Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-08
Knoxville, Tenn, March 8, 1865.


In the Senate, ON the 22d day of DcccmbcB 1864, DR..
White, from the Select Committee, to whom was refer
red the duty of preparing suitable Memorial TO The
Congress Of the United States, praying for Recognition,
&C., submitted the following Memorial, for the adop-
tion Of the General Assembly Of Arkansas, TO the Conr
grcss Of the United States, which Memorial read
aud adopted yeas -, D. and on the Both Dccem
her reported back from the House of Representatives
having passed that body unanimoosy:
MEMORIAL:
A little more than one year ago the loyal people
of the State Of Arkansas after nearly three years of
subsection TO- and suffering from IN illegal and san
culinary government and when they had been to n
very great extent relieved therefrom by the aid of
the Union armies in virtue of provision Of the
Constitution OF the United States, which not only
secures to each State u republican form of govern
ment but also it, aid in supprcssing instructions
and domestic violence, recognized their State gov
ernment, and rc-ailirmed their loyalty and deyoon
to the Constitution and government Of the United
States They also in accordance with their wishes,
as well as the spirit and demand of the time, an
nulled and abrogatcd the law recognizing the insti
tuition OF African slavery, then existing in their
midst. Having accomplished thus much, they deem
that they had restored the Federal relations of the
State to their status 9to ante bcilun
As the representatives of the loyal people Of Ar
kansas in Legislature assembled, we beg leave here
WIN "lN'' ~ ~ ,'''',,l W. '''''' w ''"' '''
able body, few facts bearing upon our ro-organiza-
tion, as well the status and condition of our pGo-
pie and their claims for present consideration.
In Ocobcr, 1868 the loyal citizens of the counties
of Crawford and Sebastian, conformity in Mass
Meeting very fully attended recommended that
State Convention of the people, by their delegates,
should assemble at Little Rock the Capital of the
State on the fourth dav of January then following
Other counties took action Immediately in like
manner and throughout the State whore proceed
ings could be had, the utmost harmony and cnthu-
siasm prevailed and when on the 18th of December
the President issued his proclamation, plan for
the reorganization OF States which were, or had
been, in insrrection majority of the counties of
the State had called meetings for the election OF
their delegates. The proclamation legalized our
proceedings as we thought and the loyal heart of
Arkansas took courage, and ITS pulses beat iull ana
strong, The movement, it is hardly necessary to
say was spontaneous one. 1t was the movement
of the people and for Them and he who says it was
otherwise or that people or any portion of them,
were instigated to action by letters from Washing
ton or by military officers here or elsewhere says
that which he not only does not know to be true but
which is positively untrue, and without the shadow
of foundation in fact No outside influence was
sought to be extended by any one excepting as
against us
IL was hhoWll' lhueed, th"t many, very many
military men opposed us, perslstehtIN ana uHtl AZ
ter the reception OF the President proclamation or
rather after lhe reception Oh ms instructions SSueu
subsequently thereto IL Is TACT also, mat num-
bers OF the delegates elect were prevented from a-
tending the sitting OF the convention by the orders
of military commander IN the Northwest even
after the receipt ol the fresldehIs instructions,
which were to the erect thaI the people ShsuId not
be interierred with IN their pubic or local assem-
bles.
General Steele himself only tolerated the presence
of the peoples delegates at Little Rock, but he did
not oppose their action. Military interference pre-
vented quorum OF the peoples delegates from as
sembhng for long time. Military apathy has
been bane' the loyal people, oi Arkansas never Will
attaches to the success Of the proceedings in the in
cpency or progress of restoring the State govern
ment attaches to the loyal people of Arkansas, and
to them alone, Justice as well as gratitude requires
it to be said, however that the loyal people had from
the first few valuable friends IN the army Prom
lneht among Such were Drgauler ueneral hihuall,
conthan9.hg u'stricV ol LItIo hoch, PrIgaIer pei
crai f"u,e"s' O1'i''n,tN'IS ~ ", io,' Vi iG'o noTH'
Captain Henry, =, " NJ, toione, now Judge oald-
we'll 0i the I, - D'sIrl'V SVurV ol Arkansas, col-
ohel Dowe" l'rn h"!S's Nouii'GsiS, ConilhaIuIlS
at van nureI, pIlgaoler nSner"l D'.ITu, coihiohu
ing Eastern D's'r'c' VI ArAoh'"' III heicha'
The new or amended Constitution was ratified by
very large majority of the voters, rebes were eX
cluded and by number exceeding l20OO,' and
nearly tnrec- nuns " tnc No'g W tnc "".v peioIc
the war hcarS an y. ''e lo9" G,'"cnS Vi Vnc ''ue
2avihS an opPortn.'s 70 VOC lor OF against 'le
NVlstl'u''oI, ''s NY .E ,,,sn' 90 ,.
i,,ai roo,i yb tb,,clt ia,,ol a,i,in =, bo MOI ori
loyai People, VINO 'oy! ac'ol 70 oc no' o.y
eApeuIehI anu proper o"' VI inc hSneSV heeess''y
anu ,,,.. ,,, hoo.,
"I me,o "tnI.' -. ,i'onus VI i'..oI' % U"' %
ni iJo Wv Ill ",tI ",' Law 1
Tho disIoyoi md weaithr ror,inu oF nnr former
".inn Wow oi,h"r u; & proiI o o W. ,i,bin
+. fInes. we were rid Of them and controIlinr the
arn.t , norton saw aur.bs Of the territory Of the