Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-01
" HOLE NO. !,139.
foot of land for freeman to stand upon.

or a foot of land for freeman to stand upon
Applause
an for Kentucky holding fast to that she
knows to be good, and for her standing firm for
right, and for abiding events heroes should Co.
Why should a man be scared by the first danger
and fly into still greater peril2 You were star
tied at the reports from Cincinnati; last evening
Louisville was excited-to-day you are reconciled
for there is nothing in the reports. You will
hear of great battles, but you will often hear of
great battles that were never fought
Now, / don't believe that the overruling
Providence, that was with through the Reyo.
luton in the councils Of the trainers of this gov
ernment, and has been with ever since, has
deserted US, and hope lie has chosen Kentucky
to be the great mediator for the restoration of
peace and the preservation of our country
Hon. Nat. Wolfe, from the committee on res
olutions, reported the following preamble and res
Olution, which were adopted with hardly dis
senting voice:
Events of commanding importance to the fu-
ture safety and honor OF Kentucky have occur
red which call for action on the part Of her cit-
zens and every consideration of self-interest.
and every dictate of wisdom and patriotism must
prompt our State to maintain most resolutely her
position of loyalty. Situated on the border of
the slave States, with seven hundred miles of
territory exposed 10 the hostile attack should the
Union be divided into two separate sovereignties,
and with but one million Of population to oppose
the -four five millions of the States contiguous
to her, which might become unfriendly. Kentucky
owes it 20 herself 10 exercise a wise precaution
before she precpitates any course of action which
may involve her IN an internecine war She has
no reason to dlstrust the present kindly feelings
of the people who reside on the north bank of
the Ohio river, long her friendly neighbors, and
connected by thousand ties of business and
conssnguinity but she must realize the fact that
aufg 81
and assumes her sovereign powers as an independ-
ent State, that Ohio Indiana and Illinois. re
naming loyal to the Union, must become her po-
litical antagonists If Kentucky deserts the
stars and stripes, and those States adhere to the
flag of the Union, it seems impossible to imag-
inc Il continuance of our old friendly relations
when constantly recurring causes of irritation
could not be avoided.
| 1t is from fear that Kentucky would not
always prove herself equal to the exigencies of
any new position she might see proper to assume,
| and from no dstrust of the bravery of her sons
that these suggestions made, but as when
in the course of human events it becomes neces-
sary for one people to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another, de-
cent respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which impe
them to the separation" an equal necessity
exists that we should not dissolve those bands
with old friends and neighbOrs without calling to
our aid every suggestion of prudence and ex
hausting every effort to reconcile difficulties be-
fore taking steps which cannot be retraced, and
may lead to evaporation, collisions and eventual
war therefore, be il
Resolued, 1. That as the Confederate States
have, by overt acts, commenced war against the
| United States, without consultation with Ken
lucky and their sister Southern States, Kentucky
reserves to herself the right TO choose her own
position, and that, while her national sympathies
are with those who have a common interest in
the protection of slavery, she still acknowledges
her loyalty and fealty to the government of the
United States, which she will cheerfully render
until that Government becomes aggressive, ty-
rannical andregardless of our rights in slave pro-
perty.
2. That the national Government should be
tred by its acts, and that the several States rs
its peers in their appropriate spheres will hold it
to rigid accountability and require that its acts
should be fraternal in their efforts to bring back
the seeding States, and not sansuinary or
| coercive.
3. That as we oppose the call of the President
for volunteers for the purpose of coercing the Sc
ceding States, so we oppose the raising of troops
in this State to co operate with the Southern
COnfederacy, when the acknowledged intention
of the latter is to march upon the City of Wash
ington and capture the Capital, and when in its
march thither, it must pass through States which
nave not yet renOunced their allegiance to the
Union.
| 4. That secession is a remedy for no evils,
real or imaginary but an aggravation and com
plicaton of existing difficulties.
s. That the memories of the past, the interests
of the present, and the solemn convictions Of fu-
ture duty, and usefulness in the hope of media
ton, prevent Kentucky from taking part with the
seeding States against the General Government.
6. That "the present duty of Kentucky is to
maintain her present independent position, taking
sides not with the administration, nor with the sc
eeding States, but with the Union against them
both declaring her soil to be sacred from the
hostile tread of either, and if necessary to make
the declaration good with her strong right arm. y
Z. That to the end Kentucky may be fully pre-.
pared for any contingency, eve would have her
arm herself thoroughly at the earliest practicable
moment" by regular legal action.
8. That We look to the young men of the Ken.
tucky State Guard as the bulwarks of the safety
of our Commonwealth, and that we coniure them
to remember that they are pledged, equally to
fidelity to the United States and Kentucky.
3. That the Union and the Constitution, being
mainly the work of Southern soldiers and states
men, in our opinion, furnishes a surer guaranty
for Southern rights" than can be found under
any other system of government yet devised 10y
man.