Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-21

every acre, one million Of men could not keep
down the South: nay. one million OF men could
not keep down the freemen of the State of Ohio.
Fighting then. is not the way TO restore the Union,
because you can not subdue freemen on their
own soil. There is Switzerland, with but three
millions of population, yet she is as free to-
day as she was FIVE hundred years ago. The
Houses of Austria and France have battled
in vain against brave free Switzerland. Then
again, Belgium, with her population, never ex
ceediDg FIVE millions-and indeed it never reached
that amount ill the present century-has been
the battle ground of the nations century after
century. They had attempted to absorb her, but
her people we're resolutely bent on their own ma
tional existence, and Belgium is freer to day than
ever. j might cite Portugal and other exempli
f~cations, but you know il. Freemen. bred to
arms and in possession Of their soil, can never be
subdued by arms. ['Never.' Then what is to
be donef just the other course2 mo, no ~
Too late for that. That was wise advice before
the first fraterDal blood was shed by brothers
hands; but it is too late now for that. 1t is now
not to be done by a settlement of affection. but
of cool calculation, of common sense. If this
Union is to be restored, il is never going to be
because Of any sympathy in politics. or from
affection existing between the different sections.
but as it was patent to the convention that formed
the Constitution at first that these States can
never continue independent without being con-
tinually at wal with each other. Now, gentle.
men. We are the representatives of the policy of
stopping the fighting. And who are the repre-
sentaiives of the plan of letting the States go7
They are the New England Abolitionists What
they want is a smaller territory. Their legs are
not long enough to reach round so big n horse as
this Union; SO the, want to swap it for a small
Canadian pony, and if, under any plea whatever,
they can get a saddle upon the back of these
Northern people and a bride i'm their mouths. and
get their precious Yankee corporate carcass on
that saddle, they think they have got il for all
time. They think they have got a Canadian pO-
ny that will never throw them. They are willing
and anxious for separation. Gentlemen, if you
do not know nv ways, | wish to tell you. !
never. in the heat of any canvass. will yield nv
reputation for truthfulness; | have had, not only
among my friends. but even among those who
were not my friends, but who knew me. the char
acter that | never will tell an untruth: nor will j
saw | believe a thing till have reasons To believeIt.
Now | tell you | have reasons to believe that the
administration and Lincoln and such as he. are
determined that the Sonth shall never come back
except rs Tree States into this Union. Certain
correspondence that has lately come out between
Fernando Wood. of New York, and the Presi
dent. in which Mr.. Wood asserts that he had It
from responsible and high sources in the Southern
Confederacv. that they were trying if they could
not COmt DdCh hIfU ldkc lUelf pldCeS DN TepTereD
tatives in Congress AT Washington, if an offer of
full amnesty was agreed upon, though whether
that is so or not l do not know. / am not in
the confidence of Mr.. Wood, and never de
sire to be. | say, then. / charged il in print,
and | here charge it by word of mouth, and
am ready to substantiate it by intercepted
communication from the Southern Con
federacy to the world. that Mr.. Lincoln's
administration was made acquainted with the
80 80 ~ Ioc.-o l. Al. ----l
II. Stephens was about to visit Washington with
power to treat for peace. They had that infor
nation by intercepted correspondence, and the
man tO whom il was addressed was imprisoned
for receiving it. 1t is, or was in the State De
partment. unless mutilated or destroyed; hut the
communication was sent. And therefore | am
free to say more. l myself heard before the
period, that Stephens was reported to have been
turned back. and not admitted to al audience
with the great powers of the Administrator at
Washington; that he was about to come, aud was
only arranging the terms with JEFF. Davis, on
which, on the highest patriotic and American
grounds, he was to come to Washington, and
make propositions that would 0verwhelm the
North with astonishment. His plea was this:
that they had come to the lowest point; that now
or never they must make friends with the North,
make up their quarrel, or the American Union
was gone forever, tor France was at their doors,
claiming a close alliance, offensive and defensive,
with the Snuthern Confederacy Alex Stephens,
we know. was Il gallant, truly patriotic and Union
man, and as true an American, and as worthy OF
the name freeman as draws the breath Of life on
this continent. His plea was: We can not die
and leave our names to posterity as the
destroyers of this Union. We must smother
our passinns; we must put down our preiu-
dices; forget our wrongs and woes; we must
make up this quarrel. for this American Union
must be preserved Aud with that high, patriotic
idea, overwhelming JEFF Davis with the oblouuy
with which history would stamp his name if he
resisted, he came with full powers to treat nj
Washington for the cessation of this war, on the
ground Of n reasonable, sincere and firm purpose
to reconstruct the Union. / could multiply
proofs-but there is in your own hands enough
10 prove that the Administration to make use OF
Abraham Lincoln's words. persists that the South
shall not be permitted to come back But your
high and gallant representative, he holds out as
his programme. the Union. it must be preserved
we can not part with it. That man who. seeing
a. statesmen must see, that force can no. restore
il; that only consent, only argument. only mp
peals 10 reason and to our common good C n
ever restore this Unios-he is the man WIN ha:
been sent into exile, but whom yon have
named as tie man whom you intend To make the
Governor OF this State next month ! am an
older MIN than your gallant Vallandigham; bui
/ confess nj hope is not as large as his. | d,
not see with the sure eye that he tells me he sees
that this Uaion must be restored. Blu, in talking
of the matter ] said: Sir. you may see further
through this dark cloud than (; but for nv par
| can not see through it. | see thus much-thai
it is the duty of patriotism to try to believe M
you do; and whether | brig myself to believe i
or not. to struggle and act ms il | did, when il il
the only possible way in which this Union can III
restored" You will have done more toward tina
act when you have made ValIaBdightm Cover
nor of the State of Ohio than if you had electe,
him President OF the United States This ques
tiou is one that must be settlel by The States. l
can never I've settled by the Federal power-lha
is confessed. Ii has violated fhe charter of il
own existence. It has got TO be done by th'
States; and something more, il has got to b.
done by the people of the States