Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-02
Hon. VIM. Duer on Union for the
Union.
OswEGo. May Is, ls6

]
cautions, to fix the time and place for holding
State Convention for the nomination of State
officers. l will give you the reason why think
it proper to decline this invitation.
The members of the Legislature by whom the
committee was appointed with which you invite
me to consult, adopted an address and resolu-
tons declaring certain principles and inviting to
convention which they recommend, All Repub-
licans, Union Democrats and other loyal citizens
supporters of the policy of the Administration and
responding to the principles and policy" set forth
in such address and resolutions.
| can not call myself ga supporter of the policy
of the Administration" and do not respond to
the principles and policy set forth in the adde's
and resolutions and therefore, though a loyal
citizen l am not embraced within this invita-
/ ton.
! am ready, indeed, to support the Admins
tration in the prosecution of the war for the pres
CREATION of our Constitutional Union, and know
that to this policy the President is pledged by
numerous acts and declarations, the sincerity of
which do not question. But whether he will
adhere to these pledges in spite of that powerful
/ influence in his own party which is seeking to
convert the into an abolition war, is yet to be
proved. He has already recommended an i'm
portaut measure which in my judgment is impo
/ tic and unwarranted by the Constitution. With
respect to the vital questions that remain regard
the policy of the Administration" as somewhat
un6xed and uncertain and until see more clear
/ ly what it is, l unable to call myself its "sup
porter"
But laying aside this objection which does not
seem to embarrass Republicans who are the open
opponents of the policy to which the President is
/ pledged let US consider the proposed union upon
i its merits. Is it expedient, and will it promote
the public welfare, to unite with the Republican
party upon the principles of the Legislative ad
dress and resolutions for the purpose of defeating
the Democratic party of this State the approach
| ing election? That is the question.
A year ago when the country was in imminent
danger, the Republicans of New York and of
other States invited Democrats and all other 10y
al men to lay aside partisan controversy and unite
with them in the support of the war for the protec
ton of the Constitution and Union. No other
motive or purpose for the war was then heard
from the leaders of the Republican party or indeed
in any quarter having the slightest influence upon
! public opinion.
The messages and speeches of the President;
/ the proclamatons of his Generals pledging the
public faith to the people of the invaded States,
and of which his mere silence was an approval
/ and confirmation; the resolutions of Congress
passed almost unanimously, only two RepuBli-
cans voting against them in the House OF Repre-
sentativeS; the language of the press and of popu
\ lar meetings-all united in declaring that the war
was to be prosecuted not to subjugate the South,
nor to change Southern Institutions, nor to de-
/ prive Southern men of their property or rights,
but simply to establish the authority of the Con
stitutiOn over all the States.
/ Such were the appeals and assurances under
which the commenced. But when we had
/ half million of men in arms; when our armies
were filled with Democrats and others who vol
unteered to fight for this cause and not for aboli-
ton; when Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri,
relying upon our promises, had sent loyal men to
/ Congress, opened their territories to our troops
and placed themselves in pOwer-then first
we heard, that slavery beng the cause of the war,
| SLAVERY must be destroyed. 1t is notorious, that
at this day large portion Ito say at east) of the
Republican party repudate these pledges and
trample on their own Chicago platform. They
are the open advocates of the abolition of slavery
| - the States, and of measures of confscation so
sweeping and relentless that their like has not
been known since the days of William the Con
| querOr. They have theories, several theories.
Some of them maintain that the seeded States
are out of the Union, and therefore have no
rights. They adopt the doctrine of secession, at
tachng to it "a consequence that enhances its alb
surdity. The States, they say, are gone as
States, but remain territories, subject abso-
lutte power This is the theory of Mr.. Sumner
1t is the theory adopted by great meeting in the
city of New York, over which a son of Alexan-
der Hamilton presided. Others derive the power
10 aDOllSQ slavery from 4 Inherent source. IL
may be done, they say, by the power-in 9th
er words, by despOtic power Who can bound
the war power? And to what a miserable state
must that country be reduced, where it shall be
thought justification of every violation of con
stitutiOnal law to say that it may be done by
the war powerl
l know that all these gentlemen claim to be
prominently even the friends of the Union.
They would sooner abolish slavery than that the
Il
nv despOtsm in the South for the sake of the
Union. They are so passionate in their love that
they would sacrifice law, liberty, the Constitution
itself, TO SAGE the Union. Well the Ulion to
which they are so devoted, is one for which con-
fess l have no respect or attachment. l know no
Union but our Constitutional Union of free and
equal States. 1t is an abuse of words to call any
thing else the URion. Upon the new platform,
Phillips who declares that for twenty weary he
has been the enemy of the Union, and Garrison,
who formerly stigmatised it as a compact with
hell, are both Union men. 1t is the opinion of
these gentlemen that the law of God and the
Constitution of the United States at variance
with each other, and therefore they have sought
the overthrow of the Union, but they have be-
come converted since it has been discovered that
one may be an enemy of the Constitution, and
vet friend of the Union. So, MIR. Gerret Smith,
who sat in a seat of honor at the New York
hates the Constitution he lOUes the Union
The legislative address invites to the proposed
Union Convention call Republicans, Union Dem
Ocrats and other loyal citizens" This implies
that all Republicans are loyal; that disloyaity
may be found among Democrats and other citi-
zens, but nowhere else. Such is not my opinion.
We are in arms against the disloyal men of the
South, and none here now oppose the war. /
believe that individuals may be found in the
l rbn NTH fba oloio and v;sb
them success. But it would be absurd to organ
ize political party against persons few and
Insignificant, and who dare only speak in whispers.
The disOyal men of the North, from whom dan
ger is to be apprehended, they who seek to
convert the war into a war for the emancipation
of the black race by means of the overthrow of the
Constitution. Where are these men to be found
Sumner is one of them: Wade another; Thad-
deus Stevens third. If there are Democrats OF
othe, citizens among them, / think they will be
found to fraternise with the Republicans, or
rather to be in transformation state. Is it not
plain that if need Union party the North,
it is in order to defeat the schemes of these meni
But how can that be If they are invited to take
part in the movement
There is no resemblance between this move
ment and that which resulted in the nomination
of the Union ticket in this State last fall There
was then show of opposition to the war at the
North. but no difference as to its purpose We
all then were or proposed to be Constitutional
Union Now all opposition to the war has
disappeared, but controversy has arisen as 70
object for which il shall be prosecuted whether
to establish the Constitution to overthrow it
and reduce the South to the condition of a con-
quered province. Upon this question, the only
political question that really divides the people oil
the North, true Union party can not be neutral
or silent.