The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-11-18


Hon T. ". CAN'T Of Arkausas. on Recon
strncfion-He Advises his State IL return. IL
the Union-He Declares against Slarery
One of the most remarkable speeches that We
have met with since the breaking out of the re-
belliOn, has recently been delivered in Little
Rock, Arkansas, by NJ. Z. w. CAN'T a leading
citizen OF that State. until lately a prominent
secessionist, and as his speech shows, a man Of
position, ability, culture and influence. He con
sders the rebellion to be a failure, declares that
the south can have no further hopes of main
tanning slavery, and must give it up, and that
Arkansas bad better return TO the Union al once
and upon the best terms she can.
The succinct and c0mpeudiOus narrative OF reb-
el operations in THAI State is deeply interesting.
and almost entirely new to Northern readers.
IL exhibits reckless depravity and despotic cru
city that are without parallel. We quote pas
sage concerning Gen. Hindman's atrocities, " hich
are almost incredible:
Would you believe. my fellow citizens, that
two or three lines from Hindman or one of his
subOrdinates, have been all the commitment up
on which respectable citizens, with their heads
shOrn, have fingered a year in the Penitentary,
treated as ordinary cOnvctss The records are
in the City of Little Rock
{" But this is not all. He Dundered our peo-
pie most mercessly. An anarchy and despot-
ism WED in their reign. His Commissary De.
partment was so miserably managed, that with
an abundant country to draw and collect supplies
from, it was so neglected, that | am told. in
many instances, he took bread from the mouths
of helpless women and children, whose only
stay and support had persisted by disease or the
bayOnet He assumed TO regulate prices Bv
this arbitrary and fvraruff.l t, II
great suffering, and offered increased facilities
for the growth of fraud and crime. whio all non
est men were well nigh Impoverished. He Or
deTed cotton to BE burned in regions remote
from navigation, and where army will never
tread, and where, if il should come, il could not
more than transport supplies, much less haul
cotton. And Ec sent brutal, rough men 10 exc
cute these orders. If a citizen complained, he
was snubbed, plundered or imprisoned Often.
er, all OF these things. OF all Of these things
Jef. Davis 'cas duly informed
when long absence aud tales OF distress, CON-
ing from the pundered houses Of toll worn SOL
diers, impeled them, from influences not to be
despised, to force their way home, stop the cries
of suffering babes, and south the sorrow Of heart
broken wives, With the intention OF again return
ing TO their commands, be has not waited their
return, but treated them as deserters had them
huuted with negro dogs, and, when caught. ex-
ecuted with fendishness alike cruel and shock
ing to humanity
" He has, am told, appointed Military Com
missions, which should keep no records, and
from their midnight recess spoken away the lives
Of the citizen soldier. In one instance, this
mysterious and worse than Jesuitical tribunal
condemned 10 six months Imprisonment a citizen
of our State. With shake Of his pen he rails
o1 ha paua1fu 70 por.rta1 -lv Irla
victim was accordingly executed. What the
supposed offender did; what be was accused oi
doing, there is no written record left Voltaire
says, that in Africa, fyrants who execute with
their own hands, criminals condemned TO death
are justly called barbarians. He would be puz
zled for a name for the tyrsnt in this instance
" In other cases, be Is said TO have csused
men to be executed without trial, aud even iC
have witnessed the execution. In Others, again
ne is said 10 have seized citizens aud put then
upon trial before military tribunals and had then
executed. In one instance, the Odense being
Unionism, il was ascertaincd after trial aud sen
tence, that the supposed offender was n gOoj
Southern man. A pardon from Hadman va,
started, but the bearer only reached there il
time to see the lfeess form Of the murdered
man being borne from the desecrated spot Of hi
executoul OF all these things Jefferson Davi
was duly informed"
We commend this 70 the attention Of the Val
landgham shriekers who are bowling themselve
hoarse over the Lincoln Dcspotism" One vii
have to recall the reigns OF Nero, Domitaa an,
Caliguia, and the barbsrism of the Duke of Alva
70 find counterparts OF this shocking recital. "
wonder Mr.. CAN'T declared that latter near
two years of strife, we awake from q fesrfu
bsp;isma of blood, 10 the terrible truth that th
SD idow of the despOtsm which we fed from IN
| Ger Mr. Lincoln, dissOlves into nOthinCness con
pared 10 the awful reign of tyranny that "
have groaned under al the hands Of Jefferso
Davis and his mnions."
| MIR. Gantt's arraignment OF JEFF. Davis is a
terrible in its invective as IL il startling in II
statements lie SAYS:
"This gentleman has proven himself totally VI
suitable TO the emergency. With the whole CO.
ton crop and wealth 0. the South at his disposa
and the friendship OF many Europesn powers. b
has accomplished nothing abroad. Bis foreig
policy has heen a stupid failure. He bas pc
mitted himself to be overreacned and outmaI
aged in everything. His policy at home, Viii
proving him to be strong in some respects, hi
shown him to be weak, mean, and NAL gnant
others. He is cold, selfish, and supremely an
bilious and, under the cover Of outward sant
tty aud patriotism, flows concealed the strouI
est vein of hypocrisy and demagogism.
"He has never been up to the magnitude Of Il
undertaking. BE refused troops for the war
May, A. D. 1861, because be did not kno
that they would be needed His idea at fr
seems TO have been that hostiiiiies would SOC
cease, and ne bent his energies for cheap va
His preparations and outfit were accordingly co
traced and psrsimo1iOus. Awakened to
sense Of his error, bis next aim seems to hsr
been to conquer his foes, and put down eve
man who had crossed his pathway in life. II
lstter was a success at all events. Instances
! this are numerous, but that Of Senator Brow
the peer Of Mr.. Davis il everything, his sup
rior in many and his rival aud successful compt
itor for the United States Senate-is pOinte
He joined a company il Davis army and v
, elected Captain. He had capacity for any DO.
ton. Yet Mr.. Davis not looking to the pub
interest, but 10 the qualification Of his own p
vste feelings, sees this opportunity TO strike
old rival and embraces it. He refused him
, promotion, and left him the alternative OF vel
, ing himself out as captain Of a company,
! seek position elsewhere. Mr.. Browns electi
to the Confederate Senate terminated the matt
he drove Gen. Gustsvs ". Smith from the
nv. He was once ready to remove StoDeE
; Jackson, and only a success of the latter, back
by a powerful and excited party, prevented
> he overslaughed and opposed Beauregsrd,
cause he let the people know that he deelsr
10 move on Washington al once, after the f
e Manassas fight, and was prevented by Dav
D he drove Gen Walker, of Georgia, out of |
service. BE retained Hindman IN Arkans
with positive knowIedge of bis outrases.
~ br-re to u