Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-02-06
FEDERAL RELArIoNs.
Report OF the Minority of the House
Committee OF Thirteen ON Federal
Affairs. Presented BY Mr. Heffren,
LanuarY IL. IGRl.


House adopt as their sentiments the proposition
offered in the United States Senate by the Hon
John j. CIlttenden, and to whom was referred the
various resolutions of the House upon Federal
Affairs, would report the following their views
upon the same:
They would say, without intending TO cast any
reflection upon the presiding officer of this House
in the formation of said committee, that IN their
opinion, justice well all parliamentary usage
and law, would say that the friends of the original
proposition should have majority upon the com
mittee, and more especially when the original
proposition or resolution was the CritteBdeu
amendments. Afterward, a multitude Of PROPOSE
tons and resolves were referred to said commit
tee, uDon which the committee once made unan-
mous report, which was afterward rec0mmitted
Upon all of the various propositions we will not
speak in detail; but, being moved by an impera-
tive sense of duty 70 our common country. we
ask prompt action upon some scheme Of adjust
ment that will preserve the Federal Union and
restore tranquility to the country. Entertaining
the most profound convictions of the bless ncs as
well as the threatened dangers of the Union, they
willing to make great sacrifices TO perpetuats
the one and avert the other.
At time like this, when the foundations ofthe
National Government are shaken, and Its pillars
are crumbling away, il IS the solemn 2uty OF
every patriot of the land to discard all specious
falIacies in regard to slayery-all blind resent
ments for supposed aggressions-all prided sec
tional anmosties, and all partisan criminalit;es.
and forgetting the mutual prov0catons of the
past, bring all offensive doctrines and platforms
all abstract theories and barren creeds-as sacri-
hces upon the altar of a common country.
The undersigned, entertaining these views,
have been and now are willing 10 sacrifice their
former political ideas, notions and opinions upon
the altar of their country, for the sake Of pre-
serving the heritage our fathers left US. They
n.l N Wit Il
alarming state Of the public mind, vet common
justice seems TO require that should revert 20
the history of the past and see what il Is that has
brought our nation to the verge of dissolution.
In doing so We must say that the continued agita-
ton in Congress, the State Legislatures, and be-
fore the people by fanatical vagabonds, about the
present alarming condition Of affairs, anti-slayery
lecturers, orators and stump speakers have. il
seems to us, done all in their power to aid and
assist in the great drama, and even prOfessed mn-
isters of God. men who hypocriticsliy pretend 20
be ambassadors of the Most High, have descended
from their lofty position and prOsttuted their
talents and the pulpit; solid the robes of religion.
disgraced decency and outraged morality by
Their infamous and hellish haransues 30 aid
in the unholy and unchristian of bring
ing about contention and strife. Their
whole theme has been Of the wrongs OF
another race upon whose very form the God Of
creation has stamped the impress of inferiority 10
that OF the whites, and by Their lectures speeches
and sermons have rcrtinaciously continued the
crusade until stand, as il were, upon the
slumbe;ing volcano with its hot, boiling lava
rolling and laundering beneath our fee., and
wauting but a breath to overwhe.In ali q a com
mon ruin Such is the terrible condition Of our
country TO-DAY. and to this has she been brought
by demagogces and fanatics until portion of
the people of the Union seek TO pre- erre their
rights by secession. Star after star has fallen in
quick succession from the national firm sneiIt.
and sooa more will follow unless the gaping.
bleelng wounds of our country are staunche1.
Can we even hope for a return 10 justice BY the
North. We fear not. Madness seems 20 rule
the day. the hour; reason and discretion seem to
have lied their seats and left the impulses and
passions of man to run riot. Love of country
seems to be forgotten and patriotism banished
from the hearts of men. Confusion and discerd
appear on every hand.
In this condition of our country, in the present
disorderei exgehcies of the hour, the undersigned
believe that every effort for Cancellation should be
exhausted, every offer of compromise duly and
fairly considered and well examined; that We
should NEE, our brethren of the South as patriots
and lovers of common country, who, while
sternly and properly protecting Their own rights
and liberties would not infringe upon ours; that
elch and all should sacrifice partisan prejudices
and opinions, however much may dislike SO
20 do so, for the good OF cur country, and accept
anv offer which IS honorable and calculated to save
the country and the liberties of the PEOPLE, seems
| to us a plain duty well a patriotic one In
holding these views the undessgne would accept
and respond to the invitation OF Virginia for the
appointment of Commissioners to confer with
Others at Washington City on the 9TH of next
February and would accept the propositions
known az the Crittenden, border State, any
other Just and honorable scheme of conciliation
and adjustment which will save the Union and
forever settle the slavery question.
They would further say that they believe this
Government "derives its just powers from the
consent of the governed" and that it would be
come subversive Of the very spirit of liberty and
of natural right TO attempt, by the strong arm Of
Federal power, backed up As II would be by the
army and navy TO coerce or compel the peOp.e OF
any State or States 10 remain an integral part Of
Government they desire to separate from, and
that We can not view but with serious alarm any
attempt upon the part of the General Government
TO make vassels and serfs Of the freemen Of the
country, to do homage to great power at the
point of the sabre or bayonet. Ii such a
course should be pursued, and be success
iul, the free citizen of Indiana would have
| no guarantee of his liberties worth the
name, and when dominant party, placed in
power upon the very question which . now dis
rupting the Gov vernment, attempts 20 enforce its
political creeds and dogmas at the point of the
bayonet and at the cannon's mouth, il becomes
every freeman to say whether he will assist in the
hellish scheme or whether he viii stand idly by
and see despotism flourish, or whether he shall
tfkt the part and espouse the cause of those who
shoulder their arms TO protect and preserve their
rights and Liberties. We believe we will lie safe
in saving that we speak the sentiments OF more
than one hundred thousand of the freemen of In
diana that we will not assist i'm the scheme, that
We will not stand idly by, but remembering the
illustrious examples of their fathers, fight 10 keep
and hf.rFa
ing. Yet, desirous are of preventing any
collision between the people Of any State OF
States and the Federal Government, between
the people of the several States, 20 avoid the hOr
r0rs of civil war with all is c0ncommtant train
of evils, 10 avoid the shedding of blood the ravag
ing of village the sacking of cities and preserve
and If possible transmit unimpared 10 our pos
territy, the best Government ever established
maintain our station among the nations Of the
earth and still preserve our land and nation a ar
ASYLUM for the oppressed Of all nations. would ne
port for adoption the following joint resolution:
Be IL resolved, Jy the General Assen'bly Of a.
State Of Indiana, That in the opinion Of th
General Assembly, commissioner should be ap
pointed TO meet commissioners OF other States
on the 4th Of February next, in accordance witt
the request Of the General Assembly Of Nir
linia, and that Henry s. Lane, Caleb II. Smith
: William T. Otto, Cyrus l.. Dunham and Thoma
, A. Hendricks be and they are hereby appOiDte
such commissioners to proceed TO Washington
City without delay, to meet the commissioners o
, other States, to consult upon the present aarnn.
. condition of the country, and that they repor
their action to this General Assembly.
Be further resoired, That We accept, as
basis of settlement, the propositions OF Hon
John J. Crittenden, made IN the Senate Of th
United States.
BE IL further resolred, That our Senators i
Congress be instructed, and our Representative
lie requested to use all their influence to has
said propositions accepted by Congress, and tina
. they do all in their power to have convention o
delegates 10 amend the Constitution.
! BE If further resOlued, That the people of In
diana should have occasion TO express thei
opinions upon said propositions at the ballot box