Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-19
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1863.

\ ''b0roer state foilcy. Both the Admnistra-
tion and Congress have declared their sole pur-
pose to be to restore the Union and maintain the
Constitution. When the Administration aban-
doned this policy, and took up the views of ex
treme Northern States. it lost at the late election
nearly all the political support which the Central
AMI Western States afforded in the elections OF
| 1860 and 1861
While the North cannot hold the Southern
States in subjection without destroying the prin-
| ciples OF our Government, the great Central aud
Western States can control the two extremes
They will not accept the views of either as safe
guides in the conduct of pubic affairs. This is
shown by the political history Of our country
during the past four years. When it be-
leved that the late Administration was controlled
by the views Of the Gulf States, it lost its pose
in the Central and Western region. The oppos
ing party, to gain public support. were obliged.
by assurances and resolutions TO repel the charge
that they would interfere with slavery in the
States, aud they denounced unjust the imputa
ton that they held the views of the Abolitionists
of the extreme Northern section. Without these
pledges they could not have gsined political
power.
When the Gulf States seeded, the central
slave States, by large majorities, refused To act
with them. They sought to avoid war aud d.
vision by the Peace Conference held in Wash
ington. Unfortunately the dominant leaders of
the party which had succeeded at the election of
the vote of about ,S00,00D against the divided
opposition of 2.e0O,O0O. rejected all terms c.
compromise and cOncililli0n as inconsistent with
the results of the election and attempted to gov
and control an agitarei and convulsed cOun-
try, strictly by the opinions and sentiments of a
minority.
The outbreak of war involved our whole coun
try in its excements The States Of Delaware
Maryland. Kentucky and Missouri, and the west
part of Virginia adhered to the Union The
purpose then avowed bv the Administration and
asserted by Congress. to the objects of the
war. gave to the Administration Overwhelming
mrjorties at the election of 1851. in all the loya
st tes. All engaged hopefully and unitedy in
the work of upholding Constitution and of re
storing our Union 10 its former condition. When
this policy WAS changed and it adopted the sen
timents of the extreme Northern States and dis
carded those of the Central and Western States
remarkable political revolution was the
result
EXTREMES WILL NOT PREVAIL.
Ii has been assumed that this war will end in
the aScendancy OF the views of of the
tremes OF our country Neither will prevail; for
neither can command the support of the IN li0rty
of the American people. The great Central and
Western Safes, which have the largest share of
the population and resources of our country, will
not accept of either class of purposes. This is
the significance of the late elections Their de
termination is to defend the rights of States and
the rights OF individuals and To restore the Union
as it WIS. 1t will be restored by the Central and
Western States. both free and slave. who are ex-
empt from the violent passions which bear con
tIol at the extremes l. is fact full OF hope
that the prejudceS between Northern and South
ern States ars not held OH the line of contact but
in the sections most remote from each other. and
separated by the most controlling regions and
resources OF the country. Those of the Central
cl. l,s.l, fal A
secession. which sought remain in the Union.
and which we're driven off by contempiuous,
uncomprOmlsns policy. must be brought back.
The restoration of the whole Union will then be
only the work of time, with such exerti0n of
power can be put forth without needlessly
sacrificing the blood and treasure of the North in
a bloody and calamtOus contest. We must not
wear out the lives of our soldiers, nor exhaust
the earnings of labor. by for uncertain
ends. or to carry out vague theories The policy
of suhjugation and determination means, not
only the destruction of the lives and property Of
the South, but also the waste Of the blood aud
treasure oi the North. The exertion of armed
power must be accompanied 10y firm and con-
catory policy, to restore our Union with the
least possible injury 10 both sections.
To make this Union, New York gave mp a
vast and rightful political power in the Senate
Ii has proved a greater blessing than the most
hopeful expected. To save it we have made
great sacrifices OF bloosl and treasure. Is it not
also worth sacrifice of pasSionY Shall We let
it be torn to fragments without one conciliatory
effort TO it2
ADJUSTMENT OF INTERESTS, ETc.
Those at the North and the South who have
beer. iaboring to break down National Com
sttution and Union. and to make two Conieder.
acies. overlook the fact that in each of these it
would be more difficult TO adjust conflicting inter
ests, and State representation. than in cur exist
ing Union. The vast extent of our country, and
its uniyeral productions and pursuits have
lieved antasOnism between commercial manu-
featuring and agricultural interests. They give
to each great fields for prosperous pursuits. Ii
the producing States of the West are cut off
from the markets of the South. they will demand
free trade policy which will open 20 them the
markets of the world; and these will not
make good the loss. They will not give up their
peculiar advantages of raising grain and cattle
for other pursuits and the markets OF the Eastern
States and Europe are not equal 10 Western pro-
ductons. The past two years have shown this
With unusual European demand tor bread
stuffs and provisions. with 4 vast consumption of
these articles by our American armies, there is
n great section of the West where Oh e prices do
not pay for their production There is bank
ruptcy aud financial distress in the midst of abun-
dant harvests. and waste of uns sthered grain,
at time of the largest expectation of agFicultnr-
al products known in the history of our country
Reducing the cost of carrying these products will
not cure this trouble.
Opening the Mississippi. as a way TO the mar
kets of the world. will not overcome this evil.
The cotton raised on the Mississippi is the joint
product of the provisions of the \ North and the
labor of the South The people of the West must
have the markets of the South western States to
bring back their prosperity. They must he re.
united. politically. socially and commercially, TO
the valley of the Lower Mississippi. Their grain
and provisions must he converted into cotton. and
In this form carried profitably to the Eistein and
European ports When they have thus gained
the return for their labor, they will once more be
come the supporters of our commerce. To re-
store this great region to its former prosperity,
and to regain for ourselves its enrichng trade,
the lower valley of the Mississippi must be brought
into the Union il must be brought back. too.
with all its elements of production and wealth
unimpaired, with all the advantages of loc.. self
government; not devastated aud ruined terri
tory, under blighting. debasing military con
troll
| SO closely are the Upper and Lower Valleys
Of the Mississippi bound together by interest that
| when cotton is burned in Louisiana, Indian corn
is used fuel in Illinois The ruin of the South
| ern consumer brings bankruptcy upon the North
ern producer When the capacity of one to buy
| is annhated the ability of the other to produce
is weakened; or equally strong. shows that neither
| in a Northern OF Southern Union can the con.
| hcting interests of agriculture. commerce and
| manufactures be adjusted
POLITICAL INTERESTS. &C.
The division of our Union into two or more
Confederacies wos.d reopen in each those ques-
tons OF distribution OF power and relationship
- l..4 l. s.ssr