Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-28
The Presidents Position Eighteen
Months Ago.

On the pod Of April, 1861. Mr.. Seward, Secre-
tary of State, wrote to Mr.. Dayton. our Minister
at Paris. on the subject of slavery in the United
States, as follows:
1.-The condition of slavery in the several States
will remain just the same, whether il (the revo-
lutiOn) succeed or fail. There is not even pre-
text for the complaint that the dsaffected States
are TO be conquered by the United States if the
revolution fail; for the rights of the States, and
the condition of every human being in them, will
remain subject to exactly the same laws and
forms of administration whether the revolution
shall succeed, or whether il shall fail IN one
case, the States would be federally connected
with the new Confederacy; in the other, they
would, as now, be members of the United States
but their Constitution and laws, customs, habits
and Institutions, in either case will remain the
same.
1t is hardly necessary to add TO this incontesti
bic statement the further fact that the new Presi
dent, as well rs the citizens, through whose suf.
frages he has come into the Administration, have
always repudiated all designs whatever and wher
ever imputed to him and them, of disturbing the
system of slavery it is existing under the Con
stituton and laws. The case, however, would
not be fully presented if were to omit to say that
any such effort OH his part would be unconstitu
ti0na, and all his actions in that direction would
be prevented by the Judicial authority, even
though they were assented TO by Congress anC
the people"
This, no doubt, was written with the knowl
edge and consent of Mr.. Lincoln, if not dictated
by him, and may. therefore, be regarded as
pledge from him to France and to the world thai
'the condition of slavery in the several States
should remain the same, whether secession should
succeed or fail" As conclusive reason whv h,
should not and would not disturb the system
slavery" his Secretary urged that it would %,
unconstitutional" for him to do SO, and that i
he should attempt any action in that direction
even with the assent of Congress and the people
he would be prevented from accomplishing hi.
purpose by 1.-the judicial authority"
Ii would appear from this, that in April 1861
Mr.. Lincoln recognized the existence and consti
tutIonal power of the Judiciary Department o
the Government, which, since that time he ant
his Ministers have repudiated Ii is gratifyin;
to learn that there was time when "our patriot
ic President" entertained due regard for what i
really the highest branch of our Government. TO
it gives the hope that it is not impossible for hin
to return to consciousness that there is, or was
such a department in the Federal system. and t,
again recognize its claims TO his distinguish,
consideration
Ii it were not for Mr.. Lincoln's argument u
the Chicago fanatics against his emancipation
proclamation, but few DAYS before he issued il
the public might be astonished i'm reading the fore
going extract from Mr. Stewards letter by tn
summersaClt which il shows the President to hav
turned on the slavery question, in views of tn
acknowledged constitutional barrier to that eman
cipation which he has decreed. But "tne Pope
bull against the comet" has eclipsed all his othe
Inconsistencies and absurdities - philadelphia
Erening Journal.