Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-13
INDIANAPOLIS ND, MONDAY, JANUARY IS, 1862.

tionai strife was begotten our present troubles
The war is upon us-"w wickedly provoked on the
one side, and in folly and sin, and without sufi.
cient cause, commenced on the other" With
secession upon the one hand, and sectional inter.
ference with Southern rights upon the other, we
hold no sympathy. Our most earnest desire is
for the restoration of the Union, upon the basis
Of the Constitution, and, for myself, will give
an honest support to ali constitutional and proper
measures, adopted by the Administration to that
end; and I VIII as earnestly oppose all acts in
violation Of the constitution, and in suppression
of liberty, because Of my veneration for that
solemn compact Of our fathers, and because such
policy renders the Union impossible, by obliter-
ating the Union sentiment of the South and Civ
ing aid and comfort to its enemies.
What are we to do with the negroes of the
South, in connection with the war. is asked upon
every hand. Before answering that, let me ask, for
what purpose is the war waged? If, as the Presi-
dent does profess and the soldiers in the field be-
lieve, il is 10 suppress rebellion, TO restore the
Union. and establish the Constitution and the
supremacy Of the laws, then / answer, with the
negro slave and his condition, we have nothing
10 do; nothing whatever, either as a purpose. in
cident or consequence of the war. If the Cor
stitution be restored. in its authority, all the
States. then the Constitution itself refers the
condition of the colored race to the authority of
the States, and by its own provisions excludes
Federal jurisdiction. But bevord that, how is
the negro TO be made an element Of strength for
the suppression of the rebellionl Cameron. and
his supporters of the Republican party say, put
arms in their hands. For what purposef Are
there not many men in the North ready to
fight as we can arm and feed and clothe and pay I
Or is il true, that outnumbering the South, near
ly three to one the North falters and fails aud
must call the negro TO the rescueY ] would call
upon my countrymen to visit with universal in
dignation aud scorn the miscreant who entertans
so base opinion of Northern strength, and
Northern courage. Ignorant of the use Of arms.
and lacking those high intellectual and moral
qualities, that make the efficient soldier, the ne
gro can win no battles where the men of the
North are driven back. What General would 20
into battle trusting to black regiments for his
strength and what regiment, made up of the
proud men of Indiana, would stand in battle,
where they must lean for support upon armed
negroesf
Another class, too cowardly to fight, and too
malevolent to be gratifed by the results of civil
lied warfare. demand a carnival of blood and
feast of horrors, amid scenes of servie insurrec-
ton. Our fathers detested the foe that would in
cite the forest savage TO scenes Of midnight mas
sacre, and the judgment of enlightened and civ
iliZed humanity condemns appeal to the Gu
pidity or lust Of the soldierv. Shall we, then,
who have in keeping the honorable memories of
our fathers; who are amenable to the judgment
of the civilized nations, shall we invoke to our
aid the negroes of the South, calling up the foul
spirit of insunecton and making indiscrimnate
and uncontrolled war upon men, women, and
children, amid too horrible to be described
and too wicked to bring blessing. As believe
our soldiers are strong and brave, denounce it
as an insult to them; and as l am jealous of our
good name and fair fame, would make procla-
nation OF IL rs a thing so atrocious as to cOnsign
TO nfamy, i'm the eyes of the civilized world.
There is vet another class who demand, some
as purpose, and others as consequence of the
war, the emancipation of the slaves.
In military point of view, there is weakness
embarrassment, and burthen, in the proposition,
ard no strength. Without emancipation and it,
evils, the slaves, found in the neighborhood of
the camps, NAV be used to relieve the soldiers of
exhaustng labor. Owing service to their mas
ters they may be required to render that service
to the Government; but if made free, it will be
at their discretion and pleasure whether they re.
leye the soldiers in the trenches and upon the
breastworks; at least such is the view of the Ad-
ministraton, as expounded by the Secretary of
War. who says, "The Government has no power
to hold slaves, none to restrain slave of his lib
erty. or to exact his service. 1t has the right,
however. to use the voluntary services of slaves,
liberated by war from their rebel masters"
If the slaves be freed by the act of the Govern
ment, and the masters thereby discharged from
the care and responsibility of their maintenance,
that burthen at once falls upon the Government.
That is the doctrine of the Administration. In
his last message, President Lincoln says: "Un-
der and by virtue of the act of Congress entitled
an act TO confscate property used for insuTec-
tionary purposes, approved August 6, 1861, the
legal claims of certain persons to the labor and
service of certain other persons, have become
forfeited; and numbers of the latter thus liberia
ted are already dependent on the United States,
and must be provided for in some way" The
argument of the Secretary of War and the Presi-
dent amount to just this: By the authority and
act of the Government, the slaves are made free
because of the rebellion of the masters, and be-
ing free, the Government cannot exact their SER
vices; involuntary service would make them
slaves, and the Government cannot hold slaves
but being free by her act, they are dependent
upon the United States, "and must be provided
for in some way" That is the emancipation
policy of the Administration. AS war measure,
TO give strength to the North, what do you think
Of il! You viii observe We cannot exact SER
vice" from the manumitted slave-he is to work
or not work as suits his pleasure. That alterna-
tive deing presented, the negro does not work.
But he is to be provided for in some way
5000, coo slaves belonging to masters who 60
with the South, are iberatedl That will depend
largely upon the number of Republican commits
sares detailed to the service, and whether the
present per cent of profit is continued, and upon
the number of missionaries that are sen. among
this interesting people, to prepare them for 81 lib
erty, equality, and fraternity"
But Mr.. Lincoln is not content with an advo.
cacy of emancipation by the United States, but
he proposes to encourage the States to adopt the
same policy. He goes on to say: Besides this
it is not impossible that some of the States will
pass similar enactments for their own benefit re-
spectiyely, and by operation of which, persons oi
the same class viii be thrown upon them for dis
posal. In such case, recommend that Con.
gress provide for accepting such persons from
such States, according to some mode of valua
ton, in lieu pro tdnto Of direct taxes, or upon
some other plan 70 be agreed on with such States
respectively; that such persons, on such accept
ancc by the General Government, be at once
deemed Free" The proposition amounts to just
this: The public expenditures are now so enoE,
nous that direct tax is inevitable; the Consti
tuition of the United States, Article 1, section 2
provides that "direct taxes shall be apportioned
among the several States, which may be included
within this Union, according TO their respective
numbers" the tax must be apportioned and
imposed, but whea we come TO collect the taxes
If any State. as for instance Kentucky, will FIRE,
the negroes. we will receive such freed negroes il
payment Of her portion of the tax, according t.
their value, to be ascertsined by appraisement A
fair construction of the Constitution requires, no
only that the direct tax shall be imposed upon al
the States equally, but that il shall also be col
lected from them equally. in proportion to thei
numbers. According to the Presidents recon
mendation Indiana would pay her tax In money
60 be used for the common benefit, but Kentuck,
might pay in the slaves of her people. at a valua
ton, but as soon as so received they to 'be a
once deemed free" Such is the war policy o
the Administration, defeating revenue, instead o
furnishing it,
But the question recurs, in what way we b
/ rrovide for the manunitted slaves thew will he