Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-15

/
on the 1st of January last, under this so called
Confscation Law. the slaves of every Rebel in
the United States VINO had net accepted the am
nesty therein provided, were de lure free But
/ how were to end this rebellion if then Union
men, women and children in the so-called Con-
Tolerate State we're left in uDdistuIbed possession
of all their legal and constitutional rghtsf If
this policy were adopted, the Rebels might be
come angry with these " monuments Of Federal
mercy" and in that event the spared monuments
aforesaid might cling more closely to the Federal
| flag This division among the people might
cause a still more unhappy state of afiairs in
Dixie; our friends there might have to bear addi
tional indgnties. AS before remarke ed, our mer
ciiul and considerate President was found equal
to the crisis.
In a long conversation with some inspired
apostles from the sanity city Of Chicago-a place
where Onderdonking and other worldly amuse-
ments are unknown-the President candidly
! fessed that he was endeayorIng (he did not state
the means) to ascertain the will Of the Lord upon
this difficult question: that 40 soon as he learned
the Divine pleasure, he verify would do the will
of the Master who sent him. The revelation
came doubtless "by due course of mail" Judg-
/ ing from that which is written, it amounted to
this: that in portion OF Virginia and Louisiana,
in Delaware, IN Maryland in Tennessee and
/ Missouri, il was lawful for traitors who had ac-
/ cepted the amnesty provided by the Coofiscation
\ law, and all other persons. to hold slaves; but
1 that in the tidewateI regions of Virginia, and in
/ that part of Louisiana which had not been con-
secrated to slavery by the military occupation of
/ Gen. Butler, as also in North Carolina, Florida
| Georgia, Alabama Mississippi Arkansas and
/ Texas, il should no longer be lawful for the
| Union men, women and children, to bold
/ African fellow citizens to service or labor. And
yet there are those Of the "copperhead persua
sion' who profess not to see the wisdom of this
great master stroke of our most noble and exalt-
ed President. Sirs did it not Immediately divide
the South and unite the North2 Were not our
camps forthwith crowded with countless myriads
of bold and ardent recruitSl Have not ''our
American brethren Of African descent" crowded
by thousands into ranks. inspiring soldiers
with a wild enthusiasm and rendering night vocal
with the songs of eniranchiSed Dnahs and new
ing and pukinC Sambos, and have arms
been victorious everywhere since the dawn of the
negro millennium Of 1852
l know that men like General NJ Brayman
who commands in your vicinity (at Bolivar
Tennessee.) are guilty of absurdities of speech
which afford the enemies of our sagacious Presi
dent excuses for complaint and criticism. For
instance, on the l4th Of last March, that officer
then in command Bolivar, wrote follows i'm
regard to the proclamation offreedom with which
our illustrious and far-seeing President greeted
the advent of the new year 'The loyal is
equally helpless with the disloyal; in fact, more
them in the army in which he himself serves,
whilst the slaves of loyal men fee to camps,
beyond reclamation. Under this process, the
Rebel holds his slaves by carrying them into a
State in which they are declared Free while the
law abiding citizen loses his by retaining them in
State whereit is lawful to hold them. Al it is
now: the LOYALTY and good conduct of these men
avail them nothing.
In speaking of the elevatng effects of this sys-
tenn upon our armies and the negroes, Gen. Bray
man shocks sensibties by the of lang
uage as this: Their expense to the Government
is enormous. 1t requires soldiers 20 guard them.
They sicken and die in crowded and filthy corrals.
They become debased and demoralized. They
debase and demOralize the army"
Now, among the resolutions you will adopt at
the Memphis meeting. there should by all means
be one censurng Gen. Brayman for the use of
language so insulting to "Our fellow citizens of
African descent" and so justly calculated to in
cense the slaveowners in Tennessee who have so
stubbOrnly refused to join the Rebels
Why. sirs. this license of speech must be sup
pressed. What right have men who do not sup
port the present wise and efficient Administration
to criticse It's policy the consequences Of it?
Within the last few days | have heard persons i'm
this city-n this capital, which bears the sacred
name of Washington and which for the present is
the home of our iIlustrious Chief Magistrate
draw seemingly invidious distinctions between
the fate of Jessie ID Bright, of Indiana. and that
of John NJ. Bolts. of Virginia. How nv blood
'boiled with pious indignation" when. few davs
ago, heard an individual of the straightest sect
of copperheads discoursing thus:
Jessie D. Bright, of Indiana, was expelled
from the Senate of the Unted States last year,
charged with reasonable practices He then
owned n farm and negroes in Kentucky, and still
owns them He accepted the amnesty provided
in the so called Confscation Law which passed
- IL II =.
company his family trip of pleasure to Eu
rope, lelving his large properties in Indiana and
his slaves in Kentucky under the protection of the
law. John NJ. Bolts is Just out of Libby or
some other Confederate prison, where he was in.
carcerated for his devotion TO the Union and his
uEdyiHg hostility to the so called Southern Con-
federacy Ten days ago his slaves we're enticed
within the lines of our army in Virginia. Mr..
Bolts demanded that they be surrendered or re-
turned, and received for an answer, direct from
Washington, that he had no right to them-that
our wise and law abiding President had set them
Free"
/ confess that when heard this long and com
planning rigmarole was indignant at this per-
sons stupidity. He could not see the wisdom of
this wise policy OF our most noble Executive. he
was almost as ncorrigible as Jas L. Petgru. of
South Carolina, who, when he read the grand proc
lamation ofthe most illustrious successor of Wash
ington, took the oath of allegiance TO the Con
federafe Government, and offered his private for
tune to the Rebels to aid them In making war
upon the armies OF the submest man of modern
tines of Nelson, ofTennessee who, with sons
in Rebel captivity, published an appeal to the
people of that State to take up arms against our
freedom loving President; of Houston, Henry
ami Others who Immediately went over to the
Rebel cause. Away with A such men, good
! Union man loves his country per Sc. He cares
nothing for liberty, or property, fame or fortune,
consideration or contracts. Office or opinion The
true test is simply this: who is the greatest
wisest and best Of mankind? Who is the first
natural military genus of the world? Who doeth
| all things wisely and we'll? Who should be
elected President so longs he will accept the
Officer If to all these inquiries the respondent
answers, with firm, unfaltering voice. Abraham
Lincoln, ESQ. he may be set down as a good
Union man, fit TO join Loyal League. receive
contract accept a commission or office, and to
vote But If, like Crittenden. of Kentucky, he
il ever talking about the Constitution and such
worn out themes he ought, not to be trusted for
moment
A Union man must have an abundance of faith
faith in the saving grace Of exalted President
faith that he will yet prove the political Moses
to lead our armies across the Rappahannock-
| faith that under his leadership, could he be in
duced to take the field, the mighty hosts of Reb
edom would flee from Maryes Hill and drown
themselves. like possessed" swine. in the ada
i cent stream.
/ How is recruiting now in West Tennessee?
Last summer, only few thousand enlisted in our
ranks; but very few. | believe. in Memphis. You
were so amply protected within the lines. that you
quite forgot. fear. the souows of those who had
not vet had an opportunity of greeting the flag
| which brings such certain security to loyal men,
women and children; such inevitable protection