Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-07-20
Correspondence Of the Free Press.
A Letter from Arkansas.
MARION, ARK, July 4, 1866

.th. Editor:
Perhaps you would like to know hoV
the anniversary Of our National independence
is celebrated in this region, SO l send you tn
following brief account.
OF course "Pompey" could not work on th'
Fourth Of July, and everything is at a stand
still. We have celebrated to the extent of three
bunches of fire crackers, and attended ga bar
bacue,' which was the centre of attraction in
this neighborhOod. After the reading of the
declaration of independence, an ex-rebel Major
was announced as the principal Orationer Of
the occasion With commendable difidence
he introduced himself, and proceeded TO say, Il
do not wish to cause any hearts to bleed afresh,
&c, and continued, alt is useless 10 speak Of
our gallant dead. 1t is useless to speak of the
memory Of the loved and lost 1t is useless to
speak Of ;he desolate homes 1t is useless to
/ speak Of our unfortunate cause (This last
/ very pathetically.) Many ether useless
things were mentioned, and if "hearts did not
bleed afresh," il was no fault of his. In the
course Of his remarks he said, "Porer is what
We want-political power-and to gain this, We
must pander to a certain class Of polti-
clans in the North for arhiIs" Also 1--WE are
oyerpowered, but not conquered" and he made
other observations equally pointed and orig
inal
Next in order was speech from an ex-rebe
Colonel, who rather astonished all by declaring
he was Union man now, GHf alrIys hal been.
And he could and would prove it. He went
on after the manner Of State rights men, .'If I.
the State had committed treason. let them hang .
the State" and such ike. His reasoniugs we're .
received with great satisfaction, and accepted as
conclusive, by all except myself. who could not
see j, at all in that light Reconstruction, STATE
Risiis. negro suffrage aud testimony, king cot
ton and local affairs. received their
share Of attention, and he concluded By
electioneering for himself for the Senate. in a
powerful manner. On the whole hardly knew
whether to te amused or indignant. was
treated pleasantly enough, but there was such
lack Of sympathy. l did not enjoy myself as
is customary on such occasions
The crops generally are not looking very well
The cotton is small and scattering and does not
seem to " come on" well We have had no
rain for nearly i've weeks, ccrs,e euently tho corn
looks yellow and sTiudling There is not as
much Of that planted as will supply the neigh
horhool The negroes are working well
Though there is a great chance for i'm
proyemeut, they are Disappointing those who
prorhesiel 50 i'll Of them. The weather IS
pretty warm. The Thermometer averages sos
lay by Jay. 1t is often at 80 G. sometimes at
200 ., and twice at lO3 in the shade. lis
ellom as low as SOC, or even s59. The
chills'' axe on US. Last Friday FIVE hands I
eft the field "iast shaking, and Tuesday
our more followed suit. \ neighbor to whom d
vas telling the above. said MAKE 'em chaw }
uiuine, make en- chaw it, The other night a
Il oyerseer in his zeal to have the hands resdy
r the He'd next day, got hold Of the soda IN
,ead Of the quinine. He took round dozen }
owiors Of it, and insisted they should be taken j
cry early the next morning The powders III
ere taken according to orders, but to his sur
rise. did not keep of the ohils, which led to u
D investigation, and We found We were minus
much soda II
DO not know which was the most dIstasteful, =,
le joke or the soda, but think the fun It caused l.
as accomplished about as much gooi as the
eht medicine would have done. cd
y ray bitter feeling prevails here against r.
cngress. These people are not loyal as We IN lc
.rstaui iha, word, and never will be. hope -.
lngross wIl remain as firm IN the future as :,
J the past, and perhaps these people will yet
arm that there S power that will have what IN
right, and not he driven or bluiled'' out p.
It.