Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-02


vast debt, the unparalleled fraud by which it has
been accumulated, and the iniquitous mode OF
assessing taxes on the wealth and labor of the
country, are all before them. But the political
party now in the aseendaney in the executive
and legislative departments of this Government
have never considered any measure of policy
on any subject complete or perfect unless it en-
braced connection however unnatural, with
the African race, unfortunately in large numbers
on this continent. These are strange days that
have come upon us. We have all lived to see
the abolition of slavery become pecuniary ques-
ton, and the abolition party become direct tax
upon the pockets of the people The Federal
tax gatherer viii visit every house in the land in
the next six months for money to carry out Its
schemes. In the midst of war more expen-
sive than the world ever witnessed before; with
an army and a navy costing us more than the
armies of England France, Austria and Russia
combined; with the hand of plumber deep in the
sacred vaults of the national treasury; with the
hungry spirit of taxation, like the gaunt and In
satiate specter of famine, hunting for the small
est substances of labOriOus people, out of which
to wiring an income; with markets closed, prices
depressed, bankruptcy casting its appalling
shadow on the horizon of the future, and dismay
gathering in the faces of the yeomen of the ma
ton this sir is the time chosen to startle us with
deliberate and most earnest proposal to pur-
chase with money and set free the slave pOpula-
IO0 OF Int COutu- Inc Ol OuitCu
States and both branches of the American Con-
gress have soIemnly pledged this Government, in
the face of its citizens, and before the atten
tive gaze of the nations Of the earth, to buy and
lkerate, if their owners will SELL the entire four
millions Of slaves that are held in the Southern
States of this Union. This is the pledge, and it
stands recorded by vote of the House, by
vote of the Senate, and by the approval Of the
President who amazed the country in its Jealous
1o&. Tr i Of tho fno1-
cial policy of the present Administration, made
by full party expression. Nor has it been barren
o. fruits even thus early. The slaves of the Dis
trict of Columbia have already been bought by
forced and unconstitutional SALE and over one
million of dollars appropriated from the earn
ings of the people TO pay for them. This act OF
fanaticism fixes the meaning which the authors
OF this pledge attach TO the phrase 'pecuniary
adj" 1t has received a severely practical
illustration and the doubling mind is set at rest
But if anything further was needed TO convince
the taxpayer of the designs of abOlitiOnism, L
have it before me.
hold in my hand pamphlet of twelve pa
ges, written by Daniel R. GoOdloe, an office
holder under this Administration, evidently a
man of ability, but unfortunately led astray by
spurious philosophy and mistaken philanthropy
On the subject of slavery. He warmly and
ably espouses the policy of the President, and
makes the following statementOf the cost of that
policy to the American people:
have shown what the compensation to the border
st ates would be different rates Of payment per
caBita for the slaves and it will have that
have favore the liberal scale. Inow proceed TO
show what 0uld be the cost Of redeeming the whole
slave populat ION Of the Union at the same rates
BY the Of the last year there 1882 sol
slaves the United States and Territories. have already
shown that AL which belonged to the border States
would be WORTH at $3.50 each, Sl36'O5O, and at $500
each SlS6 S2 800 There remains to be disposed OF,
therefore, 49S36O slaves embraced in the country sub
ct the rebels but including of course large numbers
belonging TO friends OF the IHon who have been con-
strained into obedience the rebel authorities against
their wills. At the lowest estimated average value Of
$780, these slaves Of the rebels would be worth SS74
100000, and adding the compensation 10 the border
States on the same terms the aggregate cost TO the Gov
eminent would be S9SS 200 $50 Al the higher rate of
1900 the slaves the rebel would be worth ST.
J495OS O0O and adding the cost of compensation to the
border States at the same rate the aggregate expense OF
emancipation would be SllS5. $4,000. Or, for the con-
venence of round numbers, the Of emancipation
would be- $3.50 per head. ZOO 900, and at $500
per head the cost would be 81 ,2OO,OO0,OOO.
These are the figures made by an ardentfriend
of the system, who is now employed, by APP
pOintment of the President, in assessing the
value of the slaves of this District. Sir, turn
from them with horror. / cannot linger over
them. / hand them over to the white sons of
toll throughout the land, and call upon them to
consider well the lesson which they teach. The
Pharisees of eighteen hundred years ago pro-
TOked the maledictiOns of the Saviour by their
lubcIupcIdlc anu LCdl lllC VI
other people; and a portion of the citizens of
the North, in the contemplation of the above fig
ures, may find a curse upon an exactly similar
offense which will prevent its commission in the
future. AbOlitiOniSm has lowered in our heay
ems ike an angel of death, and from its wings
has shaken Pestilence and war; and now, ike
grizzly terror, it comes to every household for
every tenth of the fruits of the earth and the
fiOcks OF the field. Like the fierce locusts of
Eorx-nr IN dpvOur crrpen fields and
blast our golden harvests. Ii comes announced
by the President, and sanctioned by both Houses
of Congress, and it remains TO be seen whether
the sinews of strained and suppressed indus
try will submit TO its ravenous and illegal de-
mands.
Inow take leave of this subject. Ihave dwelt
upon it to-day, not to discourage or depress the
energies of the people, but to awaken my cOun-
trvmen TO a sense of their perilOuS situation, in
order that they may grid up their loins and meet
1t in manner becoming the intelligent, free citi-
zens of America. The present, it Is true, Is dark
and filed with the elements of the tempest but
in the sky of the future the star of hope is still
burning with all its ancient luster. believe in
Its promises of returning prosperity, honor and
unity to this Government Az sir, Hope, Hope
the sweet comforter of the weary hours of an-
guish, the merciful and benignant angel, walking
forever by the side of mourning sorrow, the
soothing, ministering spirit of every human woe,
the stay and support of great nations in their.
their trials as well as of feeble men; hope, that
never dies nor sleeps, but shares its immortality
with the soul itself, will bear us through the Red
Sea and the wilderness that are before us. in
dulge, Mr. Speaker, in this hope, and cherish it
as nv friend-a friend that always smiles and
points upward and onward to bright visions be-
yOnd the baleful clouds that now envelop us as a
STROUD. But the basis of this hope with me is
the future action of the people themselves. In
the wise, patriotic and Christian conduct of the
American people, behold this nation lifted up
again from its prostratiOn, purified of its bloody
pollution ,robed in the shining garments of peace
the furious demon of civil war which has rended
Us, and caused us to sit bowling amidst the
tombs Of the dead cast out by the spirit of the
omnipotent and merciful Master who walked
upon the waters, and babe the winds be still. l
expect to see the people raise up the Constitu-
ton of dear and blessed fathers from the
deep degradation Of its enemies, as Moses reared
alOft the brazen serpent amidst the stricken chill
dren of Israel for the healing of a nation. ex-
pect to see them, welding the sword in one hand
and appealing to the ballOt-bOx with the other,
crush and hurl from power corrupt and seditious
agifators against the peace and stability of this
Union, armed and unarmed, in the North as well
in the South. / expect to see a Congress
succeed this, coming fresh from the loyal and
honest masses, rejecting their pure and unsulied
love for the institutions handed down TO us from
the days of revolutionary glory. To this end let
all good men everywhere bend their energies.
Then will come again the glory and happiness
of the past-thOse days of purity, of peace, and
brotherly love, over which all America now
mourns as the Jewish captive who wept by the