Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-05-08
Proclamation by. the Governor.
OFFICE MILITARY BOARD, LITTLE ROCK, May 9th, 1862. ]
To THE FREEMEN OF ARKANSAS

l lJ to call you to Arms: Northern troops formidable Ill numbers and preparation, are in the heart o | your State, marching upon your Capitol, with the | aVowed purpose of pervertng yoer government | plundet1ng your people, eating your subsistence | and erecting over your heads as final consumma- tion, despotc ruler, the measure of whose power l wlll be the hatred he bears his subjects.
 Will the thirty thousand freemen, capable of bearing arms yet in Arkansas, look listlessly on, while chains are being Tivitted upon their limbs by a few thousand Hessians from the North-hireling
 mercenary towards as they are, seeking to ensIaye US, that they may grow rich upon our sub tance, and deride us. and our children as conquered sub. Jects. This cannot, will not be- our people in the government of their choOsrg-in the sacredness of their persons-and defence of their property must be determined. We can and will defend it; un- aided Il It must be so, at every cost and sacrifice rather than live under the domination of the detes table and execrable Lincoln government.
 The enemy upon our soil is crushing to earth the proud spirit of our people; presumng upon the tenn p0rary absence ot many of our brave men, they seek to crush the energy and courage of the remainder. We will drive them from amongstu us Where there Is q wlIl there is always a way. An enlightened and brave people will never be subjugated.N
 The armies of the revolution were at one time under George Washington, reduced to 2,500 men, still with the blessings of God and undying spirit of resistance, the American colonies, each Nt'OAi i0D ergies, conquered peace from a reluctant and powerful government. So if we of Arkansas are true to Ourseves-true to our professions of hatred for the North, and devotion to the SOuth--true in our devotion for constitutional liberty and free gov ernment, the sun will never set upon US subjuga- ted and conquered race. rThen by authority and sagction of the Military sBoard, whose duty it is to protect the State from invason-whose right it is to call all army in the field when the Confede- rate States "retuse or neglect" 10 protect the peo pie, call upon each and every capable of bearing arms 10 prepare at once to meet the enemy though it is not contemplated that all will go some must--a sufficient number must to free the State and repel the tyrant The law is '' that every able bodied free white male inhahitant be- tween the ages of eighteen and forty-iye years
 shall constitute the militia of the State. } No per son shall be called upon to perform militia duty who has not resided within the State two months, except in eases of nrasi0n, in which case teu are subject other citizens, and subject to the same penalties" Further the law provides: Judges of the supreme and circuit courts, secretary, audi tor and treasurer of the State, clerks of the su- preme and circuit courts post masters post riders,
 errymen public roads, all licensed preachers of the Gospel of every determination, and justices of the peace, shall be exempt from performing mill tarv duty ercept in Of instruction and inUd- sion" Hence it will b. seen, by the law above qu0ted that ai men found ill the State between the ages of eighteen and f0ry five, if physically able may be called to the fed now, the State being in yaded. { The State always sovereign, is soverign yet, in Fer reserved riglts, of which is, to de fend her own sOil-her ,wn government-her own people, and to put every between certain ages found i'll her borders inu the field, if necessary to do it. This is the aw, State and national, and if it were not, the people in their potential power, would make 1t so.1
 By your authority otj sanction, your reprcsen- st.,i ar1it al May last severed the Slate of Arkansas from the United States of Ameica upon the doctrine of State sovereignty, iron which grew up the Conie- derate States. This the retrospect, may be ewed no less polital right, than moral and political virtue, looking to cur happiness, and the transmission of republican liberty for the present age and future genera ions, an alliance was formed with the ConIedetateState, Of America. In the support of this goyerment 10 star in the galaxy has shed brighter ustre than Arkansas. No neonle have evinced aoro yalGr o~ more acll sa- crificng spirit, than lers il upholdin@ Confederate nationality. Every door way is stained wl.h the blood of her chldre, every roof k house ot mourning, and her atars age consecratei % Jene- dictious ior the dead and lon in batte. The flower of her youth, tc prize ot ter manhood have with out stint been layisasA ioi the mait tenancc ana -t.ia,.t ot th, Col*,icfatN1. Hao has done this because of her generous cotlence, that when the evil hour come upon her. tc national ensign, the Confederate flag, would ta bun1 floating from heI battiemen's, deiying the nfader and giving succor tp her people. C ...
 ftrntowarl events hstcpIrcd Her beyond tile pale bf protection much imputed, though nat incapa- bic ol rcsistqree she ll srike q blow for liberty, ard continue to be fire if left to her fate she will carve new destiny tEer than be subiuEHted.e It was for liberty she srlck and not for sub0rdinItion to any created seconiars power north south. Her best friends are hr natural allies, nearest at home, who will pulsan when she bieeds, whose utmost hope i. not b9o1d her oxstence.g If the arteries of the Conto irate heart do not permeate beyond the cast ban, q the Mississippi, let southern Missourians, ,Arkmsians, Texans, and the great " est know it nd prepare for the future. Arkan as lost, ,aband0rd, ubugatcd, is not Arkan- sas as she entered tlt Confederate Government. Nor will she remain lrkansasa Confederate State, desolated as wilder8ss; her children fleeing from the wrath to come, wfl build them a new ark and launch it on new Waers, seeking haven some
 where, of equality, stety and rest. , Be of good cheer my countrymen there is still balm in Gil ead the good Samartn will be found, Strike now and eyer for your hope5 and liberty, against all men who invade the oe or dispute the dther. The de.uotic power of theN orth, which seeks now to crush you contains in Is own creation ripe seeds for it's early destruction.
 Stand out like menhnd resist chat power, until the hallowed light slsl hy southern states rights
 
 the very North itself, from the Rio Grande of the South to the Lake of he Woods; and westward to fine Pacific The Godof nations has not decreed, | think that tvrant hars shall stay the progress ot civil and religious liber' upOn this continent. The right of the people to gtyern s an admitted trusm' Their capacity to do sois not fable; but " the price of liberty is eterml vigilance" beJealous O. encroachments, mindful of yotr public servants Take the constitution o your tate your politi- c,I tavt hook and rpCardth thc deanCe of vOur homes and Grcsides as a duty you owe ,o God and human ity. ana all will be well.
 f Correlative with these yiewsit is by the Mill tSrv Board of the State Of Arllnsas deemed essen- tiai fer the public safety, that ypuP thousand five hundred men be called volun eer5 from the mill tia- of the state, to be OrganiZd into companies, battalions and regiments, dnected by the oIdl- nauccs of the state convention to serve for twelve months in state service, unless o0ner discharged The companies not to coIitain kss than sXty-Ionr nor more than ninety-sx men, Tcluslve of com missioned officers. Twenty cOnpanies ot cavalry will be receiyed and thirty computes of infantry, with the right, On tho part of tie authoritiea, to assign one or more of the inlantF companies for artillery service Each v0lunteeignust furnish his own oun. which will he valued anl paid for by the state, or a certain amount paid ft it monthly by the government for it's use, the state may ultl- matey determine.
 Accompanies organizing south ofthe Arkansas river will rendezvous at Little Rock unless other instructions are given. Those organizing north of the river will be advised of the proper pont 10 rendezvous by applying to the miiltay board Ter orders. ] Transportation, subsistence etc., etc., will be Supplied upon application, br organized companies; no company will be esteemed organized until descriptive list is filed with the military board, showing the requisite number of men, cer-
 tfcates of election for company officers should ac,