Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-04
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the Constitution. and seeing n TIE prescnt oo1ci
ton Of the country the deplorable enec~ OF
departure from its tine honored and eonservause
principles. and TIA triumph Of secfonshsn. Ano
firmly believing that the Union and the Consiita-
ton csn be preserve 81 alone BY the restoration of
thSt party 20 power, We invite all true Union men
throughout the land 10 unite with IA in sustaining
it, organization and carrying out is principles;
Therefore.
Rssolued. / That We reafirm and endorse the
political principles that from time TO time have
been put forth by the National Conventions Of
the Democratic party.
= That ne are unalterably attached 10 the
Constitution. hy which the Union of these States
was formed aud established: and that faithful
observance of its principles can alone continue
the existence of the Union, and the permanent
happiness of the people.
3 That the present civil has mainly re
suited from the long continued. unwse. and IA
natcal agitation. in the North. Of the question Of
domestic slavery, the consequent organization OF
a geographical party, guided by the sectional
platforms adopted az Buffalo. Pittsburgh. Pills
delphia and Chicago and the development there
by of sectional hate aud JEALOUSY. producing las
had long been foreseen and predicted by us) ~
counterpart in the South Of secession, disunion.
and armed resistance % the General Government,
and terminating in a bloody strife between those
who should have been forever bOund together by
country calamity which now TO meet ss
loyal citizens. STRIVING for the adoption Of that
mode of settlement best calculated 10 again
store union and harmony.
4 That IN rejecting all propositions likely 10
result in satisfactory adjustment of the matters
in dispute between the North and the South. and
especially those measures which would have Sc
cured the border slave States 10 the Union, and =
hearty CO operation on Their part in all constitu-
tonal and legal measures 10 procure a return Of
the more Southern States 10 their allegiance. the
Republican party assumed a fearful resp0nsi-
biIity and acted in total disregard of the best in
terests OF the whole country.
). That if the party in power had shown tie
same desire to settle, by amcable adjustment.
our internal dssensons before hostilities had ac-
tually commenced. that the Administration has
recently exhibited 10 avoid a VAR with our an
cient enemy. Great Britain, confidently be
lieve that peace and harmony would now reign
throughout all our borders
q. That the maintenance of the Union upon
the principles OF the Federal Constitution should
be the controlling object of al who profess 10y
atty TO the Government-and ia judgment
this purpose can only be accomplished, bv the
aseendency of Union party in the Southern
States, which shall. bv a counter revolution, dis
place those who control and direct the present re
bellion. That no effort 10 create or sustain such
party can be successful which is not based upen
definite settlement of the questions nj issue toe
tween the two sections; and We therefore demand
that some such settlement be made by additional
constitutional guaranty. either initiated by act Of
Congress or through the medium of a National
Convention.
I. That the Republican party has fully demon
strated its inability 20 conduct the Government
through It's present difficulties.
s. That We are utterly opposed TO the twin
heresies, Northern sectionalIsm and Southern
secession, as inimical 10 the Constitution: aud
that freemen. they value the boon of civil lib
erty and the peace of the country. should frown
Indignantly upon them.
g. That in this national emergency the Democ-
racy Of Indiana, banishng all feeling Of passion
and resentment, will recollect only their duty 10
the whole country; that this war should not be
waged in the spirit of conquest or subjugatiDn,
nor for the purpose of overthrowing or interfer-
ing with the rights or institutions of the States
but to defend and maintain the supremacy Of the
Constitution, and 20 preserve the Union with all
the dignity, equality and rights of the several
States unimpaired: and that soon as these OBJ
jects accomplished the ought to cease.
10. That will sustain. with all our energies,
a war for the maintenance ofth Constitution. and
OF the integrity of the Union under The Consfifu-
fion; but We are opposed 10 a war for the emanci
patton of the negroes, or the subjugation of the
Southern States.
IL. That the purposes avowed and advocated
by the Northern disunionsts, TO liberate and arm
the negro slaves, is unconstitutional. insulting to
loyal citizens disgrace 10 the age. Is calculated
TO rctard the suppression of the febcllion and
our unqualified condemnation.
l2 That the total disregard Of the writ of ha-
beds corpus by the authorities over US, and the
seizure and imprisonment of the citizens of loyal
States where the judiciary is ia full operation,
without warrant of law and without assigning any
cause or giving TO the party arrested any opportu
nifty OF defense, fragrant violations of the Con
sttution and most alarming acts of usurpation Of
power, which should receive the stern rebuke OF
every lover of his country and of every man who
prizes the security and blessings Of life liberty and
property.
l3 That liberty of speech anu of the press are
guaranteed to the people by the Constitution, and
none but a usurper would deprive them Of these
rights: they are nestimable To the citizen and
formidable TO tyrants only. And the attempts
which have been made since our present uniortu-
nate troubles, TO muzzle the press and stife free
discussion exercises Of despotic power against
which freedom revolts and which can not be tole
rated without converting freemen into slaves
ii. That the seizure Of Slidell and Mason, on
board neutral vessel, on the high seas, was
either in accordance with international law. aud
80 legal; or else in violation OF such law and -
illegal Ii the former we lament that our nation
has been Inundated 10y their surrender. under a
Mre0f; IL the latter, IL was the duty OF the Ad-
mnstration at once To have disayowed the act Of
their officer and instead of incarceratng the cap
tiyes in Fort Warren. To have Immediately re
paired the wrong by placing them. a. far prac-
ticable, in the same condition in which that off
Ger had found them. In either event the action
of the Administration vacillating land COW
ardly, and degrading to the dignity OF great ma.
ton.
Is. That the action of the Republican party
manifested in the partisan character of all ap
pointments of the Administration 10 civil Office:
and. in holding party caucu-es by the Republican
members Of Congress for the purpose Ofimpressing
upon the legislative Of that body the peculiar
dogmas of that party. have demonstrated that their
professions OF sacrificing party platforms, and par
~ organizations. upon the altar of their country,
are but 30 many hypOcritcal and false pretences
by which they hope 10 dupe the unsary into their
support: and We warn all loyal persons. they
love their country, not 10 be deceived thereby.
l6 That the disclosures made by the invest
eating committee in Congress Of the enormous
frauds that have stalked into the armv aud navy
departments. duplicating the heads of those dc
partmcnts IN connivance at. if So. an actual
participation IN system Of corruption, and in
which our brave soldiers have been deirause.l of
their proper suppe-, and our Government threat
enei with bankruptcy. demands thorough in
vestigation into all our expenditures both State
and National. and that -peeiy and marked ex-
ample be made of all such birds of prev" xho