Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-28

YOU now the voice OF the people themselves. a.
a -seubled here IN both brsnches of Congress
through their Representatives
Ga the IIth day Of February. 1861. in view of
the gathering storm which has since broken upon
the country, Mr. Sherman. OF Ohio. then Rep
resentatve. now Senator. IN Congress. insrcdu-
ced into this body the following resolution:
'Tbs, neither the Congress Of the Uui.ed States nor
the people or governments Of the uon-slavehoiiing
states have the constitutional right 20 legsafe upon
interfere with slavery in any Of the avehoidng States
In the Uni0uL"
The resolution passed this House unanimously
upon vote taken by yeas and nays. many OF the
present champions Of AbOlitionism being present
and voting for H. OF course, this will be met by
them now with the nep' doctrine. that state Of
war enables Us To legislate forbidden sub
iects and changes the express, written letter OF
the Constitution: that were nc peace when
this resolution was passed, and that al war
now. We have heard much OF this doctrine. IL
has been ably and vehemently urged. But. TO
nv mind, il i the most dangerous dogma ever
promulgated in free country. 1t puts Us out far
from shore IN the open sea, with the polar star
Obscured, without chart or compass To guide our
course. State necessity" Is TO be substituted
for the well known provisions of the Constitu
toni Strange and alarming doctrine in the
American Congress. Ii calls up before the mind
the blOodiest and darkest pages in history. lt Is
the plea by which martyrs have been chained 70
the stake, and have ascended the scaiiOld in all
ages. IL erected the guillOtine and held car
niyal of horror in France during the reign of
terror. Ii is the founder of bastiles and inqui-
sitons IL is of no kin to freedom IL is "A foe
to liberty. 1t is the mOstrous engine of Cypress
ion by which the accidental majority Of 10 day.
unchecked. unlimited, and uncontrolled by law
may crush, plumber. and murder the minority. II
:. a. L..
power. State necessity ] know no State ne
cessity" equal to that which our Oaths, register
ed in heaven, impose upon US to support the Con
stitutiOn IN all Its parts our santed fathers
made IT,
Such i the State necessity" sir, which &C
knowledge, and none other. In peace or in war
the written Constitution gives US all the power
We have. and, on this point, | content myself
with referring, authority, to the speech made
at the late extra session by the distinguished gen
tleman from Kentucky, Mr.. Crittenden. We
all remember il. Ii has never been answered. 1t
never will be According To his construction of
the Constitution there a total absence of ali
power in Congress over the subject of slavery in
the States in war a well as in peace. | will
balance the weight of his honored name against
the advocates of different construction. Ii Is a
name that belongs TO history. Ii is the name of
profound lawyer and an experienced statesman
and will i've long and gratefully in the hearts of
his counfrymen.
Sir. Congress, however, spoke again on this
important subject. Who will forget the
scene who witnessed il? Who will forget the 22d
day Cf last July in this Hslll Ii was the dark
est day in all the calendar OF American history
Dsmay or gloom sat on every face. \ routed
army was pouring into the city and a triumphant
enemy was AZ the gates of the capital. In that
hour of extremity ana peril, when new army
was TO be raised and the old one encouraged and
Refrigerated. Congress announced to the country
and To the whole world. the policy which should
govern the future conduct of the war. On mo
ton OF the distinguished gentleman from Ken
lucky. Mr.. Crittenden,l Congress said:
"That this war j. not wagcd their part in any spirit
% oppre ION nor for any purpose of conquest or subiu
CATION, purpose Of overfhrowng Interfering with
the rights established institutions Of those States but
10 defend and maintain the supremacy Of the Constitu
ton, and 10 preserve the Union with all the dignity
equality, and rights Of the States unnpared; and
that as soon a tLese objects accomplished, the
ought to cease"
The nation heard this, and LOYAL men, trusting
and conhdIng. again poured with military tread
from the loyal States To the banks of the Poto
mac. They were repealed then by no cutlery from
either end of the Capitol, that slavery, as the
cause OF the war, must he abolished. and that the
seeded States had committed political suicide
and must be reduced by the force of arms to
territories, and governed rs such by Federal au
thoritv
Mr.. Chairman, | am amazed utterly amazed
when contrast the present with the past on this
subject. All is changed, ut least SO far rs Con
gress is concerned. Pledge upon pledge has been
made by every department of the Government in
the opening stages OF this conflict. The national
Gath las been plighted at home and abroad in
the most binding and obligatory manner, that the
IL. Ill
were not to be violated, that slavery was not to
be abolished. that "savages were not to be let
loose" We heard no indignant protests then
against this policy. Tongues that ATE now loud
in It's denuncatiOns were then mute. Voices
that are now high in wrath against it we're then
silent
An army, however, of six hundred thousand
men now stands banded together under the stern
control of military discipline. In that, suppose
the object of conservative pledges is accomplish
e L. and the time has arrived1Or the fulfllment of
the purposes of this war, according to the views
of Abolitionists They demand now that all
these pledges shall be broken. They demand
that the faith of the Government shall be dis
honored They demand that the present AID
ministration shall be disgraced in the eyes of all
the world by abandoning its own deliberate con
struction OF the Constitution-its own boldly and
openly marked line of policy. They demand
that the army shall be deceived; that the prom
ises by which it was raised shall be proven false
that the soldier shall now fight and die in the
prosecution of purposes which were concealed
from him when he enlisted. and which he alb
hors. They demand that the people shall be
betrayed. and their hard earned money taken to
support this war, conducted on principles which
they utterly repudiate. And, above all, they de
mand that the Constitution be ruthlesslyviola-
tel; that the laws be stricken down and that the
Old Union. such our fathers made il, shall
never be restored Had they avowe,l their pur-
poses at the opening of this war, and appealed TO
the country To support the atrociOus doctrines
which they now avow: had they made their de
mands then. no proud army would now line \
thousand miles OF border; but rather rs my col
league Mr. Dunn has well and truthfuly said
on this floor. army would have been com
posed of small and deluded band, such a. fol
lowed John Brown to Harper's Ferry. Let these
demands be granted now, and the appalling fact
will stand confessed that a stupendous fraud has
been practiced on the nation and that the army of
the United States has been obtained by FALSE PRE-
TENsks. Let these demands be granted now and
no American UUjon will ever more bless the eyes
of men. No more
''w bloom the thunder blasted tree,
Or the stricken gle soar
Mr.. Chairman. | represent, in part, the people
OF a great State. Indiana may point proudly to
her e>cutcheon. Ii i gemmed all over with
honor She did not want this war She wis for
compromise and pace. and Is now, when they
can be obtained, aS they once could. with honor
and upon the principles OF the Constitution. But