The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-05
A KePentent Secessionist an 81.
very.

avs iioiii the speech OF General F.
W. CAN'T, delivered before the Union Climb
at Little Rock, Arkansas, Nov. 7, 1853.
NEGRO SLAVERY.
/
AS Secesslonists, we supposed we woro
! out of the Union. We went ont To were. we're
S!dve'y. We failed. We now come haze oIIc'
For what purpose! To protect siorern1 80 "a
me apsurdlty is too monstrous 10 tolerate
| l0r moment. we went out to protect the
Negro! We come back to protect tbe ,.t sne
man. We regard the negro question "a &c
dehnltely settled by the last source Of on
peal, and we say there let it rest. "p-
But we of Arkansas must disnoso 80
what is left of this question for ourse,,o VI
We can't dodge it. In our settling II &c"
are not agttottng the slavery question C Eve
you agi1ate the dead? Is not slavery dead
III our State? Did it not go down /, .au
vortex of secession and civil war; Due Due
though DEAD, its remains must be disnosoS
or lis dead carcass is all that lies hetu,aeo,u,
us and perfect restoration of orr fornoan
relations with the Government A conven.
| ton OF the people should meet and burv Il
The question of abolition and its converso
can be made in our midst. We are NOT
IKE Missouri. With us the uuest;o,, is
"What shall we do with that which H. =,
ready d5ohsheds" To this thete can he b mt
one answer: Amend the Constitution and
put IL beyond the hope of resurrection ;,
We of the North and South, knowing th..
slavery was the only disturbing clemens in
our Government, after many 'Settleneuis ),
each one deemed 'Jfndl," resorted to tho
last arbitrament-the sword. We who own
slaves have lost, fairly lost, ana we nnst
abide the decision. The people OF Arkan-
sas are therefore the proper ones to act on
its final extinction in our midst. The soon.
er we do it the better for us and the coun.
try. To many this truth is unpalatable
bat we can't blink it, it must be met. let us
do so like men.
There is large and growing party in the
North that is disposed to reduce the seced
ed States to the condition of Territories
The central idea of this party is to get rid
OF slavery, as the source of all our calami.
ties: 1t would be unbecoming in us. IA
well as a waste Of time, to get up and ar
que the abstract question with them as to
their right to do this. Let us anticipate
them, and cut under them at once, bv meet
ing in convention, at the earliest dat that
we can be empowered so to do, and extir-
pate forever the last vestige of slavery in
our midst, and bury out of sight this
source of all our calamities, personal
State and National. By thus formally gtu-
ng up what is already lost, we will have
secured to US, all our rights as equal States
n the Union. If we do not do so. | give
will be reduced to the condition of Terri
.ory, and so remain until we do pass upon
his question, definitely at once and forev-
IF. You can't find {, soldier in the army
Who has not already reached, or who
s not closely approximating the con-
,lusion, that his health, happiness and
life have been exposed and jeopardiz-
ID because of negro slavery, and who
Ices not feel, and who will not insist, that,
'fter all his toll and hardships, this ques-
ion, which diplomacy and craftsmanship
'ould not settle, being settled by the sword.
should be put at rest forever. And this is
Independent OF any opinion he may have
1eld before we rendered him the issue of a
settlement by the sword. am no politi-
ian. Would not receive an office from
PRESIDENT or people, and can therefore
speak plainly. And / do say, in candor
ma sincerity, to these few Arkansas poll
icians who think they are striking the
popular current by their efforts to reinstate
slavery here, that they will be borne down
oy, a tide as irresistible and powerful, as it
will be overwhelming and annihilative of
Ill their hopes and aspirations. The peo-
Die OF Arkansas are determined to go back
o the Union, as they nOW find themselves,
md they are not to be frightened from their
purpose by having the words consist
'ncy or "Abolitionists - thrown at them.
Winding slavery destroyed they can so pass
pun =, anu ne ue!tueT inconsistent nor
'Abolitionists."
LOYALTY OF THE PEOPLE OF
ARKANSAS,
Upon this point. among other things, he
aid:
The people of Arkansas are ready to re.
urn to their allegiance to the Government.
md to renew their devotion, which shall
hprpaffpr nho
The loyalty to JEFF. Davis in Arkansas does
lot extend practically beyond the shadow
II his army, while the hatred of him is as
is it is intense. The Union
entiment is manifesting itself on all sides
md by every indication-in Union meet
ngs-in assertions from the Confederate
taking the oath of allegiance I'M
olicited-in organizing for home defense:
md enlisting in the Federal army. Old
iags that have been hid in the crevices of
ocks, and been worshipped by our noun
ain people as holy relics, are flung to the
'reeze, and followed to the Union army
With an enthusiasm that beggars all des-
ription. The little county of Perry that
-oted only about six hundred, and which
las been turned wrong side 'rrt in search
II canscripts by Hindman anu MS fellow
and oppressors, with their reti-
Tue OF Sotd11ed gentlemen and negro boys,
ent down company Of ninety-four men
ew days ago. Where they came from, and
low they kept their old flag during these
hree years of terror, persecution, and
'lunder, 1 can't tell. But they were the
'roudest looking set of men 1 ever saw, and
I'LL of fight. And Montgomery county
nswers to Perry; and Conway and Col
mbia, and Carroll and Jefferson, and
lark and Sebastian, and Phillips, Pike
nd Independence, prolong the shout of
people, and send up their hun
reds, to be yet followed by their thousands
0 assist in breaking the chains of their OPP
ressOrs.
HIs TRIBUTE TO ORIGINAL UNION MEN.
But there has always been healthy I'm
On sentiment in our State. 1t has flour
shed when the sun of our great political
ystem was obscured from it by clouds and
loom. In the darkness of political storm
nd night, it's lamp has burned on brightly
nd beautifully. 1t has survived amid
ocks and caves and mountain gorges and
ugged banks of homeless streams. 1t has
watched and waited" with faith as as
ounding and as constant as ever nerved
he hear of patriot or saint. Often INLET