Washington telegraph., 1863-10-21
TO the Voters Of the Second Con-
gression District of the State
of Arkansas


Confederate States, at the eIec,;on Tn he held
on the first wednesday in November next; and
In order that the voters Of this Conrressi onal
district might have an Opportunity Of forming
my acquaintance, and learning nv views. /
published list Of appointments TO address
them, which l have filled about as punctually
as circumstances would permit Believing
that many who read the telegraph have not
had an opportunity o. hearing me and thereby
knowing my position, have Concluded to issue
this address, which is a condensed view of the
subjects discussed by me before the pc pie
This is rendered the more Necessary from the
TACT that there mas oeen, On the part of some
untriendly to my election, q secret but persis-
tent effort to distort my views and misrepre-
sent nv position.
In the first place, / must earnestly protest
against the doctrine endeavored TO be incul-
Gated by the present ofiicehollers and their
friends that from the simple fac, that we are
now engaged in war for our independence
there is danger Of dividing the public mind,
and of injuriDg our prospects, by public dis
cussion of those measures Of policy which have
bec- devised for our common interests. The
same good sense and patriotism, which pointed
out to the people of this government the danger
of longer remaining in the old government. and
prompted them to embark in this revolution
for preservation Of their rights and liberties,
must ever prove barrier against all efforts on
the part CT the designing and intriguing who
might be so wreckless OF their own interests AS
70 attempt to lead the people from the true path
OF their duty This j. the foundation stone Of
! a popular form of government, and the contrary
doctrine TO this is the first step to the pension
| ing of an aristocracy upon the people-it is
the essence IF despOtism itself ] have said
that lad | been a memb of the Congress
which passed the original ..Conscript Bill"
should have voted against it. My reasons are,
! that il j. not oniy Q complete overthrow on the
I part of the general government ~ the rights
OF the Stltes-an entire absorption of Estates
| Eighjs-"-tO secure which we severed our CON
meet ,twlth the United States-5ut it was q
sad commentary upon cur D0asted valor, after
v the first years struggle ot this revolution, %
! proclaim 10 tue world tina; Southern cbivaiTy
\ had tagged. and that n,cn who had enlisted L.
u fent Tor their hcarIAsIUnes and family affairs
vuurl nO longer remain upon the field VI battle
\ without n resort On the part OF our law makers
to couscriptiOn-eyer known 10 lave been in
all countries tie most odious re ort { pro-
| curing recruits. and one universally coupled
with acts NJ cruelty AMI op ression to the
soldier. 1t destroyed ,iat proud spirit which
always strengthens re heart ami nerves the
arm Of the soldier. long as he feels that bis
Cause j. that of freedom AMI heafs the seal MI
Justice. While ID served ID dcmoraizs our
army, il buOyed up our eieIny. and nerved
them to a vigorous pros, cation Of the war, they
believing that the prediction of their leading
| politicians Eas thereby verlhca-thAt thc prorie
in the South hal pezter moved II ,his revolu-
-. hnt thar Sc --~- - ~ - l--i rniu,-
politicians. IL was IN part this view Of this
bill which induced the South Carolina deie-
CATION a. vote against II, =ud which has re-
Gently induced Gen. Kirby Smith virtually to
repeal it, by allowing all those subject to the
last conscrIpi call 10 enlist in the militia OF
\ their States, with the privilege of organizing
their own companies anu regiments, and elect
ing their own officers, thereby being convinced
of the importance OF this privilege farther
inducemcnt 70 prompt enlistment, and active,
cheerful duty.
Ii matters not how great a variety Of opinions
may be entertained as to the justice aud pro-
prieiy Of the ''GonscIipt Act" and let II be
allowed, as i urged by itl trainers, that i was
the only sure plan to maintain and secure an
army on tie field, yet, when in their wisdom
it became necessary to make certain exemptions
/ from the provisions OF this bill. il will require
more than human ingenuity u show that the
clause exemptius one conscript, either as
agent, uyerseer. or owner of twenty slaves,
either Hece isarY. frise or Just in it. prOvls
ions. LahOreu Efforts have been used by the
trainers of ihis measure 20 excuse and advo-
cate IL upon various grounds, but however
adruitly aud cunuingly used, they aust fail Of
carrying CONVICTION Of its equality. The
effect vi il III. the main las been a. release from
the harlhhips w wira class w citizens, who
ayaiied themselves of the opportunity thus
/ aiiOrued 10 add +, their Golfers at the expense
Of the government. and the NEEDY families Of
absent soldiers. If Ill framing il our repre-
[ scntatiyes intended 10 screen from the hard
/ ships of this war one class OF our citizens to
/ the oppression Of others, (which am lotn to
belevc) they deserve to be whipped naked
with lash Of scorpions around their respective
districts: but ii they earnestly believed that 1t
would advance the interest of the country,
they were shortsighted indeed not TO have
forcseen the Consequences to which i must
inevitably Lead and the danger thereby re-
| sulting to n speedy and successful termination
| of our cause.
The lupres sment the Funding and the Tax
bills, are three important measures devised Dy
our Congress for the purpose OF supplying the
wants OF the government, sustaining our cur
rency aud feeding and maintaining an army.
and endorse them being probably the pest
measures which. under the circumstances,
could be devised The Impressment Dill Is
intended to mitigate an unavoidable necessity,
the necessity of sometimes appropriating pri-
vatc property to public use, and by prescIlo-
ing means by which the owner OF the article
impressed may receive an equivalent therefor,
il throws a protection around him, the use OF
which he oftentimes felt before the passage Of
the measure. The Funding bill was intended
mo. e as n financial experiment 70 dlminlsh the
volume of our circulating currency, ana rehuer
the balance outstanding more avaliaols oy
sppreciatin il to its true value. lt proposes
10 accomplish this by funding government
stocks or bonds bearing interest, Tor Treasury
notes not bearing interest The Tax bill l
consider wise and important measure. The
great objection to il il my opinion originates
more from the great aversion 70 paying taxes
of any kind than from correct idea OF the
WORKINGS of the bill. Ii procures the amount
Of forage and subsistence necessary lor me
army without requiring more N enc citizen
than another, while il raises considerable
portion of the money necessary TO detray the
expense of the army and government by tax
upon the immense producer and specuiator,
while a necessity for direct taxes, and for fssu-
ing more Treasury notes, is thereby avoided
either of which in my judgment would prove
far more injurious in the end than this mea-
sure adopted by Congress.
anl violently ana Internationally opposed
70 martial law in the Confederate States a:
was proclaimed and practiced by Gen. Holme.
,ud HinJnan ia Ark. l hold that smartia
INV III tile sense of an arbitrary suspension oi
~