H. Crockett, of Ar kansas county, on learning that the forces in charge of the Arsenal were to be reduced, voluntarily retired, and refused to receive any pay for their services. They are fine | lookinp brave and patriotic bodv of mon |