The Van Buren Press

Startling Announcement.

The Philadelphia Press of Aug. 15, contains the following: Speaking of the delegates from Arkansas to the Philadelphia Convention it says :

"Boudinot was Secretary of the State Secession convention, and therein, when Isaac Murphy, present Governor of Arkansas, refused to sign the ordinance of secession, drew a deadly weapon on the noble old man, but failed to intimidate him."

This startling declaration sheds a flood of light upon a point in the history of our noble Governor which would otherwise have completely mystified the future recorder of the doings and political life of Isaac Murphy. We have always thought it strange, passing strange, that so pious, good, honest, noble a man should have made such a spotted record during the aforesaid Convention. All is now plain, Boudinot must have "intimidated" the "noble old man." Hence, after refusing to vote for the ordinance of secession the "noble old man" voted to put the State on a "war footing," but visions of that terrible, "deadly weapon" must have influenced the "noble old man." He voted to compel all the civil officers under the new Government to take an oath to support the Constitution of the Confederate States; "but the noble old man" with his mind's eye, saw the "deadly weapon," like the sword of Damocles, threatening his life. He voted money to arm troops for the Border service, to fight against those who play fuglemen for him and call him so loyal, but that omnipresent, omnipotent, bloody, "deadly weapon" still pointed at him like the bony finger of the Faries, and he was frightened from his propriety, and involuntarily committed this treasonable act. Mr. Murphy ought to send at once, a letter of thanks to the indefatigable and reliable editor of the Philadelphia Press and he may contribute a mite towards galvanizing into life the D. D. But, unfortunately, His Excellency of the "glazed sleeve" may not believe the yarn the Press tells on the "noble old man," and may be constrained to exclaim "deliver me from my friends."