Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-16

Several military officers have issued an address
Ito the Democracy of Indiana" in which they
assume to teach the citizen his duty to the Gov
ernment. This is rather doubtful proprety in
men whom the people are taxed heavily to sup
port. But these very patriotic individuals are
excessively sensitive in regard to the courage and
valor of Northern men. They place the prose
cuton of the war upon a new basis. What is it1
Shall twenty three millions of Northern men ad-
NIT that they are unequal to nine millions of the
Southg So, in their judgment, this war must go
on, regardless of the cost in blood and treasure.
until that problem is solved. Thus the war must
be prosecuted with vgor until it is demonstrated
that % Northern men are equal or superior to y
Southern men. That. according to HovEY and
company. is the great issue involved in the gigan-
tic civil war which is rapidly wasting the wealth
and energy of the nation. With them it is an
issue of brute force-whethes a stout, well built
six-footer can whip an opponent of at least one
half less his weight and size. Say these val
liant gentlemen, shame on the State that
the little fellow can whip the big one." and
" shame upon the Democrat who would submit
to it, and raise his cowardly voice and proclaim
that he was an Indianal." That's the great
principle for which the war is waged, these very
wise and valiant men say, and they insist it must
not be stopped until that issue is determined.
Mr.. LINCOLN says are making history. and
will not such an elevated and dignifed record
read well upon its pages ?
Such sentiments as these find cordial en-
dorsement in the central organ of the Republican
party of Indiana paper which declared that
a civil war was an evil of greater magnitude than
the loss of dozen States to the Union, and that
it never desired to Union which could only
be pinned together by bayonets. 1t preferred to
have peaceable separation Of the States-to let
all the dissatisfied States go in peace-rather
than attempt to coerce. to force Union. Simi
lar sentiments were expressed by the leading Re-
publican journals of the country, and even Mr.
SEWARD. the Premier of the Administration, ad-
mitted in his correspondence with the representa-
tires Of this Government abroad that il would be
in direct conflict with the letter and spirit of the
Constitution and onr insttutions--tha it would
be an exercise of despotic power. to prosecute a
war for such purposes.
But in the face of these declarations the Jour
nal and its adherentS now say the war muse 90
on, not for the restoration of the Union and the
maintenance of the Constitution. but to determine
whether twenty three millions of Northern men
equal to nine millions of the South--vhether
the Benicia Boy or Tom SAYREs can whip Tom
THUMB.
We regret that MeSsrs. HovEY and company
cannot appreciate the object for which the Ad-
minstration is insisting upon the vigorous prose
cuton of the war. 1t is for nothing more or less
than the supremacy of The Republican party.
That is all. If JEFF. DAVIS would to-day pledge
the Administration that the South would give the
Republican party hearty support the war would
be brought to speedy close. and all the protec-
ton that the Rebel States might ask for their
peculiar institutions, would be cheerfully guaran-
teed to them by the Republican leaders.
These are not idle and unmeaning assertions.
If the Republicans as a party had looked solely
to the best interests of the country and to the
unity Of the nation, and the preservation of con-
shtutiOudi iioeItl TeSatule>S vi parry supremacy
it is exceedingly doubtful whether civil war
would ever have been inaugurated. or even if
that issue had been forced, the contest long ere
this would have been ended. COlonels in the
army who are expecting Brigadierships may be
so willfui!y blind not to the drift of the
war, but il is evident to plain people who are un
influenced by fat contracts. or who are not look
ing for promotions from the powers that be, that
if the Republican leaders were rot arriving to per-
petuate the control Of the Government in their
hands, peace and union would now bless the
land.