Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-05-09
Faom the N. Y. Day Book, April 18th, CIVIL wARl CIVIL, wARI

With sad hearts we send forth our paper to-day in mourning-mourning for the fate of our once happy and glorious country. now plunging into the abyss of war, under the black and piratical lead of Abolition ism. The good men and the patriots of this nation have long warned the people that the fierce agitation of one section aginst the domestic institutions of the other, must inevitably end in the very war which now shakes the continent with dismay. Wash ington, as last word to our people, warned us aginst allowing the organization of pol itical parties based upon sectional and geo. graphical divisions. Madison, Jefferson. Monroe, and all the other patrioric fathers of the Revolution, and of the dswning day ofssthe.. republic, placed on record the same solemn warning. But we have not needed their councils. For more than quarter of a century we have allowed a sectional agita- ton to go on here in the North against the domestic institutions of the South, until 1t has eliminated in blood!
 Just mark its career. First, the pestilent agitators said 1t was the great principle of freedom they were contending for. Free dom for whom, forsooth? Why, the nc- groes of the South; for all white men have their freedom. They got into power on that issue, and refuse to abate jot or title of their programme. The South say, "you would destroy us; you are going to use the government for our destruction; you deny our coequal rights as States; you deny us our share of the common territoties. We shall appeal to the inherent right of self government, and demand that you let us alone. We ask nothing more. Keep your hands off of us; touch us not; vacate our States. We will pay you honorably for all that belongs to you, and make an equitable division
 The abolitionists reply, 'we will not; we will neither accede to you what you claim as your rights, nor will we allow you to go in peace. We shall vindicate the au- thority of the government over your terri tory, and to that end claim the right to supply and reinforce the forts and arseuals in your States.,''
 Such, then, arc. the real points at issue.-- The merely technical question about provi- sioning Fort Sumter is but paltry and sneaking excuse to cover other and moro l important issues. It is unworthy of any hightoned Administration. It IS only in- | tended to mislecd the people from the real issue. It should be remembered that Gen. Beauregard offered 10 leave Agor Anderson unmoiested if Ae acould do the san,e 1 tohim But he REFUsEp. Thus 1t IS seen that Mir. Lincoln was the aggressor, and 1t is now openly confessed that all the recent preparations were to the very end now staring us in the face--ciril war and fra tricidal strJei
 The abolitionists have sent our gallant little army, who they say were made to be killed, to slaughter their brothers and their l friends, while those who have brought on the collision are safely out of harms way. Already we see that even the arch-tiend of this abolition crusade-he who declared John Brown a martyr--evidently sees the handwriting upon the wall. In bis paper this morning he almost confesses defeat. and we have heard of one prominent repub- lican who said he hoped that the govern ment would be defeated, as he wished to fire the northern mind and centet 1t against the South. Who knows but these men have been sent down to be offered up as sacrifice?
 But, it may be asked, what can be done in this trying hour for our country7 We answer, let every patriot exert himself for | peace; let him beg and beseech that this most unnatural and bloody strife be stopped. Let him demand it in the name of humani- ty, of civilization, and of christianity.
 What can we gain by cutting one another s throats? Where will all this end, if con- tinued? Merchants will read it in bank
 ruptcy and ruin, commerce will see 1t in
 deserted ships, and the reverbarations of its
 disasters will be heard in the cry of widows
 and orphans, from every village and hamlet
 in our land. And all this for what?-for
 a wicked and infamous attempt to make
 negroes the equal of white men--to turn the ] South into another St. Dom .ngo-to spread
 ruin and sorrow over her now happy plains
 to let loos the savage ferocity of the ungov-
 erned negro to run riot in idleness, and to
 commit crimes against which the pen revolts