Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-04
The Democratic Mass Convention OF
the 10th and rth Congregational DIS
tFicrS of INDIANA.


eas.ern Indiana was called to order In the Cour
House square. At Fort Wayne. at ! &C <.
NJ. Wednesday, April 29sh by the fion. uac ID
c. Nelson. on whose motion Hon. Franklin
Randall, Mayor of Fort Wayne, was by acclama
ton. chosen President Of the Convention. aud OF
motion of Ar. Nelson. the editors present OF III.
Democratic papers Of the Districts, viz. 10Th Dis
trict-Thomas Tigar. Isaac " Campbell. O
Allen county; Z. Zimmerman, of Whitley coun
"; E. Long, Of Kosciusko county: j. p. Love
land. Of De Kalb county, W. H Norton. of Elk
hart county. llth Dsrict-J Gerry Smith, o
Wells county; W. e Kocher. Of Huntington
county; A. j. Hill. OF Adams county, we're cho
sen Secretaries
On motion of Hon. J X. Edgerton. commit
tee of twelve members-six from each Congress
sional District-selec;ed by their delegation. wer,
appointed to draft and report resolutions express
i've Of the principles and purposes Of the Conven
ton. The committee thus selected and appoint
ed were: 10Th District-Josep X. Edgerton,
ID. g. Nelson, OF Allen county; ). ". SprOtt, o
De Kalb county; s Z. Alvord. of Noble: G W
Mcconnell, of Steuben; J II Schell, OF Elkhart
18th District-James F. Mcdowell. of Grant
l. p MilIigan. s. McCaughy. of Huntington
George S. Brown. Of Wells; John Mcdonnell. Of
Adams: Samuel A. Shoaff Of JAY.
The Convention. during the afternoon. wa:
successfully addressed by the Hon. George II
Pendleton, Hon. s. S Cox. of Ohio. and Hon
ID. W. VOORHEES,. OF Indiana. in speeches worth,
of the national reputation of the speakers.
At the close u Mr. VOORHEES, address, the
Committee on Resolutions, by their Chairman
the Hon J K Edgerton, reported unanimousl,
the following preamble and resolutions which
were adopted by reclamation:
The Democracy OF the 10th and lth Congress
ional Districts OF Indiana. having assembled II
Convention to take counsel together upon the
condition of our country, now imperlled by clvi
war and believing that the occasion demands thai
we should plainly, fully and fearlessly declare
our opinions and purposes to the end. not only
that henceforth, there may be no cause TO ms
represent US. but, also that the cause OF constItu
tional Union may be strengthened among US. dc
resolve
l. We solemnly and without mental reserva
ton. declare our fidelity to the Constitution oil
the United States, and To the laws oil the United
States, made in pursuance thereof. the Supreme
Law of the land and we will. to the best OF our
ability, support, preserve. protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States. against all it
enemies, and we demand of all public rulers and
magistrates, State and National, that they shall
do likewise.
2 The Government Of the United Statesis the
sovereign will of the people as expressed.in the
Constitution and Constitutional Laws OF tb'
United States. The men who temporarily az
minister the government. are not the gov ernmen
Itself but its ministers. whose acts entitled Il
respect and obedience. only as they conform to th
supreme law of the and.-They not above
the law, but its subjects and servants. They arr
not the objects -four loyalty or allegiance We
therefore. repudiate slavish and having M
foundation IN the principles OF our free Demo
cratic system of govesnmeDt-the doctrine tina
loyalty to the Government of the United States
consists in unconditional adherence to the meas
ures or policy of any administration. On tn
contrary. we affirm that it is tile inaienable RICH
of the people. for whose welfare alone govern
ment exists. TO freely discuss. judge. approve o
condemn the policy and measures of all public
rulers and at all times we'll in war as in peace
To apply to all they may propose or do, the inial
lble test of the Constitution, fidelity to which /
the criterion of loyalty.
3. We repudiate as dangerous and revolu
tionary, the doctrine. that state of war. con
fers upon the President of the United States o
his subordinates in authority, any power. Eyecu
tive, Legislative. or Administrative, over per
sons or property, above or beyond what ar
vested in him or them by the Federal Constitu
ton. We admit no military necessity to iustif
any violation of the Constitution, which is tn
guide and safeguard OF rulers nd people alike
in peace and in war, and in all conditions of pub
lie affairs. the military should ever be subordi
nate to the civil pewer.
A. The Federal Union as it existed prior to tn
commencement of civil is the only Nationa
unity. known to the Constitution and Laws 0
the United States. and we denounce rs revolu
tionary and hostile to constitutional liberty, al
leagues. plans, pledges and attemps, having j
view the establishment OF ga National Unity,
among the people of the United States. on an
other basis than the Constitution of the Unite
States.
). The right OF revolution is the last resort Q
oppressed people. Ii does not ana cannot ex
sist so long as peaceful constitutional means wi
avail t. the defense OF constitutional liberty.
Is the duty of every citizen to exhaust all sue
means for his remedy and defense against re-
rulers. magistrates public officers. is iusti6ab,
only, when the ability TO obtain peaceful c0nst
tutional redress. shall be taken from the peopl
by usurpation and tyranny.
Our liberties rest upon the constitutional guar
aniees of freedom of opinion and speech fire
press. tree courts. anu free elections. Whe
administrative power shall attempt to wrest thes
from by violence, the strong arm OF "a free PEG
pie will defend their birth right Having faith i
the people. and III their constitutional Gov eru
ment, we will stand by it. and insurrectionar
or revoiufiOiIHry act OF ours under temporary ey
elements or for inadequate causes. admits II
failure. Our high duty aud purpose are to de
fend constitutional Government in all It's form
and functions. We therefore deprecate and dt
nounce ali attempts by violence TO evade or op
pose the due execution OF the Tax and Conscrir
ton acts. any other acts of the late Fedora
Congress, md we advise all citizens feeling az
grieved by those acts to appeal only TO the nd
cial authority, ard TO that great legislative powe
of a free people-the ballot box. which is thei
surest remedy against obnoxious laws
3 We declare that the existing rebellion. base
upon the doctrine of secession. is an rnjustitabi
attempt to subyert by violence the Constilutio
aud Government of the United States. and shout
be resisted and put down by all the material an
moral power that can De constitutionally brough
TO bear against it. We accord unreservedly wit
the patriotic declaration of Andrew Jackson, tina
the Constitutional Union must and shall be pre-
served.
We are opposed to the doctrine and, part
san measures of the political party or organiza
ton, which under h various names of Aboll
ton. Anti-Savery Free Soil. Republican. Union
No-party and LOYAL National League has be
trayei the people into entrusting It with poitica
power. and which now controls the Federal Ad
ministratou We oppose this party OF many
and ever shifting names. now. as we have hereto
fore done. because We regard il As a sectional
disorganzing and revolutionary party having n
sympathy with true national Democracy, and 6
sentialy unfaithfu to the Federal Constitution
IL has from its origin, in violation of the spirit o
that Constitution, persistenly forced upon th
minds of the people sectional issues. arrsying i
hostility sectional feelings and interests, engen
deriu~ Sas.tinnal hatred and prenarno the VA