Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-16
WHOLE NO. 1892.

will not discuss the conduct and achievements
of the Generals. | lack military knowledge to
do that But il seems proper 20 say in this be-
half. that they have been allowed fair trial.
Interference by incompetent men az W ashington
has disturbed and frustrated their plans. and
brought failure. il not defeat. where victory
otherwise might have been adhered. and the
teachings Of experience seem 70 be lost upon the
President and this Congress.
The last and crowning act Of infamy on the
part Of this Congress. is TO be the enactment OF
the law to organize one hundred and fifty thou
sand negroes into regiments The bill has passed
the House. and believe will pass the Senate.
and be approved by Mr. Lincoln. Three Republi-
can members voted against it. Their names
should be preserved in letters of gold What
does this legislation meaBf is il that the 30
100000 white men of the North cannot cope
with the 1000 900 white men at the Southi Or
is it that the negro will make better soldier
than the white man7 Do these men think be will
stand upon the rough edge of battles, where Our
soldiers falter7 Every man who votes for that
bill, and the President when he signs il, offers q
direct and gross insult to every man in whose
veins flows the blood of our race-an insult that
the proud men Of Indiana will not forgive.
Among all nations the profession of arms has
been regarded most honorable. The profes-
sion develoPes the higher qualities Of manhood
frmness, GOODNESS and courage. The party in
power now propose by this bill TO place the
gro upon an equality with the white soldiers in
this the most honorable Of all pursuits. Let the
men who do this thing be driven from the high
places by the ballots of the people. As war
measure il is most dangerous. The safety of the
soldier in battle is in the rmness Of all the regi
ments, one regiment necessarily leaning upon
another for support Shall Indiana lean for sup
port, in the terrible hour of battle, upon negro
regiments7 When they are made to do so BY
this Administration, and the negroes give way,
as they will do. and then our troops are forced
back and slaughtered in retreat. tLeir blood will
be upon the spirits Of the authors Of this outrage
Can it be possible that the safety, the honor and
the glory of my country is 10 rest upon the shoul
ders of negro regimentsf In church poetry
find the lines:
upon what slender cord
Hang everlasting things"
If Our countIy's fortunes depend upon negro
intelligence and Regro valor. then may We sing.
Upon what slender cord
Hang EGKTHLY things"
The men will be marked who have done this
The people whose sons and brothers are in the
field will not forgive the insult.
The necessites of the war have made the
Treasury notes the currency Of the people. l
know that the supporters of the Administration
charge that we Democrats rejoice when this cur
rency goes down. How absurd When it goes
down in Republican pockets is the depression not
felt in Democratic pocketsf As this has become.
and for time must continue, an important part
OF our currency, going into all the channels of
trade and commerce, shall regard Il my duty 70
do all can, constitutonally, to sustain its value
The proposition of the Secretary of the Treasury
to adopta system to break down our State banks,
to make more room for Government nofes, or
their substitutes, il blow at State legislation not
to be sustained. and from whch relief to the
Treasury is not likely 70 come. The bills of our
Sf-t, D.. L - -.
of gold, ii not par, were they not dragged down
by the legal tender paper While the bank may
redeem its circulation in that paper it's notes
must have the same current value. But, inde-
pendent of that fact, our State Bank paper is q
convenient, reliable and par currency. IL has
served our trade, and benefited the people, and
should not be driven out to make way for less
reliable substitute.
Fears have been entertained by some and BY
others professed, that we are on the eve of civil
strife and bloodshed in our own State. Without
this, we have trouble enough upon US or that
we are admonished by the bereaved homes. the
broken fortunes, corrupted morals, and the bur-
den Of public debt and taxation. Every man
owes il to himself. his family and his country. 20
promote peace and harmony at home IL the
Republican rulers and partisans will do their
duty but half as well as the Democrats will, we
need fear no violence. Ii is Democratic senti
ment that the laws must be respected and obeyed.
EDOTtS nave Dccl mdue 10 eACltt tppreutlclOu1
of public danger. with view to political effect.
Il may be that some gentlemen have been scared.
and that has caused some concern IN my mind.
for a scared man with power in his hands. is dan
gerous. A firm, cool and courageous man will
not precipitate the country into trouble. But
you cannot tell what a scared man will do, cSpe-
cially il frightened AT unreal and imaginary
things. For our country, let US stand BY the Law
and public order.
Will you ALLOW a suggestion upon another sub
ject, bearing upon that upon which | have been
speakingf Some OF our young men who have
volunteered have, without sufficient thought,
abandoned their companions and returned home
without proper authority and sympathy in their
behalf has suggested resistance to any efforts
to compel their return 10 the service. Nov.
however much YOU may feel for them, resistance
cannot be justified. II is opposition 10 Law snd
lawful authority. Although | made no appeals
90 men to volunteer, as would not say 20. when
i was not going myself. We. ! must say TO those
who have voluntarily enlisted you cannot relieve
yourselves by breach OF law, and Won ought not
TO involve your friends in acts of violence which
must bring trouble upon them. In this State We
have no occasion to complain shit the courts
have been unable 10 relieve irom illegal enlist
ments In almost every case the writ OF habess
corpus has been respected. For that We are
much indebted to tlie accomplished soldier. Col.
CarringtOB, who Is at the head of military mat
tiers 10 this State he has required that tee civil
authority be respected within his comm.isd.
What this year will bring to cannot tell.
Perhaps the condition OF public affair justhes the
hope that the cannot last much longer. and
that soon the sunshine of peace will rejoice the
land. Whatever does come, let US do our duty
as conscience and enlightened judgment dictate.
At any moment am ready for compromise and
adjustment upon the bass OF a restored Unl0n--
to give to the South ali rights under the Consti-
tuition, and such guarantees as may make their
rights secure. We have elected a Democratic
House of Representatives, unless fraud Is re-
sorted to 10 defeat the elections. but that Con-
gress will probably not be in session before next
December. In The meantime Aboliuonism con-
trolls the Government We have not much 10
hope from such source for our country The
people have spoken, l3000,0O0 strong. The
great States Of New York, and westward to llh-
nois, have said TO the President, withdraw your
proclamation and return 10 the pledge given TO
the country and the soldiers. but he heeds them
not.
This Government belongs to the millions; yet
the President. elected by a minority, says 10
them-I viii disregard tour will. Events may.
however. compel him TO respect that will
The effortto control public opinion by epithets,
by threats, By violence and by dungeons. has
failed. This vast assembly attests the failure.
Bold and honest, the people will vindicate their
rights aud their manhood at the ballot boz.
Maintaining the rights OF the people as defined
and secured by the Constitution and laws, the
Democratic party cannot fail.