Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-22
Hon GodIoye =. Orth and the Peace
Congress.

place on the otn day OF OCTOBER.
Hon. Godiove y. Orfh and the Peace
Congress.
The weight of responsibility resting upon those
who have in any wise aided in bringing upon the
country the present civil war, or who aided either
BY acts of omission or commission in preventing
a peaceful solution of the differences between the
North and the South is terrific. Upon them rests
the blood that has been so freely shed, and popu-
lar condemnation should be visited upon them
whenever the opportunity presents itself.
The Republicans of the Lafayette district have
nominated as their candidate for Congress Hon.
GODLovE s. ORTH, and we desire to present to
the electors of his district portion of his record,
that they may determine to what extent he is re-
quences have brought on the country.
When the Congress Of 1850 81 met, it was evil
dent to the Statesmen of both sections of the
country that We were upon the eve of civil war,
and there was an earnest desire in the hearts of
the people that it should be averted if possible by
concession and compromise.
Animated by this feeling. the venerable States
man of Kentucky. on the 18th of December, in
troduced to the Senate his celebrated plan of adj
justment.
Influenced by the same notions, the Legislature
of Virginia invited the other States to unite with
her in an earnest effort to settle the unhappy con-
troverses, and to send Commissioners to meet
those of her appointment in Convention, to con
slider and, If possible, to agree upon some suitable
adjustment. The Legislature of Indiana accepted
the proposition, and authorized the Governor to
appoint five Commissioners for that purpose. The
Governor selected the following gentlemen, all Of
whom were Republicans CALEB B. SMITH, P. A
HAcKLEaAS, GoDLovE S. 0RrH, +. w. II. Ell
LIS and THOMAS SLAUGHTER.
Mr. ORrH was thus sent 10 concede and COM
promise, to make every effort in his power to pre-
vent a dissolution of the Union, and to save the
country from the calamties that have since visi
ted US. How did he perform his mission
patriot or as a partisan; as Statesman appreci
ating what was due the country, or as narrow
minded politician, willing to wreck the hopes o
the nation to save his party platform intact ?
In the Convention each State had but one vote
and for the purpose of preventing misconstruc
ton, any delegate was permitted to enter upoI
the record his dissent from the vote of his State
BY this means we are enabled to ascertain Will
certainty the position of Mr.. ORTIZ
The Convention met on the 9TH of February
1861, and on the 9th of February COMMITTEE
was raised, of which Hon. JAMES GUTHRIE, tn
eminent Unionist of Kentucky, chairman, t.
whom the whole subject was referred.
The committee, on the 18th of February
through their chairman. reported as the basis o
compromise certain proposed amendments to the
Constitution, embraced in seven articles.
After these articles had passed the ordeal o
discussion and amendment they came up for tn
final action of the Convention.
Upon the first resolution Indisha did not vot
at all. Upon the second she voted in the affirma
tive and Mr. ORTIZ dissented. Upon the thir
she voted in the negative. Upon the forth sh
voted in the affirmative and Mr.. ORTIZ dissenfed
Upon the fifth she voted in the affirmative ar
Mr.. ORru dissented Upon the sixth she voteC
in the negative. Upon the seventh she voted il
the affirmative and Mr.. Ortiz dssented. 1t viii
thus be that upon each section Mr. ORTIZ
either did not vote at all or voted against it, thu
ment and voting to prevent the adoption of an
plan.
The bitterness of his hostility is more fully ap
preciated by reference to his votes on the fourtl
and fifth sections. The fourth is a declaration
that the Constitution should not be so construe,
as to prevent the State judicial and ministerial
officers from aiding in executing the fugitive slav
law, the fifth prohibited the foreign slave trade
in all its forms. The fourth was concession b,
the North, the fifth by the South. Indiana voteC
in the affirmative upon both propositions. and Mr.
ORrH dissented from both votes.
In addition to this, on the 25th of February
Mr.. CLAY. of Kentucky, moved to substitute TIT
CRrrrESDKN compromise tor the proposition re
ported by the committee, and upon the question
of agreeing TO the amendment Mr.. ORTIZ vote,
with the rest of the Indiana delegation agans
the substitution. thus showing his hostility to th'
CRIrrENpES compromise as well as to the plan {,
which we have referred.
Thus did Mr. 0RrH contribute his efforts to tn,
defeat of any plan of adjustment. and his position
was fully appreciated by the Union members o
tho Convention.
When Mr.. GUTHRIE returned to Kentucky ant
in a speech at Louisville gave an account of hi
stewardship, all he could say for delegation
was, that Indiana was represented by five Blacl
Republicans
After Mr. 0RrH sreturn to Indiana he stated &
gentleman of this city at Lafayette, that the
CRlrrENDEN compromise would have been &C
ceptabIe to the mass of the Southern members
and in this declaration he is borne out by the