Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-01-26


 rie;n ieIal'nough the constitution has made no pro- h lslon TOT Its own demise let us for the sake of humanlty-of that is most dear and sacrod to ,,s 0i hot lnorue our hands in each others blood hut "SIee to iisaSree Together consign to their last
 P'ace, an lnglorious grave, our constitution ana qc our heretofore glorious stars and stripes.
 II such doom IS ours, and no reme9y--let us ios'h rom independence Hall all those sacred ieics oi our revolutionary ancestors who by their patriotism and sufferings, wrought ont for ne s,cb giorous lnhertance-souveniers dear to every patriotic heart, but henceforth to be a monument to remind us of our infdelity to the trust imnosei upon us by the framers of our constitution and ieaeration: And that old BELL, which on the 4th of July, l776, pealed forth notes expressive of n nauoh $ Joy. at nations birth but now dsiieured oya gaping crack, emblematc oft our severed rTninn may IL once more be suspended until with discord- ant notes Tn unison with millions of bleeding hearts It has tolled the funeral dirge of q nation which in elShty-tour years became the most glorious in ex- istence; but then brought to an untimelv end by parrlcidal hands. Then, let us consgn aN to the funeral pyfe, that not vestiee remain to reproacb us-dlvide the remaining assets of a once oiorious estate according to the laws of equity, and depart; each our own way in peace, if not m lore-and may mercltul God avert from our descendants tine des- tiny that awaited those ofrighteous Lot under some what similar circumstances.
 But we by no means despair. We have n firm. abiding faith in the justice of our cause. as also in the virtue and common sense of the people of this government-athough our periodicals, in too many instances, are being converted into so many engines to ruin our beloved country. Conservatism is slow Tn It's operations, but just in it's judgment, and difficult to It is we'll for our country it is thus; Otherwise, demagogues and fast statesmen would soon wreck us. What has MT. Peek asked more than our resolutions? He asks: "Will the people of Arkansas join the southern sister states mi southern convention?" Is this convention called Tor the real purpose of organizing plan whereby we can procure our rights in the Union or IS It with the covert design of really organizing plan by which the ultra disposed States can leque the Union, and drag the conservative slave states With them? It behooves every patriot to under stand the true design of such convention before they send delegates. In resolutions, which have incurred his majestv's dispeasure we ask q noti0ndt conoention-that we may as A common South, bound together by common interest and sympathy, and aggrieved by common wrongs, in manner becoming great and eni ightened people demand redress from the aggressors and ample guarantes for the future. But where is it we have the most bitter complaints? Is it from the border states which have been the real sufferers? No They are for the Union, loyaly and truly. Yet no one will doubt the chvalry patriotism of the Old )omlnloll-or of her proud daughter, Kentucky of Tennessee, or Missouri?
 would like to propound a uuestion or two to tiie sound conservative. nay euery citizen of the otate oi Arkansas for their reflection: Were our present representatives in Congress and our State Leglsature elected on the all sorbing issue now before us-Unon or disunon? Do they go up from the people instructed as to the wishes of their con sttueii's! Or have they dssuned the prerogatye or deciding for their constituents? They speak as men having authority. They assume the right to say, Ii any other state secedes our state will deem 1t her duty to follow" This issue was un- known in our elections of August last, and our representatives cannot know the wishes of their constituents on this subject. Are our ConqreSsmen redeetng the will of the people? Should there De an election to send delegates to a convention, can we not cast our votes with view to instruct | themf AS 1t now stands-when the resolutions o' instruction are forwardedbv primary assemblies or conV cn1lons of the various countes-our repre- | seh'ttlVes may assume the very qenheinanly and courteous attitude of d certain edior-whose lea aerS We sometimes read--.lnd say: "We do not believe they reflect the sentiments, etc.. of our honest constituents" Benton county nt least aoes not feel disposed to become the dupes of such arrogance, and suffer themselves converted into ! chattieS by their own public servants We trust the people will not forget that in Mesa alone IS oeSte@ Ue Souerega p0tca; and will exact the full measure ot respect due their wishes. It behooves us to watch with critical eye ill these times of trial every act ana maneuvre of our public men whether officials or editors. If honest they can not object; and if otherwise they need it.
