Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-16
From the London Times, September %.
An Argume mt for Separation.

1t is very remarkable that in America only
two alternatives seem to have been contemplated
as possible-the absolute conquest of the South,
and its reduction by force within the bounds of
the Union; or compromise founded on mutual
concession which should bring back the South
once more into the Federation. While these
have been the only two views that have found
much favor among the public men of the North
the opinion of ninety nine out of every hundred
intelligent men in sEngland has been distinctly
against them both. Here we have no faith in
any compromise, no wish TO see two-thirds of
the Confederacy trampling the other third in the
dust. The almost unanimous opinion of Eng
land is that the only possible termination of the
conflict which would have the least chance of
healing the wounds of civil discord would be a
separation on fair and reasonable terms. We
cannot help thinking that after the extrem-
ity to which matters have gone, any at
tempt at compromise could at best mere
ly create a hollow truce, to be broken
as soon as either party felt themselves
strong enough , to break it, and sure TO
be followed, at no long time by war car
ried on with more violence and inveteracy, a
greater effusion of blood and more runous
waste of treasure even than we now see. We
believe further that an absolute conquest of the
South by the North, which could only be effected
after long series of bloody battles, and after
the dispersion or extirmnation of those vast for
ces which the South has accumulated for her de
fence would place the Confederacy in greater diff
iculties than ever. A king reconquerng his sub
jects may Immediately enter anew upon the exer-
else of that royal prerogatiye against which they
have rebelled but in America the question is not
of victorious king, but of the majority of a Con-
fcderacy conquering the minority, and forcing
them back against their will into the league from
which they have seeded. m What is to be done
with these rebel States The President stands
on the Constitution, and by that Constitution they
have voice in the Councils of Federation, and
also the power of governing themselves in those
things which do not belong to Congress- Will
the Constitution be respected ? And if so, how
is government to be carried on with fourth or
third of the members of both houses, not only
opposed to the Administration but to that form
of government of which it is the organ ? The
Anthenian democracy, in the of victory
over a revolted confederate, would have SIM
plifed matters by turning out the aristocratic
party and placing the whole power in the hands
of democracy. But America stands her
Constitution. She does nothing except by previ-
Gus statute; she is therefore bound 70 accept the
first alternative, and to take to her bosom the
very men who have deluged her peaceful pro-
vinces with blood, and would be ready on The
first opportunity to recommence the OF seces-
sion. 1t is here that we the real cause of the
American difficulty. The first offense undoubt
edly came from the South, but that could not
have caused the civil without the leading
men of the North, who suffered themselves to be
led away by the ignis fatuus of restoring Con-
federacy that could only exist by the good will of
all its members. 1t would have been much bet
ter could the Southern States, which has been so
long content to enjoy all the benefits of the Con-
stituton, have submitted to it when the decision
OF the people was unfavorable. They would not
do this. and so are undoubtedly the original cause
of the war; but that would never have taken
place if the North instead of insisting on forcing
the Union upon some twelve or tn rteen States
no longer united with them in feeling, had recog
nized the truth that Governments exist solely for
the good of their citizens, and that it better
to break up the Confederacy INTO two parts tiIan
to create nominal unity by constructing sham
Confederation out of the conquerors and the con
quered.