Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-21

that We bad simply been plagued with a hid
eous and oppressive nightmare. Bot We look
around " 70 Jay and the sun is shining. the AT
! blowing, all j. real and vet in the midst of al
THIS reality. and in the noon of the nineteenth
century, weare assaulted with this most terrible
peFnei0us and destructive heresy-this denial OF
the right OF the people of free government 10
control and manage that government tor them
selves
What does the Democratic party propose to
dol IL purposes. by the help of God. TO pre-
serve this Constitution. The Constitution
made our Union: without il the Union would
never have had existence. IL brought
your States together. IL and il alone held
them together for more than eighty years
and It alone can bring them together
again. II Is the only power that can re
store the Union We are constantly told that
i Is incumbent upon u to DO everything in
our power to restore the Union. We are ready
and ~illing-yea. We are anxious TO 90 ANYTHING
and everything hut what Is wrong. ard n wrong
can never restore the Union. The right. how
ever. can. and that we propose 10 do. The Dem
ocrauc party will take its stand upon the
eternal, immutable. ever living princip e OF right
and OF constitutional lbertv-tO do right by truth
and justice aud leave TO a righteous God To shape
the consequences in the future Ii this Union i
ever TO be restored. il will be done by doing
rightly preserving the Constitution. the bond
that made it. This is my only hope for NV
country | follow il ~ the children of Israel
followed the pillar of cloud by day and Of fire by
night. 1t, and il alone. will lead us through this
wilderness of war. and blood. and desolaton and
If It Is preserved The time will come when the sky
will clear away. and in brighter better. aud
happier land We will look back upon this scene
with proud satisfaction AS we reflect that We did
not bow the knee in the hour of trial 10 base
tyranny and lawless usurpation.
In the meantime. what do we exnectI Do we
look for and comfortl Do you. to-
day, expect me to tell you of M easy way
TO haven of safety where these troubles
and dangers shall no more beset and affiict u.s.
II you do can not crafty YOU You are not
to repose on howery beds of ease while
Others in times past fought to win the prize OF
freedom and sailed through bloody seas. We
NAV suffer. Some of Us NAV lar
gui,h in prison and in chains. We may
feel the iron fostering in our flesh, because we
assert 0nr rights rs freemen. We afford
all this; but not afford to live one
day or one hour beneath n sense of personal
abasement and disgrace. A man can die and hi
memory be crowned with the benedictioas OF
mankind evergreens may grow about his tomb
and the lips Of generations to come may bless
grief or sorrow but to prolong life ut the expense
of liberty and self respect, is what proud race
can not and will never do.
There hns never been a time in nv exoe-
rience when il easy to determine
what was right and what was wrong. The mark
is broad and plain between the two principles
The path of duty is plain before The voice Of
past ages comes to US appealingly in this crisis
The ages in which generous. high sould.
a Ill
ance of their unalienahle rights, implure MS ia
this hour of trial to falter on the plain brig
and shining pathway of constitutional liberty
because we hear the clanking OF chains
As | remarked before. it is not my purpose
on tlis occasion to discuss in detail any of ma
tiOna policy measures merely, but to allude to
these few plain and general principles which it was
due to myself, due To my country and due to the
gallent and glorious Democracy of the State of
Indiana. should be uttered your hearing.
One man there would have been in our midst
to day invited and honored guest. one
whom YOU all expected TO see and hear upon this
occasion. but that he has fallen. little sooner.
perhaps. than the rest of w., victim to the base
usurpntiOn which has taken the place of popular
rights and the Constitution. | should feel that
was guilty oil injustice TO gallant. IL bold and
constitution loving citizen of America. did | Ill
here to utter in the name Of the Democracy of In
Indiana my solemn protest against the tvrarny
which places Clement L Valdndigham within the
walls of prison
Ny countrymen: Our proceedings here to-day
Will. trust. be characterized by prudence frmness
and justice. Prudence consists. in times like these
in a bold adherence To truth and right invoke
upon this meeting the spirit OF good for our own
State the spirit of peace for people. The spirit
of union or all the States of America; and
trust in my heart of hearts, that the result of YOUR
deliberations will cOnduce 10 the prosperity and
glory Of the whole people
Hon X. I. MEREIcK. of Illinois, followed Mr.
VOORHEES, in an eloquent and powerful speech,
which was received with vociierous applause by
the immense throng that listened to il
Hon. JosEPH E McDoSALD, of this city. Hon.
Mr.. EDEN. of Illinois, and the Hon THOMAS A.
HENDRICKS. also addressed the Convention. We
have full reports OF these able speeches and will
publish them as fast as our space will admit
The Committee on Resolutions, by their Chair
man, reported follows:
RESOLUTIONS.
WHEREAS, 1t was declared by our fathers. that
to secure certain unalienable rights among which
are life. liberty and the pursuit OF happiness -
Governments are instituted among men. de
irving their just powers from the consent of the
governed and,
WHEREAS, In obedience to this principle in the
Constitution of the Unirei States, Ito establish
Justice and the blessings OF liberty to our
selves and our posterity." they divided the DOW.
ers OF the Government into three departments.
Legislative. Executive and Judicial, and declared
that nil legislative power therein granted should
be vested in a Congress of the United States
and
WHEREAS Legislation is claw r,aking" pow.
er. and law is rule of action by which men
shall be governed; and.
WHEREAS The people of Indiana in their Con-
stitutou re- III rmel such division Of government
tai power, and "tp the oni that Justice be estab-
lshed. public order miint'ined. aud liberty per
perutted. thew declare that "all power is in
herent in the people. and 1.-The military shall be
kept in strict subordination the civil pow err"
and.