Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-11
NUMBER 1902.

give the Messed gospel, and not free insfi-
t,1tions. 10 the human race"
~Sir, we must adjourn this Synod, and
resolve ourselves into an Abolition So-
ciety, before we can pass the paper be-
fore Us.
2. Has the National Government any
power to interfere with slavery in the
Southern States! In the official letter of
instructions from Mr.. Seward. Secretary
of State, to Mr.. Dayton, our Minister TO
France, dated April 22, 1861. Mr.. Sew
ard says In reference to the rebellion:
"The copdition Of slavery in the several
States will remain just the same, whether
it succeed or fail. The rights of the
States, and the condition of every human
being in them, will remain subject to ex-
actly the same laws and form of admins
tration. whether the revolution shall sue
ceed or whether il shall fail Their con-
stitutions and laws, customs. habits and in
stitutions. in either ease. will remain the
same. 1t is hardly necessary TO add TO
this incontestible statement the further
fact that the new President. as well as
the citizens through whose sufirages he
came into the administration. has ALWAYS
repudiated all designs, whatever and
wherever imputed to him and them, of
disturbing the system of slavery rs il is
existing under the Constitution and laws.
The case. however, would not be fully
presented if / were to omit to say that
any such effort on his part would be- un-
constitutional. and all his actions in that
direction would be prevented by the m-
dicial authority. even though they we've
assented to by Congress and the people
Let il be remembered now that these
are not Mr.. Stewards words, but the Presi-
dents. Mr.. Seward SAYS TO Mr.. Dayton,
on page 1877 of this document. that he
writes him this letter "by direction of the
President"
Here we have the declaration of the
President that whether the rebellion sue
ceeds or fails, he could not consiitutionaIly
interfere with slavery, and that even if
Congress and the people should permit
him so to do, he would be prevented by
the judicial authority.
Congress three weeks before the inaug-
uration of President Lincoln, adopted the
following resolution:
"Resoired. That neither the Federal
Government. nor the people or govern
ments of non-slaveholding States. have a
purpose or a constitutional right to legis-
hate upon, or interfere with slavery in any
of the States of the Union"
And the Judicial authorities of the
country have given similar decisions.
And now. Sir. I ask whether this SYNOD
would not be guilty of the crime of dis
Loyalty. if it should. in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. declare that lit is the
imperative duty of the citizens of the ma
ton TO urge the National Government :"
TO do that which the executive. the legis-
lative and Judicial authority of the nation
has declared To be unconstitutional!
). The Synod, in debating to the citi-
zens of the nation their duty as citizens,
manifests spirit of religious despotism.
The jurisdiction of the church extends
only over those who have voluntarily
placed themselves within her pale. Nav
the church dictate eren to her o,cR members
their duty as citizens? Her jurisdiction
extends only TO their religious .taiM and
moral conduct She may not presume to
teach them politics, or 10 control their
votes. If her jurisdiction over her orn
members be thus limited, what authority
has she 10 dictate To the citizens Of tie
nation the policy they should urge the
government to adopt in the management
of national affairs? Sir. there is princi-
pie involved in this paper subversive not
only of the constitution, but also Of the
Grill and religious liberties Of citizens.
We have been told in this discussion
that it is the duty of the church TO declare
the will of God to the state, and that the
state is bound at lis peril to hear and
obey the church. If so. who shall decide
what church the state is bound To hear
and obey! The Jewish or the Christian !.
If Christian. shall il be the Protestant or
denomination: Do our constitution and
laws recognize any form of religion, or
any denomination of Christians in prefer
ence to others! Suppose the National
Government should hear and obey the
voice of the Presbyterian church of the
Synod of Indiana, az expressed in this
paper. may we not proceed as Presbyteri-
ans to define to the state every part of
divine revelation. and urge the citizens Of
the nation to demand that the National
Government exert the whole power with
which il is invested "whether by military
law or otherwise" for the enforcement of
every religious obligation. even to the
forms and ceremonies of worship!
4. The paper before us takes il for
granted the National Government has a
right under "militayy lar to abolish slave
rv." Does the constitution invest the
President with any such authority! SAYS
writer in the Newburyport Herald, who
voted for Mr.. Lincoln:
" In subduing rebellion-of which this
is the most infamous the world ever saw
we can 90 as far as the constitution allows
and there we must stop. We know it il
becoming common in this day for persons
TO say, 1--WE will exercise certain powers
constitution or no constitutions; but that
this is the doctrine of revolutionists-oi
the Robespierres and Murats, who in
ninety days of administration would
plunge this people into all the horrors OF