Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-10
Revelations of "A ssHeIiabIe GenrIe-
man.

OF General MCMILLAN Tor the prosecution OF tue
war. He states that there is much less activity
in the manufacture of arms than there used to be,
about $50 rifles and only one or two pieces of
artillery are turned out peek, owing, as he
thinks. to the exhaustion Of materials. He also
represents that the term of enlistment for large
portion of the rebel army expires in February and
March, and that in most cases they will not re-
enlist He predicts from this a dlsbanding of the
rebel forces to a great extent IT this be true,
the mastery inactivity" Of General MCCLELLAN
and the activity of General Mud, who prevents
the former from yielding to the clamors for
onward movement. are increasing the probabilities
OF success when the Federal forces make the long
predicted and hoped for advance.
DR.. FLETCHER represents that there is a strong
Union feeling in Richmond, the details of which
it is not thought proper to publish. The Union
lists meet in secret, and tie Doctor knows the
leaders. the places of meeting, their preparations
and their numbers, but the rebels are ''baffled"
in their attempt to get this information. A rebel
officer informed the Doctor that "if the Federal
army should enter Richmond, there would be ten
thousand Union flags hOiSted in an hour &" We hope
these statements are all reliable, but when we
take consideration the fact that there are not
oversix or seven thousand buildings in Richmond,
all told and that a considerable portion of the
citizens of that city must sympathize with the
rebels. the reliable gentlemans'' report of the
extent of the Union feeling must be somewhat
exaggerated, and that such is the case, we have
only to give the Doctors report to the condi-
ton of the defenses of the rebel capital, as the
Journal states it:
He says that Richmond is undefended. Very
large and formidable earthworks have been con-
structed, but not a gun is mounted upon them.
The city could be taken without any difficulty, if
an army Can ever reach il. But the roads to it
all strongly guarded, the defenses being
arranged to enable one to defend another, orif
taken by an enemy TO asSai it, The citizens of
Richmond, lrhO either escaped drafting, or pro-
cured substitutes, haze formed companies to man
the iRtreHchmsHts, in case they are attacked. but
they would hardly be formidable cOuibatants
against disciplined men.
This statement does not tally with the other
The Doctor further states that the Richmond
papers contained the resolutions, proceedings and
speeches of the 9Th of January Democratic State
Convention, held in this city, cas- reported in the
Sentinel" We hope this is so, but the Doctor
says these papers were taken from him. 1t is
singular that these papers should have been alb
stracted by some of the many visitors who called
upon him on his way here. while he brought 9TH
er late Richmond papers with him 20 this city
without any difficulty. How does the Doctor
know that the Richmond papers Published the
proceedings as reported for the Sentinel? Were
they not coAed from the reports of the Journal,
which purposey misrepresented and maligned the
proceedings of the Conventions report which
was calculated to give laid and comfort" to the
enemy? This we believe to be the fact. We
hope, as we before said, that the proceedings OF
the 9Th of January Convention. "as reported in
the Sentinel, will be published by every paper
and reach every hamlet in the South. 1t will be
evidence to them that the Democracy of Indiana
alike condemn abOlitionism and secessionsm; that
they are loyal to the Constitution and the Union;
that they are for maintaining the Government
upon the principles and for the objects it was or
gained; that they are for guaranteeing to each
State all its rights under the Constitution; that
they will sustain, with all their energies, a war
for the maintenance of the Constitution and the
integrity OF the Union under the Constitution,
but they are opposed to a for the emancipa-
ton of the negroes or the subugation of the
Southern States. And these sentiments are just
those all the Republicans in Congress declared
to be the principles and purposes for which
the now progressing to be prosecuted.
On the llth of February, 1861, Mr.. SHERMAN,
of Ohio, then and now prominent and Jealous
Republican, offered the following resolution,
in the House of Representatives, which was
unanimously adopted, ayes l60, nays0:
Resolved, That neither the Congress of the
United States nor the people or governments OF
the slavehOlding States have the constitu-
tional right to legislate upon, interfere with,
slavery in any of the slaveholding States in the
Union.
Certainly the resolutions of the Democratic
Convention take no higher or stronger ground
han this. If the principles contained in the
foregoing resolution, adoptedby Congress on the
1Ith of February. 1861. were sound then. they
were no less sound ON the Sth day of January,
1862.
AT the extra session of Congress in July last,
Mr. CRITTESRES, of Kentucky, introduced the
following resolution:
RESOLVED 6y the House Of Representatives. of the
Congress of the United States That the present
deplOraole civil has been forced upon the
country by the disunionsts of the Southern
States. now in revolt az inst the Constitutional
Government, and in around the Capital.
That in this national emergency, Congress. ban
ishing all feelings of mere passion OF resentment,
will recOllect only its duty TO the whole country.
That this is not waged their part in any
spirit OF oppression. nor for any purpose of con-
quest or subugatiOn. nor purpose of overthrow
ing or interfering with the rights or established
institutions of those States. but to defend and
maintain the supremacy of the Constitution, and
TO preserve the Union with all the dignity, equal
ity and rights of the several States unimpaired;
and that as soon these objects are accomplish
ed the war ought to cease.
This was adopted on the 22d of July last, after
the had commenced, every member of the
House voting for it, except REID of Missouri and
BURNETT of Kentucky, both of whom have since
been expelled.
If the sentiments expressed by this resolution
were right in July last. they were right on the
sth of January 1862, and the Democratic Con-
ventiOn but reiterated them when it said il was
opposed to of oppression or conquest. or
subjugation. or to interfere with the rights or
established institutions of any State. but to de-
serve the Union with all the dignity, equality and
rights Of the several States unimpaired. Such
was the spirit of the proceedings of the 9th of
January Convention. and good will come Of them
if the SenhnsIs report of them should be read by
every man in the South. 1t would have the ef-