Year: 1863

tone and sentiments of this journal, and to de-


precate the influences which it tends to exer-


else upon the minds of the people amongst


whom it circulates. In doing so we are


prompted only by the desire to keep the hearts


and minds of our peopleintent upon the prose-


cution of the war with all their energy and all


their resources; and by the settled conviction
that everything tending to dissatisfy them
with The original movement of secession, or
impress them with the idea that peace, so de
slrable to US all, is to be attained with honor
short of our entire and absolute indept ptndence
| of the North. is destructive to our cause, and
must lead to our annihilation and disgrace.


We do not believe the South Western in
tends that The editors seem to be regarded
amongst those who know them best as true
| Southern men, and it becomes us to accent
their verdict. With this disclaimer, and ac
cording to them the fullest privilege of thought
and speech, We feel bound in the midst of the
imminent danger which threatens our depart
ment, to enter our protest against the tone and
conduct Of that Journal, not by way of reproach
to it, but to warn our people against bein in
uenced thereby.


In our last issue we noticed paracra ph
from the Southwestern, calling upon the
wings to rally for political contest. We are
alarmed with the prospect of heated political
| contest of any sort, and NEST especially with
the prospect of reopening al the old PARTY
! sores which have been healed by the necessity
| Of common efforts, and the feeling of common
danger-which should be allowed to grow up
! forever, so that not scar may be left in the
body polite TO remind of much that was
shameful and unbecoming free people The
| same paragraph called forth q notice from the
Shrev :port News, to which the South Western
replied as follows:


The "Semi-Weekly News" pervertS,
seemingly Intentionally, our paragraph
wherein We said, sit appears to us now is
the time for the wbigs to aly-they can
carry almost every parish in the State"
The News would make out this an ssin-
ference" "that the democrats are shoul.
dering arms, and the wings luxuriating at
! hone" This is net the fact, and we as
sert it without the fear Of truthful con.
tradiction, hat more prominent democrats


have "shisked" the war than wings. We
| spoke Of the time being proPitous, as the
! people have found cut that they have been


wofully deceived by lying presses and
,,reliable gentleman" They know TO
their sorrow and cost, that a democratic
| convention imposed upon them consti.


tuition without their consent They also
know that the democrats voted the State
out OF the Union without putting the vote
to the people. What has been the re
sult? Why, almost every wealthy man in
the State is ruined. And many firmly
| believe that the democratic Office holders
would sooner saddle upon US ,nonarch
and privileged aristocracy tnan surrender
up their places.


We do not yet believe, and shall be hardly
persuaded, that many loyal citizens of Louisi
ana think of the action of their convention
with sorrow, or regret the cost of their .eces-
| sion from the old government, and their union
with the Southern COnfederacy. If it be that
the new constitution of that State i, objection
| able, we have never yet heard OF it, or of any
thing in it to produce sorrow to the citizens,
or grieyous cost to any portion of the State.
The "sorrow ond COST" if any, has come from
| the war and the act of secession; and if there
| be any citizens of the State who reprobats
that, we pity their weakness, and with lraw
from them every particle of sympathy. They
| are conquered. Our own constitution here in
Arkansas was adopted in n similar Inanner as
part of their necessary work, by the conven-
tion which dissolved our connection with the
Federal Government There was no voice
raised for its submission to the people for the
convention echoed the voice of the people from
| every county, and there has never yet been a
murmur of dissent fir, m any respectable source.


Nor can We believe it possible that any loyal
| citizens of Louisiana regret the act Of -seces-
sion because almost every wealthy man in the
State has been ruined thereby 1t is hurlili-
ating to accurse the wealthy men of such base
ness. Every citizen, itch or poor. owes his all
to the Confederacy. 1t is better that all shoui
| be ruined in their personal fortunes than that
4 the State should be induced to express repen-
tance of its conduct, and wish to be restored
! to its old condition. We have known MANY
wealthy men ruined by the war. We have
never yet heard one of them rcpine or murmur,
or regret the act of secession on that account
Such declarations tend to encourage in the
| minds of the poorer classes the detestable
falsshOod that the interests of the rich have
\ any peculiar consideration in the South That
is not the ease. 1t is war for freedom. to be
enjoyed by the poorest man and his descen-
dants; and - the fortunes of the rich man 20
down in the struggle, SO be it. 1t is better
than submission-better than whining repent
ance. To this nne-tenths q the rich men of
the South will respond amen, and we imagine
they Will be little thankful to te South West
tern for plea in their behalf, SO little compi.
mentary to their Patriotism =,


We feel confident. too, that if thu be Office
holders in Louisiana who would soon saddle
Aupon the people a monarchy and privileged ar
istOcracy than surrendN their places, t.will
not need revival of old, garty issues to pu.
them out. 1t it did, it wouh after all be the
means of keeping them in Excuse us for ,av-
ing that such clap trap is the 'pld song and
/ trick of the politician in the worst day. o the
old repubiic-and miseads only the ignorant