Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-24
From the New York Observer Of June 10.

When the war was begun, by the d~astardly and
insane assault upon Fort Sumter, the people OF
New York city assembled en- masse in and about
Union Square, aud pledged their lives and their
property and their honor to defend and uphold
the Union. the Constitution and the laws. AT
that time we took the call OF that meeting as a
motto, and hung it out in front of our Office:
THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS
Successive regiments OF patriot soldiers. on
their march TO Washington, as they paraded ia
the Park. greeted il with cheers. Some of them
begged the flag that hung over it to carry with
them TO the war. That was our motto then. Ii
is bow.
Then we supposed the war was waged 10 up
hold the Constitution, assailed by secession, trea-
son and rebellion. Then we understood and the
assembled multitudes on Union Square under
stood, that IL was TO put down armed resistance
ance to good Government, and TO maintain
The Union us it was when our fathers made it
anG rs il was when rebellion drew its bloody
sword to destroy il. 1t the war was undei taken
with any other purpose, the people were basely de-
ceived. Congress passed n resolution unani
molsly affirming the single object OF the war to
be the restoration of the Government over the
whole Union. The President proclaimed the
same doctrine in his messages and appeal In
every form by which %solemnity can be added to u
public declaration, this has been set forth as the
sole end and object OF the war. And on this ba-
sis The great American people. with one heart and
mind. entered upon the stupendous work. pouring
out their treasure and laying their lives and the
lives of their sons on the altar of their country's
Union. integrity and perpetuity. This was, and
has been. the watchword of the war: the rallying
call of the Government; the Inspiration of victory
and the only ground OF hope. On any other bt
sis the people never would have risen to the great
ness OF the work; on any other basis they would
have no heart now 10 prosecute the war. No
other object is worth "A mans lite; any other oh
ject converts this war into multitudinous murder.
and makes US a race of savages thirsting for
brother Savages' blood.
But we have in Congress and out of it. we
have in our newspapers and pulpits and public
meetings, men who now teach u widely different
doctrine from this. They are in favor of holding
the Constitution IN allowance until the war is over.
They teach that the rebellion of individuals has
deStro, ed the rights of States. They hold it to
be the duty of the General Government to pro-
coed with and toward the inhabitants of the re
volted States, as ii its jurisdiction over them is
the same as over the District of Columbia or the
Territories. They ignore utterly The rights Of
the thousands IN the South who are HOW crushed
beneath the iron heel of secession power, and
yet long and pray for the restoration of liberty
and protection OF the Government to which they
owe allegiance.
10 get at the destruction OF slavery Is the Os-
tenslble object OF these reasonable measures in
the North; but il is n Jesuiticll and dhmnable
doctrine that a good object justifes the means.
We have now come to the verge Of the great
contest. All our battles in the field and in Con
grcsS and in the Cabinet have been mere Skin
mi>heS compared with the imminent struggle Tor
the defense and overthrow OF constitutional gov
eminent in the United States. When we know
that some of our able lawyers. leading politi-
clans. eminent citizens and good Christians are
publicly banded together, and pledged TO promote
the subversion OF fundamental principles OF the
Constitution, We confess that we regard the fu-
tute with "a deep concern that borders upon APP
preheusion for public liberty. We know that
revolutions are often 50 gradual that their pro-
gteS- i uunoted all their destiny i determined.
We know. too, that the foundations of our liberty
have been sliding for some time past. and that il
Is hard To- tell just where We are now. The ext
lgencies OF war have made many thing, an appa-
rent necessity, which We would not condemn TIL
they are : ,nctioned as part OF a national policy.
But We believe the time has come Tor Congress
and the people TO abandon all other schemes and
measures but those which look so the immediate
paciication and restoration OF a distracted bleed
Ing. broken. but still glorious country.