The Van Buren press., 1868-08-07
Address Of the Democratic State Central
Comnittee

I
Below we present TO our Democratic readers
the address Of the Democratic Central Com
mittee, at Little Rock. IL was deemed eXpc-
dent that some action should be taken by the
committee In regard 20 the proprlety Of freq
istering and voting under the new Constitu-
tion. Amer thorough and careful canvass
and consideration the subject the commit
tee. have unanimously come TO the detefmina-
tion 10 recommend 10 all who can, To Register
and TO make all earnest and spirited effort TO
reclaim the State from the horde of adventur-
ers who now have il in subsection. We rec
ommend the address to all for careful pcrus-
al. Let harmony and perfect unity of feeling
prevail:
Rooms OF THE DEm. Sr,rE CES. Con-.
LITTLE Rock, ARKANSAS, July 80, 1861
To he People OF hs State " .irkdnsds:
The Democratic Central Committee Of the
State of Arkansas, after conference with those
here, and from various portions of the State,
for whose opinions they have a high respect,
have unanimously resolved TO recommend 10
our tellow-citzens that il i the duty of the
Democratic party of the State of Arkansas. 10
Presidential and Congressional election. And
protesting against the usurpation and tyranny
of the existing State Government, and believ-
ing 1t in all is parts and bearings 10 be un-
constitutional and void, yet as matter OF self
preservation, and for their own protection,ad-
wise all the people of the State who can do so,
to register, qualify and vote in the ensuing
elections
Many ofyou do not know the men, or even
their names, who. by the combined influences
of force anh fraud, are claiming TO have been
selected as your representatives in the General
Assembly. A majority of that body is assum-
ing the tremendous powers of levying enor-
nous taxes; of organizing negro militia, at
the expense of the disfranchised and impov-
crished taxpayers; of excluding white men
from the jury box; of enacting registration
and election laws expensive in their execu-
tion, monstrous in their provisions. and craft
lly designed to perpetuate the power of the
handful of had men and adventures, who
come here for plunder and the spoils : of Great
ing vast number of sinecure offices. with
high salaries. and filing them with unworthy
and incompetent men. not in any sense the
choice of the people; of wasting the public
money in the Treasury by a system of reck-
less expenditures never before heard of by our
people; of getting up schemes for private
speculation. by which public debt is sought
To be fastened upon the State and its resources
to the extent Of untold millions of dollars of
compelling you under heavy pains and penal
ties to make negroes your equals and asso-
ciates; oftaxing You for the support of schools
from which the instincts ofthe white race ex-
clude your own children and in a thousand
ways contriting means to yet further Cypress,
degrade and impoverish large majority of
the industrious and intelligent people of the
State. Your rights aud liberties depend in a
great measure for the time being, upon efforts
to elect conservative men in November in the
various counties or districts, TO fill vacancies
occurring in the so-called Legislature.
We look forward with confidence to the
election of Seymour and Blair, and demo
cratic House of Representatives in Congress,
and ali authoritative endorsement bv the
President aud the popular branch of Congress.
as well as the Supreme Court of the declara-
ton of the great democratic partythat the Sc
ries OF measures known rs the ReconStruc-
ton acts are unconstitutional and void. But
deliverance will come 10 you much sooner
and more readily ifyou contribute your own
eXertions to its achievement. Let every man.
then resolve to act and be up and doing The
duties of the hour are sacred by all that men
hold dear. The issue is between abiect slavery
and the rights Of a people to self government.
Men of all former political opinions are cor
daily invited to cooperate with the party of
the people, by laying aside all past differences
and everywhere uniting upon the best and
most trustworthy men who may be eligible to
office.
ROBERT A. HOWARD. Chm'n.
JOHN II. HARREL, See'y.