 The daily of the 18th has just been placed in my
 '0' 0o41'ihiiiS iet'' pufpoftlhS to give q far representation of our nj meeting-as also quite a iialterng indorsement Jf the author and his let ter by the editor. Aside from the indorsement, we would not deem it at all necessary to notice so ln- nocent pfoduCton unless it might be from the reflection that my young friend "Observer" (for whom entertain the kindest feengs), might feel sslghted We are not at all surprised that it meets with such warm approval by Mr. Peek, and com. ports 50 well with his preconceiUed '' 'belief'' It strikes us that some of the names connected with our proceedings should have been sufficient passport and guaranty to MT, Peek for the honor and yemcty of any document with which they might be connected; since he has had abuadant fdRg6le evidence of their devoted friendship, and unwayennS co-operation We speak not with i reference to our own.
 | It should have at least exonerated those who had so dsinterestedly ren tered such efficient aid to Mir. Peek, and contributed largely to his success from the unjust inuendo--that he believed their official statement ineorrect-especially when he so fully and enthusiast caly indorses the sentiment of "Ob- server' who "regards ingrataude s the most damn ing sin '-and since but scitneSs controDerts tleir statement.
 | In view of such maxim, laid down and indorsed by themselves, what think you of body of men who would attempt to pa law to defraud eastern creditors oi our State out of the use of hundreds oI thousands ot dollars for two wears, and doubt iesS, a large proportion of it, torerer, when the business men of those commercial cities-nay, hiShb ShN lNcN Ofk UlOne - contributed more ! money to defeIt Lincoln, the enemy of the South ttan the 1lote South combined? And what think you Ji an editor who indorses such denunciation ot us, because of our repudiating the eEceSSes of three or four southern men, and also indorses the above mentioned bill, stating that '' in six months
 It will be the most popular doctrine of the times'? Ner'iy, this is straining at gnat, and swallowing 1 a camel"
 MT. Peek says '' he has received letter from mghiy intelligent gentleman, and leading politician m Benton' We would recommend the very elite t'oin 9entte'aan to move to Mr. Peek. His ("Ob- servers reputation for intelligence and influence Is greater in that quarter Man of home It appears to us tia, Mr. P has acted precpitatelv in thus n- oorsing so readily the communication of cores pondent who starts out upon such a contracted, false and contemptbe hypothesis. as-that there IS no democracy, patriotism or honesty outside of the Breck'nridge party and when the author is so doubtful of the truth of his own statements that he does not assert any thing categorical y--but, S"ppose' so and so-or q am credibly ia- }oFmea not daring to give his statements the au- l thentlcty ot his own name. Our meeting was composed of some of the most intelligent, most reliable and rehecting men of our county, to the numoer of some three hundred or more--a ma Jorny o 'oh0m aCere Breckinridqe men, according to the testimony Of a or more of reliable men oi thdt party. If Mr. Peek, or any other person uouots the truth of the statement, they can have the eVldence-especiaily if we are called on to eject delegates to a convention. We challenge
 the issue. Politics, in the usual acceptaton, was ignored. presume not dozen men in the house
 that day, once thought of old party lines Eacf
 and every one felt that it was a vital question: af
 iectIng the peace and perpetuity of our govern
 ment and itwas the duty of every patriot to throw
 his influence in the scale, to calm the storm tha
 threatens to overwhelm our ship of State. Whei
 all patrohc hearts were intent on this Glorious oh
 lect, what do we hear amidst that devoted band
 Like Patrick Henry's Hooks--a tory whom tn,
 government owed for little beef-his' voice wa.
 heard amid the loud p@ans that rent the heaven
 after the surrender at Yorktown, crying "beef
 peel oeel y So these gentlemen, with yer,
 few others, who ,oere unaroidabty detaiDed ro, oi
 lending our meeting, with notes equally discordan
 to patriotic ears, now heard crying, Whies
 Bellites! Douglasites! As though they did no
 have as much at stake, and love their country a,
 well as '' Observer" Judge Walker was invit a5