Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-06


Convention or otherwise for peace. in the true
national and fratcrnal spirit OF the Federal Con-
stitution. We will yield no more. we will ask no
less. We will ask nothing to degrade Southern
manhood and self respective will yield nothing
to degrade Northern manhood and self-respect.
The citizens of the States, of all sections. have
formed the Federal Union, as political and social
equals, on that basis we are content the Union
shall forever stand; and until the Southern peo
plein rebellion will consent to meet and negotiate
with us in that spirit and on that basis, we favor
no armistice, nor withdrawal of armies, nor ces
sation of hostiIities. What we thus demand of
our fellow citizens Of the South, we demand not
in a spirit OF revenge, nor of party. nor of section
nor of superiority; but we demand it as National
Democrats, in the name and by the authority of
the sacred bond of Federal Union, which has
been to them as to us, protection, honor, power
and prosperity.
10. conscious of our fidelity to the Union and
Constitution, and sincerely DESTROYS to sustain the
present Federal Administration in every wise and
constitutional effort to restore the Union, we are
nevertheless not, of choice. but of necessity, con-
strained to oppose and denounce that Administra-
ton for its many 0ffenseS and short comlngs
against the sacred cause that has been entrusted
10 it. We arraign the Administration before the
intelligent judgment of the world, and demand
from it ain account of its stewardship, and an
equivalent for the lives, the wealth, and the con-
stitutional liberty of a free people, over which.
as a means of restoring peace and union, 1t has
welded well nigh arbitrary power. We arraign
and condemn the Federal Administration,
|. Because, in the presence of a national dan
ger and calamity. before which the voice of party
should have been hushed to silence, and party
measures abandoned or suspended. the Federal
Administrator and its political adherents have
urged forward with the zeal of intense partisan
ship, and with the whole political power they
could command, partisan schemes known to be
opposed by a large majority OF the people Ok the
United States, and against which majorities of
the people of the most powerful Northern States
have but recently uttered their solemn protest at
the ballot box; and vet the Administrations and
its supporters have demanded from all the people
as a test of loyalty, unconditional adherence to
these partisan measures. We name among them,
l The abolition of Negro Slavery in the Dis
trict OF Columbia.
2. The incorporation into the organic laws of
new Territories. of the partisan dogma of the
prohibition of Negro Slavery in all National
Territory.
3. The unconstitutiona ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the
State of Virginia, and the admission ola fraction
of that State into the Union as a State, upon
the compulsory basis of les adopting IL system of
gradual emancipation.
4 TIE project of compensated negro emanei-
patton and colonization. at the expense OF the
Federal Government.
). Negro emancipation in most of the slave
holding States of the Union, BY Presidential
edict or proclamation, under the p~retence of a
military necessity, having no existence. and upon
the assumption of a war power in the President
unknown to the Constitution and the law of ma
tons.
6. A general executive and legislative policy,
both military and civil, in regard to the negro
race in the United States. tending only, as events
Ir-o --,-o1 faltr,ln ~ rpipAz. nf ITpt,p r,o,
TO strengthen the rebellion. and to weaken the
zeal and power of the Union States in their effort
to suppress il.
ii. Because, while it is known to the world.
that the rebellion was produced. in great part, by
the fear in the minds ct the people of the Slave
holding States that the political power of the
Northern or Free States in the Union would be
used, in violation of the compromise and guaran-
tees of the Constitution. to interfere with and
break up the relation of Neero Slavery, and 9th
erwise to impair the political equality of the Slave
States, as members of the Union. and their right
full constitutional connol over their own domestic
institutions: and the highest patriotism and true
craftsmanship therefore demanded on the part of
the Federal Government. both of its civil and
military measures, towards the rebellion, an emf.
nentlv constitutional and conservative policy.
that would have disproved every alleged cause of
rebellion. and bus weakened and destroyed its
moral power; the policy and measures of the Fed
eral Government have been vindictively partisan,
and destructive of the Union sentiment among
the Southern people. which is the surest hope of
a restored Union. The words c0nfscdtiOn. ernan-
e~iDdtioH. devostatiOn, su6jug0tion, determination,
and colonization too truly and clearly indicate the
fatal policy of the Administration and its adher-
ents in dealing with the peopl OF the rebellious
States; men of kindred blood and like passions
with ourselves. equally inheritors with US of a
free Constitution, and of the aspirations and
hopes of freemen, and who equally with US, will
welcome death rather than subjugation.
III. Because, many OF the official acts of the
administrator have been acts Of usurpatiou and
tyranny. and have evinded a despotic temper.
that find their parallel in the worst acts and spirit
o: the Stuart d, nasty of England Almost from
the beginning of It's authority. the administration
and It's party have pursed. with revengeiul NAL
ice and the most unjust cOntumely. all Demo-
Gratis who have refused to abandon their organi
zation as a political partv-to surrender long
cherished political principals and convictions.
and to yield unconditional assent and adherence
to measures and policy which they believed to be
fatal 10 the safety and integrity of the Union.
Virtual military possession has been taken. and
martial law proclaimed and enforced, in States
of unfaltering loyalty TO the Government, where
the civil courts were open and free. and no of.
Tense against the Government had been or could
be perpetrated or attempted. that would not
find a fair tril aud Just punishment in those
courts.
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus has
been causelessly. u~nlawiully and oppressively
suspended and denied. in the cases of persons
neither lawfully charged nor guilty of any crime
unknown to the law. Ohenses styled ''disloyal
Practices unknown to law, have been created
and defined by Executive or War Department,
or other military orders or p~roclamations. Dem
ocratic citizens have been arrested and imprison
ed for such alleged offenses. While unbridled Ii.
cense of abuse has been allowed to public presses
in the interests of the Administration, Demo
crotic pres have been suspended. suppressed,
or destroyed, for no othrr cause than exercis-
ing the constitutional right of freedom of the
press.
The freedom and sancity of the mails have
been violated.
Unreasonable searches and seizures have been
made. ,
Peaceful and law-abiding citizens have been
arrested, imprisoned, and punished without due
process and warrant of law-witbout legal accu-
sation, trial or conviction-for exercising the
constitutional right OF freedom Of opinion and of
speech, and they have been removed to prisons
without the limits of their own States, where
alone their ofienses, il any, could be legally
tried.
The freedom Of elections has been violated by
soldiers under the control and direction of Fed
eral officers.
Acts Of indemnity have been passed to deprive
aggrieved citizens of their legal redress against
public officers for plain violations of constitu
iional rights.
Partisan presses and orators in the confidence
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