Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-29
INDIANAPOLIS IND, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1862.

to the section of each by separation of the
States.
These questions had for series of years, agi-
tated the deliberations of Congress; but no law
had been passed seriously affecting the institution
Of slavery; nevertheless antislavery sentiments
had been widely disseminated throughout the
free States under the auspices of the Abolition
societies of England, as can be clearly shown
that people having become jealous of our grow
ing national fame, and knowing that no step
could be taken that would sooner weaken us, by
breaking US in pieces. Tracts, sermons, ad-
dresses, speeches, pamphlets, newspapers and
flags of sixteen stars, all contributed to stir up
"a hell upon earth, which was made vet hotter
by the passage, by various Northern States. of
laws intended to interfere with the execution of
the fugitive slave law, and termed Personal
Liberty bills" and also by the Kansas feuds
in which men were presented, by ministers of the
gospel of peace, with Sharp's rifles, instead of
Bibles; and likewise by John Brown raids. in
which the execution of fanatical murderer and
land pirate was blasphemously characterized as a
martyrdom, second only to that of the Saviour
of the world.
Unfortunately for the country, when many per-
sons were thus irTitdted BY class legislation, and
fired by this intermeddling with State institu-
tions, by those who he'd not the right to do so, a
purely sectional nomination was made for the
highest Office in the Government Mr. Lincoln
was placed before the people, and their votes
sought on grounds in direct antagonism with the
creed of Jefferson, and the doctrines of Washing
ton, Jackson, Clay, and Webster. Conservative
democrats appealed to voters in behalf of the
Union, but were secuted at by the followers of
Lincoln as Union savers" They were power
less because ultra men of the South taking ad-
vantage of the extremes assumed by the ultras
of the North, were insisting upon platforms that
conservative men could not stand upon. The
I,,1@ e Il, Ill
was the
IMMEDIATE CAUSE
Of the war; Lincoln had declared that between
freedom and slavery there was an irrepressible
conflict" that "house divided against itself
could not stand" (see his Springfield speech)
and, "that Government could not stand half
slave and half free"
Ultra Southern seize hold Of the facf that e man
holding these doctrines had been elected by the people
Of the free States evidence that they puposed in
erferng with the rights and interests of Southern
and thus alarmed many that region for their rights Of
property.-Letfer OF CrieRdeR and others to 5e Pyes
dent, Jlg l4A, 1862: Speech Of .Hr. DOugts, ia tie
Senate. l5th of March, 1861
The great crime of the South was in not fight
ing these heresies inside of the Union. They
forsook the maxims of jefferson, and would not
"abide by the decision in the election, but
sought by revolution-for it is nothing more,
nothing leSS-to cut loose from their brethren in
in unconstitutional and herctical doctrines until
they had placed in the Chief Executive chair one
of such sectional views Ultraism repeated
itself, as it had a thousand times before. The
people North gave the power into the hands of
ultra men. To oppose them, the people of the
South did the same thing, placed ultra men in
power.
Thus the extreme Northern and the extreme
Southern factions which for years were looked
upon as insignificant, were, by the force Of cir
cumstances, placed with the reins in their hands,
without much practical knowledge of how to
guide, and we fear without any kind of care whe
ther they avoided serious obstacles in their course
On the 25th of March, 1861 (see Cong. GIL,
Mr.. Douglas, in commenting upon the Gppd-
reatly peaceful purposes of the Republicans,
said
That Is a very good policy-a much wiser and better
policy than bad expected or hoped for from Repub
can Administration. do not know that should have
made efforts defeat them had thought they
wo Id have acted with as much wisdom and patriotism
Mr.. Clark-Yeu did not defeat them.
Mr.. Douglas-No; nor would have made great ef
forts 90 defeat them
Mr.. Clark-You did us no harm. C.auehter)
Mr.. Douglas II did not defeat you it not my
fault. used my best efforts todo IT,.
Mr.. Clark-YOu could not quite come it.
Mr.. D0ugas-I could not quite it, and you
the consequences Seven States are out Of the Unon
civil war is impending you, commerce is Interrupted
confidence destroyed the country going to pieces, jst
lieves these consequences would have resulted if had
been successful in my efforts defeat yOt You
boast that you have defeated but o have defeated
your country with I0u can boast that you have tr
umphed me- but gOU have triumphed the unity
Of these States YoUR triumph has JroUgAt disNlioR
and God only knows what consequences may grow Of
it.
Conservative men attempted TO stem the cur
rent that was rapidly carrying us on TO the break
erS. Mr.. Crittenden proposed certain guaran-
tees, by way of amendments TO the fundamental
law In a grand committee of thirteen Sena-
tors, raised 10 consider them, they were rejected
by every Republican on it. ToOmbS' address of
Dec. 20, 1861, to the people of Georgia.
Objection may be made to the statements of
TOOmbs as authority. Outside of its internal
statements its surroundings bear witness to its
truth. 1t was published whilst he men,
Der of the Senate, and no member of the COM
mittee then, nor since has ever that we are
aware of, contradicted that statement.
The reason given for the refusal to act was,
that no attack on the rights of Southern men
was contemplated.
The South would have been content with the
Crittenden compromise; so Senator Pugh Of
Ohio, asserted in the Senate in the presence of
the Republican members, and thereupon Mr..
Douglas sustained his statement as follows:
confirm the Senator's declaration that Senator
Davis himself when the Committee of Thirteen was
ready at all times, to compromise the Crttenden
was also congressional Globe, March 2, 1861
The Crittenden proposition was finally defeat
ed in the Senate on the I'd day of March, 1861,
by a strictly party vote, every Republican voting
against the compromise. See Cong. Gl. March
2, 1861.
Upon the refusal of the committee TO recon-
mend these guarantees, hot-headed Senators no
titled extreme Southern governors, and there
upon forts and arsenaS, the property of the
tbar
and State after State committed themselves to
revolutionary schemes, by withdrawing from the
Union
Thus the real lovers of the Union were beaten
in an attempt in which we soemnly believe they
had the cordial sympathy of threeIourths of the
American people, North and South. An ap-
peal to the people was asked, by permitting
vote upon the propositions. II was refused by
the Republican members of Congress.
Conservative men still anxious, were still
active The border state convention was called
Radical States not of the border, again interfer-
ed, to prevent a compromise and sent delegates
See letter of CHANDLER, Senator of Michigan
to the Governor. of that State, sent from Wash
ington, Feb llth, 1861, in which he says, that at
the request of Massachusetts, and New York, send
delegates:
they admit right and they wrong; that
no Republican State should have delegates they
here and cannot get away. Ohio, Indiana, and Rhode
Island cdUng IN and there is danger of Illinois. and
they beg us for Gods sake, to to the
and the Republican party from rupture hope
you will send stif-6deked men or none.
1t was thought to be of more Importance to
save the party from rupture than to save the I'm
! ion, and prevent war. The voice of feeling-of
passion prevailed. The judgments of men were
not consulted. That which was but little cloud,
q short time before, spread earfully-fatally.
CHAPTER Ill.
Mr.. Buchanan called the attention of Congress