Washington telegraph., 1862-03-05
-.son by the 0cvsrnor.
PROF. Executive OFFICE. E
LITTLE Rock, ARKANSAS,
February 25th, 1862.


rs -ur PEOPLE OF ARKANsAs- skj
paI;ab,. information has been received thAt
AZ. northwestern portion of your State is in-
.dsd and abandoned to the enemy. IL 'ne
,".ormined purpose of your Military author'-
u.'' % expei the enemy at all hazards ana at
t Im ,ost To accomplish this, the entire state
~ So he. at once, put upon war footing. Inc
- Of trial for us has at length arrived
nou' nresses US on all sides We are, and
dangel ourselves, equal to the emergency.
viu pouinc. so often repeated, is now made
Ihe elf. That every man in the State ga
gooa f hearing arms must take the field in
Paor - of the State In the justice of our cause
delen' srd strength In the proud position we
Jet u "a.,med ms A nation of freemeu, let us be
haf'ror.d. haf' and prove ourselves worthy of en-
,5e great boon of republican liberty.
gi;rg ali danger, defying all consequences
81 us strike now, my countrymen. whist our
tiny is in our own hands-whist our limbs
ura nnshackled, and cur hearts are proud and
Enoy no humiliation! -1hd IL ia'e s"'lii uecree
- wa he enguphed in one common ruin, let
- coy vsho escape or those who live after US
o.d at least the one fact that we lived, suf
ts.oJ f,ugbt and perished as band of Spar
~. h,otbsrs uuconduered and unconquerable
TLirtv tb,uusand If your SONS, brothers, hus-
honJs friends and neighbors are upon the bat
-. 6ajd mourning out their blood like water, for
- L Las fnr vour honor and for your de-
yancat Shall we save them and ourselves by
ro;ng 70 their rescue. or shall We abandon
Them to their fate
WHO cave the northern men the right to say
,bot we of the South shall not be free! What
mage of American history has taught the doc
Inc of coercionf What craven heart is there
.moncst us that is fashioned for such pupilage.
Ry vour own -sovereig gn act-throuSh your
dsIaoates In convention assembled, each and
vory man in Arkansas has pledged his life,
HI. nroperty and his sacred honor to be tree
has nichted his faith, the one to the other, that
Arkansas and the Confederate States shall be
defended and upheld; that We would form for
ourselves and our children, after suffering years
of Injustice and persecution, a new and better
government SO did our fathers of the revolu-
tiou and so did they. through years OF adver-
sity and often when the star OF hope had fed
from ell save .'the father of his country"
fight on and ever until Heaven smiled upon
their efforts, and nation, blessed with civil,
religious liberty, erected the standard of free
government
Are we of the South not the rightful inheri-
tors of these great privileges ? or are We 80 de-
generate sons of noble sires !" Are we lack
ing in manhood three millions of fighting
men,( to repel a cowardly foe who seek by
numbers to overcome and enslave us? 1t is
impossible, il we are true to ourselves.
Though forts may fall, cities be fired, capi-
tolls taken, armies driven back and captured,
let still another aud another come, until the
last man, if needs be, shall find an honorable
grave beneath the flag Of his country, or our
rights, our independence and the justice of our
cause be Acknowledged.
What il g1in the whole world and
loose his own soul, says the inspired volume !.
/ oak lnus hp th rh hn
e,e:y thing else, and looses his liberty and his
honor?
What will property be worth, citizens of Ar
kansas, with colonial government over You,
and a standing army over your heads-the
efecttve franchise u >uied you, aud standing
army i'll your mi lSt To enforce the DEGREES of
your northern masters!
Then to arms, every man in Arkansas who
will not be a slave Every one who has the
heart o: !. freeman, who loves liberty because
won and transmitted to him priceless heri-
tay- by his heroic ancestry-who hates tyrants
and despises danger-who is not afraid to meet
death to aveuge his eOuntry's wrUng---who will
make good his faith given and pledged to the
Southern Confederacy and to his own gallant
State which upon every battlefield has won
r.nown and in,pcrisiablc glory
An appeal is unnecessary. | make none
You are stimulated by higher impulses. 1t is
anly important that do my duty in advising
you of the perilous condition Of your State.
and tina: it behooves you to render her prompt
assistance.
As YOUR chief magistrate. associated with
others in military authority, have vudcavorcd
i'll The past and shall continue III the future.
10 leave nothing un.ionA which may be instru-
mental in working out our delivcranct, Then
AMI not till then, shall have done my duty,
confidently trusting to results with clean hands
and q clear conscience.
Ii. NJ RECTOR. Cor. end
Prrsf. Military Board.