Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-21
How Can the Union be Preserved,

How Can the Union be Preserved
We copy the following extract from the speech
of JAMES A. MoMAsrERs, Esq, editor of the N.
Y. Freeman's Journal, delivered at the Demo
cratic mass meeting at Hamilton, Ohio, on the
10th inst, not only on account of the many prac-
teal suggestions it contains, but to reproduce
some important statements in regard to the re
fusal of the Administratiou to entertain over
lures for peace upon a basis which would be ac-
ceptable to a large majority of the people of the
country. We have conversed with many leading
Republicans recently who profess to be in favor
of restoring the same state of affairs that existed
before the commencement of armed hostility.
Mr.. McMAsTERs states in his speech
that the Administration were advised
through intercepted letters and before the
proposition came for an interview. that the object
of Mr.. STEPHENS mission was peace-the resto-
ration of the old Union upon terms honorable to
both parties and which would involve no degra-
dation to either. Yet with the knowledge of this
fact Mr.. LINCOLN states in his letter to the
Springfield, Illinois, convention that he never
had any intimation of a willingness on the part
of the rebels to return to their allegiance to the
Government Says Mr.. McMAsrERs:
If this Union was formed by consent. and only
by consent, how was il to be preserved? The
progress of such a political event rs this must be
consonant and agreeable to its beginning: and
this Union never can be preserved, except by the
consent Of each and every State that does. OF
shall form part of it. [Cheers In the year
1858, when a miserable population, OFT far be
you'd the Mississippi. on the territory of Kansas,
having been organized as a party and made II
community OF freemen. and authorized to form a
constitution and To come into the Union, when
she refused to come in under a certain c~onstitu
ton on the ground that that constitution was die
tated to her, and not her free choice, | and other
Democrats fought and battled. because we be.
lieved she had the right to say whether she would
come into the Union or stay out. IL the Union
can be preserved only by consent. then what
other way is there but force or compulsion? And
are you going to compel freemen2 Would you
let them compel you? f"No. no u Suppose in
the incursion OF invasion Of Lee he had attempt
ed to come North to invade the Northern States,
would you not, az your gallant Vallandigham
predicted, have resisted the invasion and hurled
him back across the Potomac2 Suppose, in
stead OF that, he had marched on to the Della
ware, and watered his horses there, what
would YOU have done2 Greeley said if Lee
watered his horses in the Delaware, he for
his part would say he was whipped. and would
submit and take Southern d~ictation, and give up
to them, and let them have the whole country.
Greeley said that, and would you say that?
r. No, NO" and cheers. No. not if you
arresi with every principle for which the South
T. fixhtsng-not if you had perfect sympathy with
them, in the defense of your own State, when
they came into Ohio, you would do what you did
to John Morgan. Butternuts would turn out
armed. as some of my personal friends did over
IN Indiana. Yes, you would catch and imprison
him rs a marauder and an invader. That Is the
way freemen do with those who invade their State.
Now, suppose Morgan had got the bsiter Of you.
and Lee had marched up through Pennsylvania
into New York and Lincoln had put on his Scotch
cap and military cloak, and had gore off 70 Cana
da andleft US. what should we have done? The
Abolitionists tell US that they would cheer for
JEFF DAVIS. and take the Southern Confederacy
just as tits. and go down on our knees and beg to
be let in. r"No. no; that's their lies L reckon
it is a lie. tell YOU Why l think so. Jefferson
Davis and his party. speaking through the Rich.
monG papers, lave nothing but hard words for
Valiandigham. while they have nothing but bene-
dictions for the Abolit'onists They do not like
our logic. They say take any form but that. when
we say stop fighting: but we dom say make peace
and let them go; we say let US set down and ar
que the question, and see IL they won't agree
with us, that there is no happiness for US and our
children unless we restore the Union So. then,
YOU wouiu not nave cneered Tor Jen DAVIS III
; these marauders had run over this State and
begged them to take YOU into the Southern Con
~federacy just as it is; nnd you have ever met with
Southern men-I don't know but there are some
of our gallant soldiers here who have returned
from the war; if any such. there be. | would ap
peal to him aud ask. did you not meet with men
AS determined and brave as you aref Did you
not meet men as willing TO die as you aref /
ask you who have met them in social life. are not
Southerners Of your own bloodf Are they not
freemen born and freemen reared, and do you
think that they win accept dictation at the point
OF the bayonetl ] tell Fou never. Aud I will
tell you something more: ifthey would. I for one
do not want them IN a Confederacy Of free States.
but one in which they would be In the position os
slaves, for freemen they would not be. Then
how are you going 70 DOT In the Hrsf place, I
tell you, il you overrun the land. and occupy
every acre, even II you had men enough to cover