Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-16

it gave that this war should be prosecuted
solely to sustain the Constitution, and thus pre-.
serve the Union as it came to US from our
cestors; and then let US look at the present.
Let behold the working of the new aboli-
ton, corrupt system which has been adopted
for its prosecution In this way we can plainly
determine why is il that this terrible crisis has
been reached why is it that CONSUMPTION bill
TO force soldiers into the field is now engaging
the attention Of this body2 Sir let the gentle
men here remember, as the people of the coun-
try well remember, the unanimity with which
that unparalleled uprising of the people took
place. when this baleful and most disastrous
war first came upon Us. 1t was then announced
that the only purpose was to preserve the Con
stitution and restore the Union under the Con-
stituton. That was the object, and none other,
which rallied the people by hundreds of thou
sands. | remember well the first time lifted
my voice in this Hall. 1t was Just one year ago
In that speech | rehearsed the pledges which
every department of the Government had given
to the people and on which an army was raised
for the prosecution of this war. l read the in
augural of the President, in which he said he
had no power nor inclination to touch the in
stituton OF slavery in the States, aud that the
fugitive slave Jaw must be executed. read
from his message to the extra session of Con
gress in July. in which he reiterated the state
ments of his inaugural on these important ques
tons. | rehearSed the teachings of the Cabi
net and especially of the distinguished Secre
tary Of State, who had spoken ANONYMOUSLY
upon these and kindred subjects. They were
all to the same purpose. | recalled the an
nouncement of distinguished Generals in the
Geld sustaining the doctrine proclaimed by the
President aud the Cabinet All announced then
that this war was to be prosecuted within, by
virtue of, and for the purpose of restoring the
Constitution of the country. / saw, even then,
however, ugly symptoms, clouds already gath
ering in the sky portending that all these
pledges were to be broken. The gentleman
from Massachusetts Mr.. Elliott had introduced
his resolutions looking to the entire overthrow
of the institution of slavery in connection with
the prosecution of the war. The gentleman
from Pennsylvania, the Chairman of the Com
mittee of Ways and Means. Mr. Stevens. had
also introduced his celebrated resolutions. |
therefore at that time read these pledges of the
Government against the radical tendencies,
which / saw developing rapidly the Ad
ministratiOn dared. | used, upon that occasion,
the following language. on which | look back
with pleasure to night:
"sIr Chairman, am amazed, utterly amazed, when
the present with the past this subject Alis
changed at least far Congress concerned Pledge
upon pledge has been made BY every department of
government the opening stages Of this conflict The
national faith has been pghted at home and abroad in
the most binding and obligatory manner, that the dome
aud customs the seeded
violated that slavery was not TO be abolished, that
'savages to be let loose We heard dig
protests then against this policy Tongues that
loud in its denunciation then mute. Voices
that now high in wrath again il were then silent.
"An army, however of six hundred thousand men now
stands banded together under the stern control of military
discipline In that suppose, the object of conservative
pledges accomplished and the time has arrv ed for the
fuhmcn Of the purposes OF this war; according 10 the
views Of Aboiion>s- They demand now that all these
pledges shall be broken. They demand at the faith of
the Government hal be dishOnOred. They demand that
the present Administration shall be dgaced in the eyes
Of ali the world by abandoning its deliberate
of the Constituencies boldly opery
marked line Of policy They demand that the army shall
be deceived; that the promises by which twas raised
snail be proven alse that the soldier shall fight and
die IN the prosecution OF purposes which were concealed
from him when he enlisted and which he abhorS They
demand that the people shall be betrayed, and their hard
earned money taken to support this war; conducted
principles which they utterly repudiate. And above all,
they demand that the Constitution be ruthlessy violated;
that the laws be stricken down. and that the old Union,
such as our fathers made it. shall be restored Had
they avoweG their purposes at the opening Of this war,
and appealed the country TO support the arocious doc
trne which they avow had they made their demands
then, proud army would line thousand miles Of
border but }aher, my colleague Mr.. Dunn has well
and truthfuly said this floor, army would have
b en- composed of small and deluded band such fol-
lowed John Brown to Harper Ferry. Let these demands
be granted and the appalling fact will stand
essed that Stupendous fraud has been practced the
nation and that the army of the United States has been
obtained by false pretenses. Let these demands be
granted now and no American Union will ever more
Mr. Speaker, one BY one all these fatal de-
mands of extreme, unconstitutional AboitioniSm,
have been granted by this Administration. Every
conservative pledge by which IA mighty army was
obtained has been broken; every one. The people
who rallied under your pledges soemnly given,
and filled the ranks of your army, have been
deliberately deceived They trusted you once,
and you have been false to them. This is the
reason why new army cannot be raised from
1 Al al
! to establish despotism by this BILL IN order to
fill the ranks of the army by force. This is the
reason why Republican members themselves
admit that, loyal are the people of the country,
| you cannot get another volunteer confidng
people believed when they drew their swords that
il was to uphold the principles of the CONSTITUTIONS
they believed they were following the ark of the
living God through the wilderness, to uphold and
protect il from the hands of idOators. This
House told them, the President told them. the
Cabinet told them, their leading Generals ted
them, that when the army was once raised it
should be used to sustain the old glory, the old
flag to give us back the Union and the Constitu
ton they were in the beginning. But they
have been cruelty betrayed, and hence, Mr..
Speaker. TO night. this conscriptiOn bill Had
this war been conducted for the Constitution.
no coercion would have had TO be practced
upon the people of the North; no conscription
/
not feel-if they did not know that they have
been deceived and their confidence used for
corrupt and unlawful ends; if they did not feel
that their blood had been taken for purposes
never contemplated by them; it they did not
feel that their first born had been stricken
down i'm battle to carry out purposes which
were hidden from them wnen they we're seduced
by false promises into the rauks-f the people
were not deeply impressed with all this, you
would not now have bill before this House
authorizing, in violation of the Constitution,
the exercise of despotic, conScriptive, a
coercive power over the loyal people of the
country TO get another army. You have
destroyed the public confidence. and that is the
reason why you are now resort3g to this
measure
Mr.. Speaker, have heard much no tile crit
cism, and listened 10 many assaults made on the
minority of this House, because of the party
spirit which it is eyed we have shown. We
came here feeble, il is true; we came surrounded
by the flames of popular phrensy equal. almost,
TO the flames through which the three Hebrew
children walked in the DAYS of old The smell
of fire, however, is not, | believe, gar
ments. We have been wonderfully preserv ed
thus far from the malignant Vaccinations of
those who prosecute the faith of the fathers.
Sir, when this memorable and mischievous
Congress first met, your watchwOrd OF falsehood
and deusion mo party" Ali party spirit
was to be banished- All party purposes were to
be abandoned. Party schemes and party prnci-
plies were all to be laid aside, and perfect unity
was to prevail in the North for the preservation
OF our blessed Union No former party platforms
were to be considered. A universal sacrifice
was to be made of them all for the good of the
country. You quoted the words of the great
Douglas in his dying hour to support you in
your enormous impostion.upon the people. Sir
Mr.. Douglas in his life ready, he would