Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-04


treat with the people Of the seeded States in a
spirit OF Christian forgiveness aud humanity la
spirit Of conciliation and conpromiss--in .
word, 20 meet and treat with them in National
Convention or otherwise for peace in the true
national and fratcrnal spirit OF the Federal Con
stitution We will yield 10 more. We will ask ne
less. We will ask nothing to degrade Southern
manhood ard self respective xill Weld nothing
70. degrade Northern manhood and selfrespect
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
pie IN rebellion will consent 70 meet and negotiate
with Us in that spirit and on that basis, We favor
no armistice, nor withdrawal OF armies. nor ces
sAtion OF hostilities. What we thus demand Of
our fellow-citizcns Of the South. we demand not
in spirit OF revenge, nor of party. nor of section
nor Of superiority; but we demand il a. National
Democrats, in the name aud bv the authority OF
the sacred bond of Federal Union. which has
been 10 them a. to Us. protection, honor, power
and prosperity.
10 Conscious Of our fidelity to the Union and
Constitution and sincerely DESTROYS % 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 aud denounce that Adminlstra-
ton for its many offeuses and short comings
against the sacred cause that has been entrusted
10 il We arraign the Administration before the
intelligent judgment Of the world. and demand
from il an account of its stewardship, and an
equivalent for the lives, the wealth, and the con-
stitutional liberty of free people, over which
as means Of restoring peace aud union, II mas
welded well nigh arbitrary power. We araign
and condemn the Federal Administration,
|. Because, in the presence of national Dan
ger and calamity before which the voice oil party
should have been hushed to silence, and party
measures abandoned or suspended, the Federal
Administration and it, 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 large majority OF the people OF 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 yet the Administration and
its supporters have demanded from all the people
as "A test of LOYALTY, unconditional adherence 10
these partisan measures We name among them,
The abolition oil 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 10 all National
Territory
3. The unconstitutional ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the
State of Virginia, aud the admission ola fraction
of that State into the Union as State. upon
the compulsory basis of les adopting system OF
gradual emancipation.
4 TIE project of compensated negro emanci-
patton and colonization. at the expense OF the
Federal Government
s. Negro emancipation in most Of the slave
holding States of the Union. by Presidential
edict or proclamation, under the pretence of a
military necessity, having no existence and upon
the assumption of power in the President
unknown to the Constitution and the law of ma
tons
6. general executive and legislative policy,
both military and civil, in regard to the negro
race Nv the United States, tending only, events
have proved, to divide the minds of Union men,
to strengthen the rebellion. and to weaken the
zeal ami power of the Union States in their effort
TO suppress II.
IL Because. while it is known to the world
that the rebellion was produced, in great part, by
the fear in the minds OF 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 in.erfere with and
break up the relation of Negro Slavery, and 9th.
erwise to impair the political equality of the Slave
States members of the Union and their right
full constitutional control over their own domestic
institutions: and the highest patriotism and true
states mansbip therefore demanded on the part oil
the Federal Government. both of its civil anC
military measures, towards the rebellion. an emf
nently constitutional and conservative policy
that would have dsproved every alleged cause Of
rebellion. and hus weakened and destroyed it,
moral power the policy and measures OF the Fed
eral Government have been yindictively partisan
4 IL.
the Southern people. which is the surest hope o.
a restored Union. The words coRfscofion. eman
cipation, devastation, su6jugott0n, determination
and colonization too truly and ceIrly indicate th,
fatal policy of the Administration and its adher
ents in dealing with the people OF the rebellion:
States; men of kindred blood and like passions
with ourselves. equally inheritors with Us of
free Constitution, and OF the aspirations anC
hopes OF freemen. and who equally with us, vii
welcome death rather than subjugation.
III. Because, MANY of the official acts of the
Administration have been acts of usurpation auC
tyranny and have evinded a despotic temper
that find their parallel in the worst acts and spirit
O.. the Stuart dynasty of England Almost from
the beginning of its authority, the Administration
and its party have pursed, with revengetul NAL
ice and the most unjust contuney, all Demo
Gratis who have refused to abandon their organ
cation as a political party-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 to 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 perPctrated or attempted. that would not
ind fair trial and Just punishment in those
courts
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus has
been csuseeSsly, unlawfuly and oppressively
suspended and denied. in the cases of persons
neither lawfully charged nor guilty of any crime
unknown to the law. 0Henses STYLED "disoyal
practices" unknown 10 hlw have been created
and defined by Executive or War Department
or other military orders or proclamations. Dem
ocratic citizens have been arrested and mprison
ed for such alleged ofenses While uubridled Ii.
cense of abuse has been allowed TO public presses
in the interests of the Administration, Demo
crotic presses have been suspended, suppressed
or destroyed. for no other cause than exercs-
inc the constitutional right OF freedom of the
press.
The freedom and sancty of the mails have
been violated
Unreasonable searches and seizures have been
made.
Peaceful and law abiding citizens have beer
arrested imprisoned. and punished without du,
process and warrant of law-without legal accu
sation, trial or confederation exercising the
constitutional right OF freedom Of opinion aud Of
speech, and they have been removed to prison:
without the limits of their own States, wher,
alone their ofenses. II any. could be legal,
tried.
The freedom OF elections has been violated b,