Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1863-02-18
To the People of Arkansas.

Nearly two years ago, assembled by your
delegates in convention. you deliberately and
solemnly resolved to be free people The
causes which lei to our separation from tho
sn-called United States, are well known %
Won. They commenceI more than thirty
years ago; and with each succeeding year.
the gulf has wileneI. Notwithstanding the
off-repeated violations Of our federal compact.
both in letter and in spirit. Cd the part Of the
Northern States, the people Of the South con
tinued true TO all their constitutional obliga-
tions. and it required the election of an abb
lition president, by a sectional two-hfths vote,
and the avowed threats OF his fanatical party,
to exclude the South from the public domain,
20 create new States enough to change the con-
stitution, according to the mode it provided,
to reform the Supreme Court. to consolidate
the government, (by making the will of a ma
jority superior to the constitution aud to op-
press and plumber the minority, by unjust laws
and unequal taxation, to arouse the people Of
the South to a sense Of the danger and degra-
datiOn that awaited them
The manner in which our enemies have con
Quoted this wicked and inhuman war: and tho
spirit i'm which it was begun and carried on,
proves that our separation from them was nevi-
table, and that reunion with them, on any
terms, is impossible. The history Of civilized
warfare affords no parallel to the atrocities
committed By our enemies, or the yet more
atrocious spirit By which they are actuatei.
They have tranpled under foot the liberties Of
their own citizens, and violated every funda-
mental principle Of their constitutional form of
government. They have, in their intense ha-
tired and malice, devoted the people Of the Con-
. Tolerate States. to chains and slavery. With
them. subjugation Of the South, means rapine,
plumber, an universal confiscation: il means
/ =
preston and taxation in every conceivable
mode that Yankee cunning could devise: it
means amalgamation and negro equality: il
means a depth of infamy and degradation,
greater than any, to which proud and spirit
"a people were ever required to submit Let
nd man hug 10 himself the delnsion, that he OF
hi children may escape from these unmitiga-
ted horrors Such men, if any there BE- are
something more than tories in this holy war for
freeiom,-they are fools. Our enemies will
never disc riminate. The burdens they seek to
impose, will fall upon all alike. For veal or
woe-our destinies are the SINE, and we must
be a united people.
We are in the midst of the greatest war the
world has ever seen. On many bloody battle
field, Arkansas soldiers have sealed theisde.
votion to the cause Of liberty. Our enemies
are discounted and wavering Their counsels
are divided. Discomfort and distruse prevsd ss
their populace, and their vast armies are melt
ing away By desertion. Their failure and right
eous punishment will be certain, il we arc only
true TO ourselves, cur holy cause and ou- cUun-
try. You may be called upon to endure more
dangers and priyations. The cause IL worthy
of them all.
The soldiers, who have left the Army Of Ar
kansas. to visit their homes, will at once return,
and rally to the defence Of their country against
the invaders. We owe it to Missouri TO redeem
her people from federal oppression The blood
Of her and your own murdered citizens cries
aloud to us. Let us avenge them, Every man
should feel, that his country is sacred, and Do
resolved to aid in its defence.
tn II. HOLMES,
Lieut.. Gent Com,95.
Little Rock Feb. I'd, 1868.