Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-22


Never since the war commenced have affairs
looked so distressing at the present moment.
Our army checked, Dafied, driven back. The
enemy bold daring and defiant The President
writing homilies upon what shall be done with
the comet after he has discharged his prOclama-
ton. In the administrative part of the Govern
ment all things look wretched, fearful and dis
tressing, because there seems TO be no mind TO
direct, no capacity TO manage, and very little
anxiety felt to what may be the result.
In Congress things look worse even than they
do in the Cabinet. There. there is "go ahead"
but it is of the kind that destroyed Pope's army,
and plunged Burnside's troops upon death. The
Chairman OF the Committee of Ways and Means
i'm the House declared in his place that there was
no pretence of constitutionality in the Ovid
ing the State of Virginia. il a revolution
AIRY act. Revolutions depend exclusively upon
success. Mr.. Stevens used this language:
81 say, then. that may admit Western Vir-
GINA as new State, not by virtue of any pro-
vision of the Constitution, but under our absO-
lutte power which the laws Of war give us in the
circumstances in which We are placed. shall
vote for this bill upon that theory and upon that
alone; for will not stutify myself by supposing
that we have any warrant in the Constitution for
this proceeding
"This talk of restoring the Union as il was un-
der the Constitution ms il is is one of the absurd
tiles which | have heard repeated until have
L
be restored as it was. There are many things
which render such event impossible. This
Union shall never, with my consent, be restored
under the Constitution as it is, with slavery to
be protected by it,"
And again:
81 have consulted the acts of the Executive,
and find that, while in great majority Of in
stances in the rebel States he has but little regard
to the Constitution, he has upheld it in only one,
in that he prohibits the taking Of the property Of
women and children of rebel men who are in
arms with the enemies of the Union.
We quote this language not for the purpose Of
condemning it, bat for the purpose OF showing
that in Congress there is spirit of destructive
ness evinced that is truly lamentable. Ii the
party in power is determined to revolutionize the
Government, let them remember that success in
the held, and rapid success, is essential. The
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of States, and the obiteration
OF boundaries, to have any force, must be follow
ed by success in the field The idea of dividing
! Virginia and making two States of it, when the
whole force of the Government for eighteen
months has not been able to drive the rebels a
hundred miles from Washington and when, to-
day. they stand at fredericksburg granting per-
mission to bury the dead. is a mockery worse
than even the silly prOnunciamentos for which
Mexican Congresses and Mexican Generals have
become ridiculous
The President and his Cabinet are seeking to
establish boundary line which will leave East
ern Virginia. tie Carolinas. Georgia. 10 5rida and
| perhaps Alabama, out of the Union. Upon that
boundary line the President. perhaps. is willing
to end the war How long such boundary
would last no one seems to know or care. To
obtain foreign mediation TO that end is the only
| object that seems to be sought.
| This is to put down the rebellion and
restore the authority of The Government, or it is
not. Disunion means national bankruptcy and
total reputation of the public debt. If that
disunion is the result of imbecility in the Gov
eminent, then the national ruin will be the great
er. The only possible means of escape is to
keep the Union together by putting down the
rebellion. Ii we cannot whip who puts
himself in our path, let other means he tried If
the Federal Government cannot put down the re-
belon by force, let other means be tried, but
never under any possible contingency consent to
dlsunion. If We can whip the South, in Gods
name let it be done, but If they are not to be
subdued by force. ask them upon what terms
they will settle and STAY in the Union.
The people of the North have not been want
ing in any particular I hey have sent a million
of men to the field, most of them armed and
equipped by the States The General Govern
ment has had the appointment of commanding
officers, supplying the transportation and stores,
and paying the troops We do not know an in
stance where the people or the States have failed
to do their duty; nor do we know instance
where the Government has hot failed. General
Fremont supplied with pontoon bridges,
which he carried on the backs Of mules all over
the mountainous department of Virginia. When
Gen Burnside wanted to cross the Rappahan-
mock, he had no boats, and bad to wait weeks for
them
Things look fearfully unpromisng A care
less and Indifferent Cabinet an unfortunately
situated army, and revolutionary Congress;
these alone, ii the rebels would stay their aggres
sive movements. would bring the nation to ruin.
| Chicago Post.