Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-16
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 8, 1868.

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov 9, 1863
GENrLEMES: am in receipt of your note of
the 2d inst, in which your are pleased to refer to
current rumor that had determined not to ac-
cept a denomination, should l. be rendered, for
the Office now have the honor to occupy, and
to express the hope that the rumOr is unfOunded.
Your communication came 10 me during a
session of the Supreme C0nrt. and when had
not time to embody. i'm an immediate answer. all
that wished to say; hence the delay that has at
tended il
In the humbIed condition of the judiciary. po-
stions in that department of the Government
present few attractions 10 an independent mind
and are, perhaps, still less inviting to ambition
when viewed in contrast with the "pomp and
circumstance, and power and profit of execu-
tive and military offices.
But aside from this, have been led, not by
personal observation, to be sure, but by in
formation from Others TO suppose the diversity of
public sentiment great, touching the course
which duty calls upon the citizen to pursue,
10 adopt your language, 1.-The troubled condition
OF our country. as 10 occasion doubts in my
own mind whether my views upon this point
would be acceptable to any considerable portion
ofthe community. Influenced by such consider
ations as these, had, some two months or more
ago. signifed to friends that it my desire not
to be a candidate, at the coming election, for any
Office whatever.
And what have said explains why wished
to make this munication-somethiug more
than Il simple announcement of consent or re
fusal to be candidate | wished to submit in
it, briefly, to you, and through you to the public.
the opinions l entertain touching the policy of
the hour, and the reasons for them.
| am, then, gentlemen as / nave been, most
earnestly opposed to Mr. Lincoln's civil admin
istration, believing il to be controlled By the rad
ica Republicans; but / am for continuing to qire
a fair and dfcient support 10 the oigorous prose
cuti0n of the lcdr, prosecuted; and 10 that end,
I am for aiding the Gocernment. 6y all reasona
Die and proper means, in raising the necessary
UOIunteer soldiers. aud in proriding the funds re
quirsd to promptly and literally pay them-mOre
literally than the private soldiers are notc paid do
this because tcish 10 saus ,chat can be saced Of the
Union, and beiiere that the is the only instru
mentality Of lrhich n0u permitted to aUdil
ourselUes in attempting TO accomplish that object and
will be the only iHstrumentaty during the exist
ence OF the present Administration have always
been Union man The PRESERVATION OF OUR
UNION has been the fundamental principle, the
foundation stone OF my politics, all my life In
my early bOyh0od. the first political lesson taught
me was to cheash the Union; my first political
aspirations we're for lis preservation; the political
efforts of INV manhood days were all guided by
the same principle, and directed to the same end
and hope it may form part of the burden OF
my last prayer 10 not know what that
prayer will be. if it is not that God
will preserve our Union and save nv
soul And | beg to be permitted
to add here. though il may be esteemed, by some,
in bad taste. may be thought to be arrogant, but
hope not for feel il aud must, yet in humility
say it. that l to day tave the satisfaction (the
los. of which could be compensated by no gold
or greenbacks.) of being able TO lay my hand
upon my heart. and, with the approval of my
conscience, declare that | am guiltless of any
act sentiment that has contributed to produce
our existing national calamities | have never
as have radical Republicans. taught that portion
oflhe Constitution of the United States was moi
obligatory me. and should not be obeyed
have spoken of preserving the Union. | do not
mean to be understood that look for the preser
vatiOn or restoration of "the Union as it was >
OF that have expectation. will explain
The Union as it was was a compound thing
II compound of, at least three elements, OF
parts
|. A General Government created by and act
ing under constitution. with territory extend
ing IRON the Lakes to the Gulf.
2 States, part maintaining African slavery
and part not, possessed of residuary powers o
government.
3 united, friendly, and intercommunica-
ting white people, descendants OF the previou.
owners of the soil through successive generations
Some Of these elements of the old Union will
be changed perhaps will perish but have hopes
that even by alone, we may preserve tn,
General Government, with ts territorial jurisdic
ton unrestricted, with an organization and pow
ers, under the Constitution, ifpossible, il not
then, AS a de facto, revolutionary government
outside of il, maintaining order and receiving TO
time, at least. unanimous allegiance.
Take the example of a church for my idea.
may maintain the unity of its general organza
tion its membership and property, by federation
or, rejecting toeration, il may cruelty or banisl
its differing, hereto members. and preserve th
unity of it's general orsanz ,tion and property
or il may lose its unity OF both members an,
| property as the case with the Methods
Church Of the Uuit.d States
| WAR THE ONLY MEANS LIFT Us TO SAVE THE UNION
7 have said that ! believed the war, as no,
prosecuted, the only nstrumentality left US will
| which 10 attempt the salvation OF any distinc
part, in it, integrity. ofthe Union
think, a brief statement will satisfy any rea
sonable man of the truth of this proposition.
When it was known that Mr. Lincoln wa
| elected the South asked guarantees for her con
stitutOnal rights These guar,ntees were re
fused. That refusal was An erroneous. fata
step; had it not been taken. the subsequeu
tragedy Of "al our woes" would not have bee
enacted. When that step was taken. the radica
Republicans were desirous of civil war. and med
itated it. This is proved by the letter OF Senate
| Chandler, written at Washington City, to Gov
Blair Of Michigan. on the lth OF February, 1861
| two months before Sumter was fired on, beseech
ing his aid in preventing peaceable settlement
because 'blood-letting." in other words, cvi
war. was desirable. Chandler spoke for the radi
Gals, and they carried the point. Thus pas Iai
aside the instrurnsnfalify ofcompromise as a mean
| of saoinq the Union; and thereupon the South
claiming that her rights under the Constitutio
had before been violated, and we're furthe
threatened, began to act upon the theory
taught at early period in the history Q
the Union, by the Federalsts of New England
viz that when the Constitution has bee
violated by one party the other is released froI
its obligations and has right to secede; bega
to withdraw from the Union. A short digresl
ion here will not be misplaced.
NEW ENGLAND SECESSION.
The New England Federalists and Radical
always like our Union we'll enough when the
can control il; when they cannot do that, the
generally plot its overthrow. In l600 they lo
their power, by the election of jefferson. an
Il from that time they commenced finding fau