Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-25

Obbeet the war.
The suboned letter, (the initial number of a
series from the pen of public man we'll known
TO the whole country, and who i'm the present crf
SIS has sgnalzed his devotion to the cause of the
Union, was originally sent to us for insertion
without the signature of the writer Though de-
string, from considerations of mOdesty to write
anonymously, he was induced ut our request to
attach his to these letters, and thus give to
them the weight or his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. In
teLtgencer.
LETTER NO ONE.
ITO 1brahGm LincOLR President of the u. States:
RESPECTED SIR: do not address YOU for the
purpose OF censure or advice. From bOyhoOd TO
old age ! have belonged to the Democratic party
of the country. My political creed, in common
with that OF my party throughout the North, has
been aud now ~ devotion to the Constitution as
il came from the hands of Washington and his
cOnpatrOtS, and to the rights of the States re
served by them the adoption of that instrl.
ment.
We look upon the structure composed of the
States and the Union temple of liberty, of
which the States are the pillars and the Union
the roof. Remove the pillars and the roof will
fall; remove the root and the pillars will be
OverthrOwn by the storms of anarchy and war
and our country will be strew ed with ruins more
melancholy than those which lie PROSTATE or
stand shattered on the sites OK ancient cities
Ruthless hands have seized upon and are at
tempting To remove portion OF the pillars OF
our temple, at the hazard OF crushing themselves
and us in its tall. and in the insane hope OF build
Inc temple for themselves out OF the ruins.
Though the Democratic party of the North
were always willing to make all reasonable or
even tolerable concession to satisfy their allies in
the South, yet, as body, no party is more devo-
tel TO the Constitution and the Union. 1t was
devotion to the Union which induced them to
make concession after concession TO quiet the APP
parent apprehensiOns of their Southern friends
80 vital In their view was the preservation of the
Union and the Constitution to the interests and
safety of the Southern States in particular that
many of them could not, until the assault on
Fort Sumter. be convinced that the leaders of
Southern agitation had ANYTHING in view beyond
further guarantees for their local institutions
Under this delusion some of them raised their
voices against coercion, and thereby unwittingy
rendered material service to the cause of rebel
lion. But when convinced, bv the thunder of
rebel cannon and the flames of Fort Sumter that
revolution, and not redress security within the
Union, the object OF the Southern leaders
they did all that honest men could do to retrieve
their error, and, notwithstanding their political
antagonism on minor points, the Democratic
party OF the North rail- ed around the Admins
tration as the only means of saving their country
ready to sacrifice all that is DEAR even lie itself
for the preservation OF the Union and the Consti
tuition, and to them II is cheering, though but
Just, that YOU have recently given them a repre-
sentative in your Cabinet
Be assured, sir that the Democratic party of
the North with the exception of few semi
traitors whom they repudiate cordially approve
the objects of the war against rebellion as de-
cared by YOU in all your public avowals They
all Il.
exceeded by any class of your original support
ers and they will spare no sacrifice to save the
Union and the Constitution. In this great Oh
Ject they are already consolidated with the great
mass OF the Republic party, and will be among
the last to despair Indeed, these two parties for
ali present purposes constitute but one, which
may be appropriately called the Constitutional
Union Party. The object OF this party i'm the
pending war Is To preserve the MON and the Con
sutution as Il rs Ii Is the Constitution. and that
only. which makes Us nation; destroy it. and
the nation viii celse To exist. heiug resolved into
thirty four independent States. In fighting for
the Constitution, therefore, We fight for the life
of the nation. for all that can give u peace and
security at home and all that can make Us hon
ored or reSpented abroad
The fundamental principles Of our Govern
ment. that principle which has enabled the repub-
lic To extend itself from the Atlantic to the Pa
StitI anu ttiuONtu u VIII Capacity 10 embrace
continents and cfimes within its dominion, i that
everything which relates exclusively or mainly 10
local affairs shall be left to be regulated bv local
governments, while the powers of the General
Government shall be only such as are requisite to
promote the peace, happiness and prosperity of
the people, whatever NAV be their peculiar Gus
toms. laws or domestic institutions An attack
upon this principle j. assault Hpen the Cofrt-
tution II Is undermining the foundations of the
repubc II Is divestIng IL OF that attribute almost
divine, which. like the Government of Heaven,
protects alike error and truth. allowing man 10
work out his own happiness in peace by the free
exercise of his own powers
But we have class OF men among US who are
not content with such a Gov ernment They are
not content with the privilege of shaping the laws
and Institutions of the States in which they i've
according TO their own sense OF right and expe-
diency. but wish 10 compel other nen and other
over whose local affairs they have
no rghtfGl control. 20 adopt their notions, and
utterly regardless OF essential differences in CIR
cnmstances remodel all local institutions by their
procrnste4n standard. And by 4 concerted effort
these men are attempting 10 divert the military
power Of the country from its legitimate object
the Preservation Of tire Constitution in rs iuieg-
rty. and direct Il 10 the subversiou OF the fonda
mental principle which IL Is based Such
scheme Is virtually conspiracy against the Con