Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-07
Articles on the Origin and History of
the Differences 8etWeen the North
and south, which have Resulted i'm
the Present Eraternal Civil War.

the Differences Between the North
and south, which have Resulted i'm
the Present Eraterual Civil War.
No. V.
We have seen that these differences commenced
in 1878, on the amendments, moved by the n orth,
to the bill to organize a territorial government
for Arkansas, and the bill for the admission OF
Missouri TO the Union. prohibiting the South to
settle in the common territories with their slaves,
and prohibiting the admission of a slave State
into the Union. The same questions have been
the ground of controversy ever since, but the
anti-slavery party had not been able to get pos
session of the Government till 1860, and, hence,
the South, though irritated, did not revolt
In le60 Lincoln and Hamlin were elected upon
the Chicago platform-the precise platform which
the anti slavery men occupied on the Arkansas
and Missouri bills and had since continued to oc-
cupy. The South alarmed for their safety,
and took steps to get out from under the anti
slavery power. The Northern Democracy and
the border and middle Southern States implored
the Republican party to consent to have some new
/ guarantees, as soon as possible, inserted in the
Constitution, such those called the Crittenden
amendments, assuring the South that no attempt
would be made, no overt act committed, in the
direction of carrying into effect the Chicago plat
form. but no such consent could be obtained.
! Mr.. Seward, in speech in New York OH the
22d of December last, admitted the justice of
this call for amendments to the Constitution which
his party repressed He said:
"How could we expect to subsist for period
OF seventy years, exempt from the necessity of
repairing political system of government?
Every State in this Union is just like the Federal
Union-a republic. 1t has its constitution and
lis regular system of action. No State is more
than seventy years old, and there is not IT. any
one State OF this Union constitution which is
more than twenty-five yeIrs; and certain has
ii become that Do State can adopt = constitution
which will last more than twenty five years with
out beng repaired and renewed, that in our own
State the Constitution which we adopted twenty
years ago, contains provision that next year,
without any appeal to the people whatever, a
convention shall come together in the State of
| New York and make a new constitution.
He admits the United States Government might
operate unequaly; and all know, in the
! changed circumstances, that it does not secure
Justice and their rights to the South.
But the Republicans secuted ali peaceful modes
of securing the South and quoting her fears, md
determined to settle all questions by the sword
determined that, without any guarantee, she
should be subjected to the Chicago platform. The
sword was reSorted to- war is raging; and here, it
is proper to get clear idea of what the war is
for-that is, Ostensby: we will say nothing about
the supposed secret purpose Of turning at large
four millions of negroes.
1t is not a war to maintain the existence of the
Government, to determine, in the cant phrase of
the day, whether we have Government OF not.
Suppose the eleven States which have seeded,
had sunk, in night, into the depth of the earth.
and been closed over forever by the ocean, would
not the Government of the United States have
remained? Had not a Government, when
there we're only fifteen States in it? And did not
the Constitution provide that it should be Gov
eminent, when nine States adopted it? And is
it not fact that it was Government over
eleven, and then over twelve States for some
time. before Rhode Island came into itf And
does not this show the perfect abSurdity of Mr..
Lncoln's consolidation doctrine that the Govern
ment is older than the States? Why the article
on ratification, art. 2, provides +" The ratification
OF the conUentions of nine States should he sufli
cient for the establishment or this Constitution
between the States so rdtifying the same
Now, after the nine States had ratified it,
could the Government have extended its power
over the other States - republics" as Mr.. Sew
ard above calls them, which did not ratify it?
We solicit an answer
Nobody proposes to attack the Government.
But the war is to enforce the power and jurisdic-
ton of the Government over certain territory that
has been attempted to be Withdrawn from it.
Great Britain had a government, after she ac-
knowedged the independence of the colonies, but
its jurisdiction was withdrawn from over them
The war is not war, ostensibly, for liberty.
What more liberty will citizen of Indiana have
after the war is over, than he has nOwI The
danger is, that in the prosecution of the war,
may build up great consolidated, military and
enormously costly government, which will neces
sariy deprive us of many of the liberties we have
enjoyed in the past.
The war, as | said before, is to enforce the
powers of the Government over certain territory
that has revoted from it.
The case is this. The Republican party came
into power upon platform threatening, as the
South thought, to their constitutional rights
Some of the Southern States in fear, attempted
to withdraw from under the Government of that
party. That party refused to secure the exercise
of the jurisdiction of the Government over them
by giving them guarantees that their rights should
be respected, but resolved to enforce it by war.
Then, those States refused to come back, and
other still more powerful States Joined them in
leaving; and now, as we have said, this war is to
enforce by the sword, that jurisdiction over the
seeded territory, that might have been secured
by amendments to the Constitution, or agree
ments to adopt amendments. And now the ques-
ton arises, what is the duty of the Democrats in
these exiSences? have no hesitation in saving
it is to aid the war SO long as the Administration
determines to prosecute it consttutionaly and for
constitutional object. Suppose the Admin
istratiOn should wantonly, even, involve us in
war with Great Britaing What then? Why,
of necessity, it would be our duty to
fight to defend our own country, otherwise
Great Britain, having been uniustly provoked in
to war, might overrun So now, the party
which the people have placed in power. and which
is bound to adopt policy and be responsible for
its consequences. has chosen war, instead of COM
promise, and the concession of Constitutional
amendments and now the whole country must,
with aacrity, obey the laws and calls of the Gov
eminent, although its policy is wrong, and aid the
war just so long as the party in power who adopted
the line OF policy. shall desire to prosecute it
just 50 long as the people desire to furnish the
men and foot the bills, and endure the prostra-
ton of business and the depreciation of property.
1t is but just to let the party in power, who has
adopted the policy, fix their own time to abandon
it, should it have to be abandoned. | say prompt
ly aid the war till the Administration shall end
it, and then set down and study the wisdom of its
policy, and judge of the capacity for rulers of
those who have brought about the existing state
of things.
/ append to this the ratification clause of
the Constitution, being Art. Z, and the dates when
the several States ratified it.
cart. Z. The ratification of the conventions of
nine States shall be sufficient for the establish
ment of this Constitution between the States so
ratifyng the same"
The Constitution was adopted BY the conven-
tons that 'ssed it on the 18th of September,
1897
1t was ratified by the State convention of
Delaware 9TH December. 1871. t
Pennsylvania, 18th December. 1887.
New Jersey, 18th December, 1857.
Georgia, Cd January, 1888.
Connecticut. 9th January. 1888.
Massachusetts, 9th February, 1888.
Maryland, 25th April l7SS.
South Carolina, 23d May, 1888.
New Hampshire 2lst June, 1888.
Virginia, Goth June, l706.