Year: 1861

that the Union is already broken into frag- ments, and that, whether the States shall ever be united or not, it is an evident fact to all there is no Union now. But broken up as it is, there will be no hostile collision during the present administration, or until Lincoln is securely seated in the presiden- tial chair. It is evident to us at least, there will be no war until after the 4th day of March next.

 Whether there shall be peace or war after that day depends, in our judgment, entirely upon the action of the southern States between now and then The North might not be unwilling to go to war with the South if conquest was easy or certain, but if the South is united and cordial such will not be the case, and therefore the secession of the southern States will be quietly and peaceably effected. But on the other hand, if the South Is not united in feeling and action, but should be divided into secession, cooperation and submission States, each taking different action, the secession of the cotton States will certainly | be followed by an effort at coercion that will light up every southern State with the | flames of civil war;

 If the South should be united, she would be too powerful to be forced back into the l Union, or to be conquered, and the folly of coercion would at once be apparent to Mir. | Lincoln and his advisers, and hence it would not be attempted. No such attempt would be for a moment thought of So far from thoughts of coercion, Mr. Lincoln would immediately bend himself to re- construction of the government upon terms of safety to the South, or at once abandon all idea of further Union with the south ern States, and enter into negotiations for an equitable division of the federal property. This, if the South shall be united in the act of secession. This, if the body of the southern States shall secede before MT. Lincoln's inauguration. Let him under stand, as soon as he assumes the reins of | government, that he has to deal with brave, loyal, determined and united peo- pie, and he would shrink from the respon- sibility of plunging the fairest and freest portion of Gods habitable globe into all the horrors and evils of civil war-a war that because of the courage and capacity of the contestants, and the bitterness of the feud engendered, would be the most desola- ting the world ever witnessed.

 On the contrary, if the South is divided Tn sentiment and action, who cannot forsee the inevitable consequence? Division at the South would be regarded as weakness and weakness would invite aggression. The North, we all know, would not hesitate one moment to declare war against the l South, if she thought the South so weak as to be coerced or conquered.

 The North will regard division at the South as weakness. She will regard the refusing States as friendly to herself and inimical to the seeding States, and thus regarding them as allies, she would not consider the contest with the seeding States as doubtful, or hesitate one instant to make it. Thus the border slave States, refusing to secede and join the cotton States would be used by the North as allies and made the battle ground upon which the cot ton States were to be whipped.

 There would be another, and to the North a greater motive for this war, should the border slave States refuse to secede with the cotton States. In the first place, the north ern States would be far removed from the scene of conflict and in manner free from the evils and sufierings of the war; and in the next place, the border slaves States being made the battle field the fairest op- portunity in the world would be given to llberate the negroes in the border States and make them free territory and perpetual enemies of the cotton States. Can any one doubt that the North, in it's religious zeal, would loose such an opportunity to destroy forever the power of the South? It Is impossible there can be man so blind. While the border slave States will be re- garded as allies, they will be made the bat tie ground between the North and the South, thus to suffer all the evils ofthe war, and their property in slaves will be utterly destroyed. They will be made free States, overaowing with negro population liber- ated and turned loose upon them by north ern armies.

 Thus, if the border slave States refuse to withdraw and cast their lot with the States that have already seeded, they will be used to destroy the cotton States, and will then themselves be destroyed. Such is at this moment the policy of the northern States They know full well that united we would be invincible against world in arms, but divided we would be an easy prey.

 Do our people desire to make Arkansas the battle field upon which Texas and Lou isiana are to be conquered? If so let her remain in the Union with the northern States, and she will inevitably be so. The armies of the North will here meet in con- flict the armies from the South, and around our threshhoids, upon teeming fields, and by the light of our burning houses, contest and decide the dreadful issue.

 Men of Arkansas! are you prepared for all this. Look before you, and judge for yourselves. Think of the consequences when you talk of conservatism and inaction in times that demand only action-stern