Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-25
A Republican Congressman on the
slavery Question.

Col +. L. BLAIR, the Republican member OF
Congress from the St. Louis District, delivered a
speech in the House on the lllh instant. upon the
slavery issue The distinguished gentleman at
tempts to meet the charge that the President is
sithout policy in his administration, which he
senies and the burden of his effort is to present
his conception of what that policy is As we are
unable for want OF room to print the speech en-
ere we give the salient points condensed by
she Rochester Union and call attention to them
As coming from the Republican side of the House
which has but little sympathy with the fanatical
supporters of the Administration. What Col
BLAIR says in regard to the causes of the war are
specially worthy of notice:
lst Col Blair is decidedly opposed to the abo-
Elton of slavery in the States by the arbitrary ex
ercise of unconstitutional power. He says 1.-THE
constitutional authorities" alone can deal with
l:lis question with any hope of salutary results.
sMy belief is that any assumption of authority to
expedite il would STAY the work and might re
rtore the slave dynasty again temporarily to
POWER.
81 He declares emphatically against the the
C:ries of the Tribune and the fanatics generally.
Il 20 slavery being the cause of the war; and that
la Order 10 but Gown the TebeiliOn euectuallN
Slavery must be destroyed. He says:
."Every man acquainted with the facts, KNOWS
that it il f,llacious call this shareholders
rebellion" If such was the fact. two divisions of
eur army could have suppressed it without diff
C.Ilty the negroes themselves could easily put
Gown the two hundred and fifty thousand slave
FOLDERS but IL is a matter OF history that the slave
Holders, as a body. the last and most reIuc-
Tint to JON the rebellion
3D. Col Blair takes the true ground when he
sivs that the question is not what shall be done
With the slave. but what shall be done with The
I.egrol This theory is not original. nor is the
Iserit of originality claimed for it by the speaker
t3It il i none the less true We quote:
At was the negro question and not the SiGuery
qstestion which made the neutrality-suspicious. EN-
tiey different and requiring entirely different
tieatment; and it IS necessary To understand
tie distinction to enable US 10 deal with it sue
fessfully. as 1t is that the physician should know
tIe disease which lie Is called on To treat and TO
Calre. Ii the rebellion was made by two hundred
ssld fifty thousand sa,e holuers for the sake OF
Isrpetuating slavery. then il might be complete
TtmeIy to eXtlrpate the institution; but II the
I,be.lon has grown ont of the adherence OF the
is0R SiaUeh0tderS for emancipation and amGigd-
ration. and their dread OF negro equality how
vi their discomfort be cured by The Gerry measure
tse rery apprehension Of Srhich has dTireR them
i-,fo Tebett;OHf
4th. Colonel Blair Is Justly severe upon the half
C.azed fanatics who are madly urging the Presi-
,,nt 70 adopt the revolutionary policy OF trans
fIrmiug this from war for the preservation
& the Union .nd tie Constitution INFO a war Tor
~ abolition of slavery, under the deusive plea
that he would thus cripple the energies OF the en-
seny aud bring the struggle to speedy and tri
Ienphant close Tie says the ultra anti slavery
Ken cooperate with The slave interest in maxim
contrary purpose And again:
/ " The North i a unit. and TIE South Is divided
n the question Of the Union. Could the gentle.
Zen who are advertising for a policy for the Ad
Iiiuistrsltion IfRDr0re this CONDITION by policy
i,tici roRid dirde orr friends and unite he
south They imagine, indeed that by decreeins
Emancipation. they could let more efficient help
islm NE negroes II they could show any reason
ftr suppos AZ that the negroes would run away in
aiy Areates numbers than they now Go, under
she's "A decree. there might be some ground Tor
dibate. but there IS not The slightest for
stpnosng this All run away now, | believe.
valo can get away. Il i only when our armies
ifvade the slave regions that they can get away,
AID it would still require that the forts they are
c}mpcllef 10 build should be taken by our armed
nsen We could not strengthen ourselves al The
jorfl by TINS measure certainly; We have already
lie whole force of that region: and We could not
Syeugthen ourselves az tdt SOURI, iut We CdHHut
r3lch the slaves hy such proclamation except
Il force and IRE should add 10 tae force Of the free
~; % oppose as
81 this connection he deals "a portion of the
I3e>ident's gnal friends '-to wit. the radicals
i tauaties-a blow which even they must feel
Is force of
.5th. Col Blair justly regards this war produ
cSi by an ''ide.1 the "idea" that Mr. Lincoln
va re~ol, ei on freeing the slaves and making
ttem the social and political equals OF the whites
IL Is no answer o. tins allegation 20 say what We
rf,diiy couceie, that the leaders of the rebellion
Knew tAat Mr. Lincoln entertaine no such pur-
pfse They. knowing full well that the Pres-
dat harbored no such intention, easily poisoned
tls. mind of the ignorant whites on this subiec..
ai$ induced them TO believe that they must ne
cfsary choose between political and social
eilalty with the enfranchisei States on the one
b snd and the achievement OF Southern indie
Er:idence on the other. Hence Col Blair takes
a.. ground that inasmueh the rebellion vas
c ilsed by an abstract idea. il may be terminated
Il another abstract Idea; that tie idea OF the
sasTsfioH Of the two races is the proper autidote
sthe poisoa which lie idea OF the la8lgamatl0R