Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-12-15
We have been repeatedly asked {

We have been repeatedly asked of late. what we thought of the militia. and what the probability was of their being sent to Prairie county. While we will not attempt to give all our thoughts concerning this new creation. sa fewremarks by way of comment ma, not be inappropriate. We do not. nor could we under any circumstances .think this militia law, either just or ex- pedient. The ends accomplished by il are neither those of mercy. law. justice or policy. Whatever may have been the intention of the originator of this law, their can be bu! one opinion con corning it now and that is that no class of citizens arc benefited by it.. and no good is accomp iehed for any one. We are not sufficiently extrem
 sin our views to hold that the State of. ficials are not bound to protect proper ty and life within fine borders of the State. We do not hold that the many -offenccs committed against the State. and against Immunity, Of late. should go unpunished; but we do hold that ii is unjust to cause whole community to suffer from the presence of q host O. strangers, because in that community Justice and law have been violated. We have law, a Id men to execute that lssy. and every citizen is, or should be sufiiciently interested in the protection of life, property and order in his sec ton to stand by the officers in the per- formancca of their duty. While we are as much opposed to the party that now rules our State. as any mln wiih- in her borders, we are sufficiently iden
 tified with Arkansas. to honestly de- sire her prosperity, and we are further willing to obey ourselves, andto coun- cil in others, obedience to the law. no matter from what political party that law may come, more than this. when 1t shall be foreseen that the force oi arms is necessary to enforce the law and to protect the citizens of Prairie county we are willing to bear arms for that purpose. and thusrelieve ourselves from the presence of the militia and the many evils consequent thereupon. This would be our course. and we be- 1ieve there are hundreds of good citi. xens in the "spotted" counties that would in this way uphold the gov ernmeut. It has hereto .ore been the policy of iudiv.duals and parties to s'- tempt the perpetuation of power by merciful means and grateful policy to-
 ward those ill whose hands the power was he'd. If Gov. Clayton, if the te- publican parry are in esraest in their proclaimed good intention toward our State, we think the better policy would be 10 trust the people more and force less. There is not ip the party one man who thinks to gusgc the mass O. the people by the few vio.ators of law that are in our midst. The people are good, they do mean we'll. they viii support the government, and why should not they De trusted. Is it not time to lay aside all prejudice. to for get all differences that may exist be- tween HIS, aud for individual ilteres, and the good of the State lsb tegeth- CT. The Republican party is not strengthened, the law is not sustained nor the prosperity not enhanced by this militia law. We write thus, not that we apprehend that these unweicome visitors will be quartered in Prairie county; blu. because we teel for the people in those counties in which mar tial law has been declai,ed.