Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-06
WEEKLY SENTINEL.
A Few Thoughts Upon the Present
Condition OF p" bite Affairs, and the
Agencies 10 be Employed for the
Restoration Of the Union.

power in the Government. are now ~feaIsuIly agi-
tated. By a large number. whose judgment is
worthy of respect. il is believed that there win
soon be. if there is not already. a majority in
hostility to a further prosecution of the war as il
is nov conducted. The large public meetings
that are being held throughout the North; the
heated and angry discussions; the organization of
secret societies and leagues. and the general
arming Of the people. portend the approach of a
crisis in our national Affairs which may result in
the Ovorthrow Of the fair fabric Of constitutional
government, the permanent division of the nation,
and al the calamities which would follow these
events We will not now discuss the causes
which have produced the present state Of affairs.
The wisdom or folly of congressional legislation
during actual war upon a subject that for forty
years has distracted the people of this country.
ending in the present great rebellion. will be dis
cussed by the Impartial historian and passed upon
by those who survive the present generation.
The acts Of the President will also be reviewed
by the same ordeal These questions cannot be
impartially discussed and passed upon at the
present time. The important issue now to be
considered is. whether. the people of the loyal
States can again be united in support of the war
for the restoration Of the national authority and
unity as they were before the commencement of
the present civil strife. And should this object be
accomplished. the question arises, would it result
in the overthrow of the rebellion2
Many Of the most sagacious of our public
men are of the opinion that both of these purposes
- - ot&osro1 The c~aof rO-4sor 81 tb0~o .bo
now stand opposed to the war are Influenced
mainly By the apprehension that under the pres
ent direction Of public affairs. life, property, con-
stitutioBal rights, and social order. are insecure.
Cannot the President satisfy those who are thus
influenced. and unite the people in the support of
the Administration and the war for all legitimate
and Constitutional objects? To accomplish these
ends and make the war more effective, a friend
of large experience in military and civil affairs,
suggests the following propositions:
Let the Presiden promptly revoke the Eman
%cipation proclamation; suspend active hOstilities
until the first day of September next, and with
draw our troops from all exposed places and posi-
tons Of doubtful safety in the South. To be
more explicit: withdraw the forces from Hilton
Head to Washington and the line Of the Potomac.
and the army of the Potomac to the same posi-
ton. Abandon Norfolk and strongly garrison
Fortress Monroe. Remove the army of the
Cumberland to Nashville = Grants army to
Memphis-the troops of the Department of the
Ohio to Cincinnati and Louisville, and Banks
army to New Orleans. Order out troops under
the CONSUMPTION act Immediately TO I'll the regi-
ments now in the field to the maximum number.
At all the points enumerated, let one fourth of
the men be ~furlOughed for the month of Nav,
one fourth for the month of June, one-fourth for
the month of July. and one fourth for the month
of August. During this period. let the army be
thoroughly re organized, and punctually paid
after the 30th Of April. the 3Oth of June, and
the 31st of August. Disband all negro regi
ments at once and put the negroes in the public
service at work upon the notifications
at the points named. In the meantime
let our blockade be maintained and be made
more efficient Muster out of the service at
once all surplus and inefficient officers and
prohibit designations except for physical disa-
biiity. Let a general order be issued to the
army that active operations will be resumed on
the Ist Of September and the war prosecuted
with all the vigor possible to maintain the
Constitution and the authority of the General
Government over all its territory.
Would not the plan we have thus roughly
blocked out once more restore harmony and
unity among the people of the loyal States?
Would it not give us a better army on the LIST of
September than we now have2 The points
named for the concentration of our forces during
the summer months. if threatened by the enemy,
are in easy supporting distance excepting New
Orleans and Memphis. and it is believed with the
aid Of gunboats those places can be held against
any force that could be arrayed against them.
The military propositions which we have set
forth are the result Of a careful survey of our
present situation and under the painful apprehen-
sion that the campaigns against Vicksburg. Port
Hudson and Charleston win not be productive of
satisfactory results to our arms. And. to say the
least, is not the situation of RosEcRASs critical?
Whatever difference of opinion may exist as TO
the policy of the emancipation proclamation. no
sensible person. uninHuenced by prejudice or pas
SION, can doubt but its revocation. the disbanding
of the negro regiments and The issuing of the
general order proposed. would at once be pro
ductive Of good by uniting the people of the
North Between now and September the South
could not materially strengthen her armies. and
the fact of an United North again, and her own
exhausted condition, would compel her to terms
before the hardships and starvation of another
winter would stare them in the face. The sys-
tenn of furloughs proposed is sheer justice to the
soldier. and would not weaken the army so as TO
endanger any of the places named.
Surely the President ought to harken to the
voice of the people. Divest the war at once of
any other or different object than that of a restor-
alton of the Union under the Constitution, and
one universal shout of JOY will go up from twenty
millions of liberty loving people. Is it not time
that those who have the direction of public af-
fairs should seriously consider and adopt the
agencies necessary to unite the people of the
North. and thus. by a speedy overthrow of the
rebellion, tesminate the fearful civil. war which is
now exhaussing the resources Of the nation aud
threatening even the integrity Of the Govern
menf
A nishap q Gen. Banks.