Indiana State sentinel., 1863-02-23

in the spirit of conquest or subiugation. and il
should not interfere with the rights the dignity,
or the Institutions of the States Congress ad-
journed; il went home and found united const-
tuency; what has divided usl ] will tell you, sir
Do YOU recollect the victory Of Fort Donelsonl
know you do. You recolleOt with what reiOic-
ing every loyal heart received the intelligence of
the success of the Union arms. Two days after
that victory, special message was submitted 10
the American Congress- What was III Con-
gratulating the people on the return of TenLes-
see TO the Unionl Inviting again the States Of
the South to renew their love and allegiance to
the'6eneral Government No. sir! Ii was con-
lined to the sole object of the Establishment" of
African slavery. Why ''abolishmentf" Why
not say aOOhtong Because then the measure
would have been christened at orce with the ap-
probrium and contempt il deserved An obsolete
term, word almost uuheard hitherto in :he Ian
guage, must be selected and placed in this mes
sage TO discriminate its doctrines from the dis
graceful heresies of that school of fanaticism
which has so often met defeat with PROCLAMATION
and made victory itself almost contemplate
That was the first thing that presented these is
sues OF which Senators complain Other meas
ures Of similar character rapidly followed
which have made party in this county virtue
and a necessity.
There was appropriation here at the last
session OF 81 ODOO 900 for abolition purposes in te
District of Columbia Who presented i'll Who
voted for t2 Who carried it against the protest
of the people? The Senators to nv right; those
who are complaining about party discussions and
party feeling in this Halll When did they do il?
When did they propose to squander this vast sum
to crafty the fanaticsm of a section with which
they are connected, and for which they claim all
the loyaltyE Ii when Rebel army was
threatening the possession of the Capital itself:
when, from the dome of this structure, YOU might
have seen the Rebel flag floating; when FIVE hun
dred thousand men were in arms against this
Government. IL was at such time tha, these
men could not forget the flesh pots of Chicago
but must insist upon party action and party egis-
lation.. Ii is that which has divided a once united
people. There is no other cause whatever If
this war had been prosecuted in the spirit in
which II was commenced; If it was now prosecu.
ted with an eve single To the purpose of restoring
nationality, the people OF Indiana. the people of
other States, would require no draft to certify to
a compelled loyalty; they would iolloS the flag
| OF the Union in myraGs more countless than
those which followed Peter the Hermit to rescue
the sepuchre of Christ from the nfdel
But, sir, it is because YOU have abandoned the
original policy Of the war; because you have
abandoned the constitutional mode OF a rec, n
strEction OF the Government that YOU have di-
vided the people of the oyal States and that YOU
have again sowed the SEEDS OF party debate and
discussion. know it is asked, AT such time as this
| will YOU still continue these wranglihssl Let me
ask of these Senators, viii they postpone these
abolition measures which have already dishon-
Ored and ruined the country to. so great an ex-
tent; will they postpone this thing OF buying ne
groes and paying for them out of the public
Treasury; will they postpone these other enorm-
ties will they postpone this direct infraction
upon the rights of the people of Missoury If
| they will postpone these things we will postpone
discussion and debate, not otherwise; and / here
make the offer, and know that every person
acting politically with me will accede TO it. that
we bury party; that we forget differences; that
We cease discussion and debate, provided they
will cease the presentation and urgency OF these
measures with which they have often hitherto
disgraced the country.
1t would indeed sir be felicitous thing if we
of the loyal States could look back upon the his
tory of united people and say there was no
blot on our escutcheon; that we had never trans
cended constitutional limits, never stopped to in
terfere with the constitutional reservation of the
rights OF any of the States. That brings me to
the most important consideration in the passage
Of the bill-the one have already alluded to
the effect of this Toiicy of interference and inter
vention. From the beginning it has been dis
astTOus If | had the power TO blot out the words
most hateful TO me in the history of my section.
would erase the words "Harper's Ferry" We
are never done reading of Federal misiortunes
which have clouded Harper's Ferr, and whyf
At other places we have the backs of the
Rebels; there we have shown them ours at
other places victory has perched upon our eagles;
at Harper's Ferry have had nothing but dis
aster, defeat aud discontinue Ii is the place
where first rsised the hand of Northern ia
natcsm against the resery ed rights and sovereignty
of great State 1 this Union. II is spot con
secrated to eternal shame and infamy. Ii is the
''damned spot that will never out" Sumter shall
equal it in dishonor; bot Sumter followed. This
NAV be treason; but it is truth also. If our
record of the North was clear, plain, was
uuclOuded, with what virtue, with what force,
with wi'at renewed efficacy we might go before
the word and ask its judgment Ia our favor in
regard TO the present contest. Do Senators still
desire 10 continue TO acitate this most odiOus doe
trine OF interference with the sovereignty of the
Statesy Do they still desire to continue 10 agi-
tate this dangerous and disgTaceful element in
the political history OF the cOuniryl If they do,
let them vote for the Missouri bill.
But, SIR, il Senators desire to return to the
stitutonal landmarks; ii they desire to make this
war specially for the Union and for nothing else;
if Senators desire 20 place the merits of this con-
test wholly and solely upon the question of
tiOnal integrity, let defeat this bIll let us say
to Missouri, IF slavery is an incubus and an evil,
it is for which the Federal Government Is not
responsible: il is one for which the people of In
diana. the people of Virginia, the people OF Ken
lucky the people Of no State in this Union are
answerable. except the people OF Missouri them
selves For good or for evil they chose this in
stitution. They have reeO -nized, cherished, tOs-
terei. and Supported it; and for rejoieed as
would be to hear OF its disappearance. am not
willing TO hlt hngert" iax my people or the ma
tional Treasury in aid OF any such eleemosynary
III II 49,
treasure more cunsonan; with the pational honor,
national unit. aud natinnal pence