Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-23
The /" UniOn,', or Republican State
onVentiO

Convention.
This promised to be imposing demonstration
came off on the 18th according to programme.
There is no necessity of saying anything in its
disparagement, so far as numbers and enthusiasm
are concerned. 1t was not what we expected it
to be in these respects, and it fell far below the
expectations of its getters up. 1t will be a large
estimate when we say that two thousand, outside
of the city and county, were present. And the
character and position of those who did attend,
present the best evidence that the hearts of the
people were not in the movement. TIE bone
and sinew of the State were not there. and the
absence of that class was a noticeable feature in
the Convention. 1t was composed mainly of
preachers, bankers, village politicians, oficehold-
ers and Office seekers. There were a few men
who acted in good faith. and really thought it
wasG "UniOn' movement, a temporary surren-
der of party affiliations for the good of the cOun-
try; but that class were very few and far be-
tween. Outside of this class, and especially with
the Republicans present, the feeling prevailed,
and it was frequently expressed, that it was an
immense letting down of Republicanism, with
u an dOcQudtc tOuSiucIdLfOH. luStc MtIc SOue
in the Convention who had heretofore acted with
the Democratic party, and who apparently had
no selfish purposes to advance; but what these
men can see in the character of the Con-
v%entiOn, or in its resolutions to commend,
it is difficult for us to divine. The main
portion of the Convention, and we may say
the mass of it who participated in its proceedings,
were Republicans-the men who have made up
the various parties which have sprung up in op-
position to the Democracy for the past eight
years. The true sentiment of the Convention
found no expression in its resolutions or action.
1t was evidently suppressed for an ohject--and
that purpose was to perpetuate the party now in
power in both the State and national Govern
ments without assuming the responsibility of the
acts Of the Republican party and Administration
The Convention was a failure and it will be so
regarded by the true and honest men Of all par
ties. Hypocrisy in the present crisis of the coun-
try will not win. There was no honest, out
spoken, manly expression upon the issues now be.
fore the nation-not party questions. but ques-
tons of public policy of the highest Importance
and involving the welfare of the Government.
There was nothing said about emancipation or
confscation-nothing about the gross frauds and
corruptions which have characterized the party
in power-nothing about the unequal tariff sys-
tem-nOthing against the paper system which in
directly reproduces a Government bank, and
nothing in reference to any acts or avOwals of
the National and State Administrations. Upon
/ tboca f0nios fbaro wac On opnipouc ci1o1oo
Will honest. Union loving Democrats, who placed
some faith in the "Union'' movement, be satisfied
with such a platform? We think not. Office
seekers may, Office holders may, Government
contractors may, but not the masses Of the peo-
pie whose only purpose Is the preservation Of the
Government as it came from the fathers, purely
and honestly administered. The callers of the
Union" Convention denounced the sth of Janu-
airy Convention as d%isloyal. If such was the
character of the latter, in what respect do the
resolutions passed by the Union" Convention
differ from the Sth of January platform? Let us
compare the resolutions. The 18th of June Con-
vention resolves as follows:
That the present civil war was forced upon the
country by the disunionisIs of the Southern
States, who are now in rebellion against the Con-
stitutiOnal Government; that in the present Ma
tional emergency, we, the people of Indiana. i'm
Convention assembled, forgetting all former po-
lltlcal differences, and Fec0llecting only our duty
to the whole country, do pledge ourselves to aid
with men and money the vigorous prosecution of
the present war, which is not being waged upon
the part Of our Government for the purpose of
conquest, subjugation or the overthrowing or in
teriering with the rights or established institutions
of any of the States, but to suppress and put
down IA wicked and eauseless rebellion, defend
and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution,
and to preserve the Union as established by our
patriot fathers, with all the dignity, equality and
rights of the several States unimpaired, and
when those objects are fully accomplished, and
not before, we believe the war ought TO cease.
The 9Th of January Convention declared as
follows:
6. That we are utterly opposed to the twin
heresies, Northern sectionalism and Southern
secession, as inimical to the Constitution; and
that freemen, as they value the boon of civil lib
erty and the peace OF the country, should frown
Indignantly upon them.
9. That in this national emergency the Democ-
racy Of Indiana, baHishing all feeling of passion
and resentment. will recollect only their duty TO
the whole country; that this wal should not be
waged in the spirit Of conquest or subjugation,
nor for the purpose of oyerthrowing or ~interfer-
ing with the rights or institutions Of the States,
but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the
Constitution, and to preserve the Union with all
the dignity. equality, and rights Of the several
States unimpaired; and that as soon as these OBJ
ljects are accomplished the war ought to cease.
10. That we will sustain. with all our energies,
a war for the maintenance of the Constitution,
and Of the integrity of the Union under fhs Con
s~fifufOn; but we are opposed to 4 war for the
emancipation of the negroes, or the subjugation
Of the Southern States.
The only material difference is that the latter
condemned alike the heresies of aboli ionism and
secessionism, while the Union" Convention had
no censure for abolition disunionism and no con
domination Of the proposed schemes for emanci-
patton and confscation by Republicans in Con-
gress.
The second resolution Of the "Union" Con-
%vention reads:
Resolved, That we demand and expect of our
Executive and Legislative bodies, both State and
National. an economical administration OF gov
e,nmental affairs, and the punishment Of fraud
against the Government, as well as a fearless
discharge Of their duties.
There is no censure here of the gross frauds