Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-08
FROM the Albany Alias ssd Argus
Drilling Await

usual calls 70 Democrats and Republicans are
put forth, and the old rallying cries shouted,
der which men are invoked TO follow the ira
ditional banners Of party. Yet how impsrfectly
such phrases define the issue, or parties. founded
upon the questions Of the past. represent the
principles involved
The question before Congress. repeatedly
pressed In the Senate and in the House. in vari-
Gus forms. is whether this Government. under ITS
present Constitution. is TO exist or be destroyed.
The ultra Republicans. taking the same theoretic
ground as the Secessionists. declare that this is
rebellion OF States. instead Of Instruction Of
a portion of the people of several States, and
hold that the States, having gone out of the
Union cannot come back except with new Con
sttutions framed TO suit the anti slavery views Of
the majority of Congress.
No reasons offered to justify this position.
The power 10 extngush the Government and
revclutionize the Federal system is called the
war power, and this war power is another form
OF Mr. Stewards higher law, who has long time
been erecting divinity which was to absolve all
obligations 10 law, but whose M0loch features
and revolving acts show him TO be a demon from
below instead of God from high. Those
who consult this war power for rules for the adj
ministration of great state, in crisis ike this,
are little above the Fetish worship of the Afri.
cans, from whom they seem To derive their crude
ideas of religious and political duty
In the storm Of passions artfully excited. and
under the delusion of false principles, the people
are apt TO lose sight Of the landmarks and be
come unconscious how rapidly they are drifting
from constitutional duty and safety into the
abyss OF untred experiment and the chaos of
revolution.
Ii is sixteen years since, on the proposition 10
negotiate with Mexico for territory. Mr.. WIlmot
moved the proviso that in such acquired territory
"neither slavery nor involuntary servitude should
be admitted except for crime" The prohibition
was limited - acquisitions from Mexico aud was
not intended To reach such case rs the annexa.
ton OF Cuba, which was then in the c0rtempla
ton of the Northern well as of Southern
statesmen. The proposition amended sub
sequently. by adding prOviso that this clause
should not affect the rendition Of slaves In the
TerrItOries-a clause not required 10y the letter OF
the Constitution, which imposed this duty only on
States, but undoubtedly conceived in its spirit.
This proposition, in so far it said To the
Federal Government, you shall not undertake TO
alter the condition OF acquired territory, for that
is not one of the attributes of Federal power"
was based upon the Democratic idea of rigid
construction of Federal authority. 1t only
adequately met IN theory, when another school OF
Democrats proposed To carry the negaton of
Federal power a step further, and leave the con
dtion of the future States To themselves when
formed. The Constitution had been silent in re
gard to the acquisitions of territorory, and left
necessarily wide margin for diverse cOns,ruc-
tons and for latitude of views for which there
should have been most tolerant indulgence.
Instead of this, the question agtated in
the most ianatcal spirit. Now that we look back
at il. it is clear that those we're most wrong In
their views who insisted that the Federal author
ity should be exercised for the interior Govern
ment of the Territories; for even Europe had
abandoned this system a. regarded its Colonies
H.l lostt FL. LII
fed, condition Of self government. Neither
school of Democrats fell into this error OF max
ing Congress the legislators for the Territories.
That was essentially doctrine of the Federal
school.
But the result has rebuked the fanaticism OF
all parties while it has ialShed all the prophecies
and pretensions of those who made this matter
the occasion for prospective and excited agta-
ton. No WimOt prOvisO was passed to protect
the Territories from slavery. no decision of the
courts defined the statute of slavery therein, till
long after their fate was practically settled; no
general rule OF action adopted by the Terri
tories; some of them forming free State consti
buttons, like California, and others dscountenanc-
ing slavery. and others refusing To act either way.
Yet the result the same ia all: after an ex-
perience of fourteen years there is not slave in
any one of our embracing a terrific
ry larger than the original Republic, and nearly
as large as civilized Europe
The last half century has seen here the sue
cessiul emancipation of slaves in the several
States. their exclusion from all the territories,
and the preponderance of the North over the
South in the Federal government; and the move
ment which has brought about these events has
been going with continually increasing rapid
ity. Ii was when the North had gained all the
territory. had acquired the performance in both
houses, had shaped tariffs TO its own profit. and
hal mOnOpollZed the commerce of the South,
that it became most iutolerant. Aud all this be
cause fsnatcism taught that the conquering and
triumphant section was victim OF injustice and
tyranny on the part of the dwindling minority!
The treason of the demagogue of the South
has robbed the North for while OF the fruits
OF its triumph We can imagine no greater
prosperity than that which the free States of this
Republic would have enjoyed, if it had not been
interrupted by this civil war. 1t may yet return
with some temporary abatement of cost and con
fusion. occasIoned by and debt ana taxation
But it can only return upon "A restoration of the
Union. it was under the constitution of the
fathers. We do not speak OF any immunity TO
be offered to slave property 1t must share the
fate of all other property and we care no more
for class of sufferers than for another. except
as one may deserve to suffer more or less than
another.
What we do care tor. and what the political
struggle now Is for and long will continue 10 be.
i the preservation Ofthe States and of the rela-
ton they have held to the Federal Government.
Wewant 10 consolidated Government We want
no Government claiming unlimited attributes,
whether under the power or the higher law.
We want the Constitution Of Washington and
jefferson, not Tor the sake OF the South or the
Shareholders or the slaves but for our own sakes.
The jealousy of its founders limited it, direct
Government to the ten miles square of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. Beyond this il was but a ted
erative bond. with defined and permSSive fuuc
tions in the States. We do not want the fede-
ratve trust changed into a dictatorship over de
graded States governed by pro -conSul> and the
machinery of patronage and the force OF standing
armies
Let US restore the States Drive from them
the armies of secession, and let the Union men
be heard Hand over 10 them the questions of
confscation and of punishment OF amnesty and
pacfcstion. With the restored Union will come
peace and prosperity. This is the question that
i before the American people now This i a
question higher than any that ever before divided
Democrats and their opponents Wed0 not care
to discuss il, merely Democrats but still,
whenever entering upon it. We shall refer to the
history of three fourths of century of Demo
cratic rule. the practical illustration OF our
theories. and 20 the mast wear aud the coming
year and the one that is 10 follow. as the example
of a departure from constitutional ideas for the