Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-03-27
From the New Orleans Picayume The Uses of Martial Law.

The barbarities which have marked the tede- ral administration of martial jaw over such cities and provinces as have been overrun by them, have created in many minds an lndehaabie dread of it's being declared by our Owu authorl- ties But there is wide difference between the rule of martial law by foreign enemy, who em- blows it to rerress and smother the manhood ot d people, and that established by the home gov ernment to invigorate and systematize the de lenses of our Gresidcs and families.
 The Lincoln satraps resort to martial law to sthe the aspirations of the brave, or entice the submission of the yeual. In Baltimore lts de vices are the bastile and the bayonet, in Nash vile cheap coffee and calico; but in either ease the design is the same-the subiugatlon and abasemcnt of the people. It is butchery here, bribery there; and, judging from the exultan tone ot such of their journals as find access to the South. one would be led to believe that gin ger pop and Yankee notions have proved more enicacious demoralizers than grape or canister.
 We are persuaded that the army caterers oi the northern press have basely slaudered the southern people within their llnes but whether so or not, they teach us that the enemy blows hot or cold on the cities they have captured, aa they deem II best for their purpose to freeze or warm the people into lorpor.l EIhtr process will serve where the temperament ot the com munity Is sympathetic with the emPerature ot their rulers: neither will serve where manhood is robust enough to withstand the frost of ads versitv or the artificial heat ot a relaxed ankse provost marshal.
 There is no more analogy between the rule of martial law as administered by toea friend, than there Is in the purpose ot any other oi the devices of subiugatlon and resistance. The people of New Orleans may well dread the ap- pearance Of Lincoln provost marshal in theif midst, and if having one of our own will in any wise contribute to the indefinite postponement of the appearance of 8 kangaroo dignitary of that dimension among Us, we cannot have one too soon.
 The whole scope and design Of martial law is to hold the city steady in its orbit in times of commotion; to leave no enemy iH the rear when our armies are facing the enemy i'll front; to protect persons and property from the ruthless ness of disguised foes, and the interests of SO ciety from the madness of infatuated friends: to bring order out of d chaos of unsettled purposes, and to converge bewildered opinions to focus Of practical usefulness.
 To take an extreme case. There are some wel!-meaning, jealous people, who think the city should be burned in case the enemy succeeded in passing the frontiers. What would be the effect of the prevalence of such an intent upon husband or a father, CT son., fighting TOT liberty for home, and for his family aitars' T ne imagined all he held dear and most that ne was confendinq for. was trembling upon rumor ot disaster or might be sacrificed upon the report nf an ipcendiarg? He knows that, besides those who. in the excess of zeal, think this mode of defeating ,hs eupidity ofthe enemy, thers gre