Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-08-13

neiltS past ana to come, ot your yictolloUs SOL diery.
 Why should not that word go forth, ever. now, in the hour of the triumph of the federal arms? If there has ever been period in the history of r:- publics when prolonged civil strife has failed to curtsi! the liberty Of the masses, have not read that history alright. Already, with years bit ter experience, we have beed some of the de rest privileges of American citizenship wrested ttom our grasp. And now long, at the rate before, upon the convenient ea of necessity, We Shall be snpped of other rights which heretofore have matte Us deem ourselves fleemen| How long, while ireeborn American citizens can be laft to ianguish in bastles, beyond the reach Of the slJuted tribunals of tue land and at the mercy of the executive for their liberation? How long, while the press. the guardian of liberty, the friend ot the n sSes, is shackled, gagged, cowed down to sulit > ence or, worse yet, become the minion of a rartNf How long, while voters are arrested at the polls by military process, and legislators are hurried off to prison before the, can assume their sacred functions? How long, while the partizans of the immaculate ab 'lition party arc coining money out of the blood of their countrymen. parad ing their showy pat iotism and shouting 'Unon," with their np to the elbows iu the public trea- snry? How long. sir, will the people of the North, tixed beyond endurance robbed and cheat d by an ever craving horde of political hyen s-- ho long will they have choice between freedom and anarchy, between d republic and despotism? :? Alas, we still cling to the of republic, but have we the realityf l. is entirely at the option Of one man or of < council Of men, whether the citizen shall breathe ill freedom the air of heaven At the ''open sesame ol the executive, the gloomy portals ot the bastiies Lafayette and Warren will open.
 Sir, it is only sign and forerunner of what must inevitably be, should the South be crushed
 into the Uniou. You may bring the South to terms with yons Layonets. .>tut ~<nen you have done so, you will tye bond of air; T covenant 10 enforce which will necessitate this government 10 assume the functions of military dcspotism, and to break which at the first opportunity will be an aim and purpose on the part ct the subdued section. What thev have attempted once, they will not fail to at tempt hereafter, when smarting under the remem- brlii,e e of defeat. while cherishng the deadly hate that ~war 10 the uttermOst will engender.
 For the sake of union HOW and union hereafter --nct enforced union, Jut the strong union ot vii
 ling hearts--lct the word of peace g0 forth; let the hand of reconciliation be extenGed. Why, sir, have heard such words Of bitter hatr.>i expressed towards the sputherners by northern lips, that
 rear it may he ready too late ever to renew the bonds of fraternity. Suca sentiments have heard ot impiacabe ct thirsting vengeance, of sectional antipa:hy, as Hannibal was taught to nurture against Rome; as Rome in her Quelchess jealousy conceived towards Carthage to the end. And the loom of Carthage may be accepted by the South, rather than union At the blyonet's Toiut
 appeal 10 this Congress 10 avert that fate, as ng!o!iuus to the victor as to the vauquished. Let the door to negotiation be flung vide open, flung ppcn noS. while We can III Ike advances with good grace and with lnures upon our brow. To the wind with the doctrine that you will no. tie wi ,r1ned ,rAit0rS. iJ s sentiment filter for the ,porh of q purpled Roman, than for the Christian .ge in which i've. II is the sentiment Of one Hh0 rules with rod Of irou, not of a great anu generous people who assume 10 rule themselves. bas hoan in n tba uin- Of thp North and the resources of the government. Let something be now done for the sake of the memo
 es ot the Revolution, Of the struggle of i~l2, of
 the battle fields of Mexico: for the sake Of a Union whose cement shall be forgiveness for the past and friendship and fobearance for the future.
 In place of exultng over victories and longing for new triumphs. how much more pleasant and nofe aoly to draw picture ot the joy that will psryade many now gloomy household when the glad tidings of peace shalt be borne from city 10 village, from village to homestead, from lip to lip, from heart to heart. 4 nations jubilee woud well repay yUu for some little yielding of your stern policy. How many arm. would be out stretched, how many hetrts would bound to give "a welcome home again to the war stained volunteer. On. ST, these meetings 1t the cottage hre-hold, those claspings at the t4"m house porch, those c.eay ngs Of throbbing bosoms of women to scared and mauly breasts, were worth all the aurels that were ever snatched from blood stained fields, The news ot our victories have been hailed with paaa md Examinations, but, With the first tidings Of peace, there is not a hoye in the land that sould not have a candle in the window, not palace that would not hIeze with sp!eHdorin token of .headYent of blessing priceless beyond al earthly trium?hs.
 Then, sir. let us lower ihe points of our victori ous swords, and plrey with thc foewhe the huge bless Of victory yet ringing in onr ears. If Il are free in anticipation from the pc il of future reyetsss; if we saHcuine that the federal arms ire hencoGr"ard gifted with inyincioili'y, that is the no0lest reis n why skould say to orr opDo- nents, "p use if you vill reflect" let us yie.d them one chance ot reconcIlemeat before we drive .hetl to the resistance Of despair. There can be m victory where kih and siu, where brothers and .el low -c0untry men, where men who are bound to each other by the holiest of past associations, are struggling for supremacy. All is defeat: all $ dis
 ister: ali is misfortune, tears and mourning Do not let us c!iace with blood every sacred memory that may vet bind these men to us as brothers. Give one sign of invitation before me death strug gle be renewed Let the spirit Of forgiveness pass petW cen he lines ot those opposing hosts and tn
 he blessings Uf Providence. those armed legions will take :; lesson from Sabina and cary Rome
 whose so'dierA united by domestic ties, threw down their weapons upon the battles verge, and spranG to each others embrace.
 Sir. have spoken freely. studying only to make my words an index to my thoughts. My opinions hove brought upon ne the censure, often most dis courteou>v expressed Of many who differ with me ; but for that carebut little. am content to bide the hour tina sha,! set me right before my coun- tryrnen. As have believed the prosecution of this war to be widening of the gulf that separates the sections, have earnestly opposed 1t. have always looked upon the sgbjugaton Ofthe South as a p;tject whose iulment would strike heavy. perhars a fatal blow to true repub;canism, and although will yield to no man in devotion to the Uuion-althOueh l would make any and every per sonal sacrifice 70 restore it's glory and int5erty
 wi never consent, even for the sake of that nion io yield up my brthright freeman; to sacrifice those principles of self government those rights of free though. and personal liberty, without which Union IS but q mockeIy and name.
 It is not grandeur and extent of territory that covet as the chief attribute of the government uni.-- IF i'i"l. to live. Were oae of byt ? single community, ils' gnifcant in numbers but SC. cure in guarantee ot pure republican ministra- tion Ot affairs you'd be proud of my citizenship, But the uniO Of auhousand states, each as great and p0pulous as ihs-nobsa among whose repre- entatives have the honor to be, would de- trst--yes, sir. in my inmost heart dete>t-if the holding together of the component parts should create d necessity for the assumption of despotic power.
 Self-g0vernment is the God of my political iiolatgy, and the Union l. but temple in hch have worship ed it. Shou that temp be desr wed should not Elr;ake the creed, would the mighty principle be buried in the ruins. love and would preserve the temple, for beneath it's roof are gathered the treasures oE holy past associations; upon it's hallowed walls are inscribed the names of patriOts from the North and from the South whose