Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-18


perhaps than two hundred aud fifty thousand Of
them occupy the green graves along the borderf
| l. il in the fact that In two hundred and hity
thousand homes there is mourning aud sadness
instead of joy and rejoicingr Is il ia the fact
that instead of The mothers and wives oi the land
being happy and rejoicing they are clothed in the
weeds OF nourning7 Is il in the fact that
/ up0n every side of returned brothers and
\ friends, one with ap arm gone, another With
another limb gone. health -destroyeds and hapPi-
ness departed from themf Are these the sources
of qualification 10 the Senator and the party he
represents? Is it in the fact that during the
past three years a-Id the year that is to come
We have imposed upon the people Of the United
States a debt of 81 900 900 DOOR The Secre-
tary's report will not show so much, but I
think il is known to the Senators that when
/ this war is closed, If il be closed within the
coming wear our national debt must be nearly
81 0OO, 900 900. What is the proportion Of that
debt to toe property Of the countryl i turned
my eye this morning to the fact as stated in
| the late census:
.he Marshsls Of the United states were directed 10
pectivey of the value real and personal
estate as assessed for taxation instructions were given
these officers TO add the proper amount TO the assessment
that the should represent well the in
trinsc value inadequate generally attached
by all the takers will be 4foand table No
81 whereby il will appear that the value of individual
/ exceeds OF
sixteen thousand million dollars, representing
Of hundred and ;wentySix and half per cent in
in value in the aggregate and increase Of s.
per cent. per capita of the free population
Then the value OF the personal and real prop
erty of the people of the United States. North
and South, is stated in the census TO be 5000,
600 900, and our debt at the end of another year
will be 81 900 900 GOO. being one fourth the en-
tire property of the people of the United States,
North and South; and there is to be added TO
this the enormous debt incurred by States. by
i counties, by cities by towns and 6y townships.
What they will add TO the burdens of the people
of the United States shall not undertake to es
innate. Perhaps | might say one half Of the
general debt of the United States Then, sir,
against the property OF the people of the United
States, North and South. OF SIG 900 DOC. 900, we
have an Indebtedness by the General Govern
ment. by the States, by the cities BY the counties
and townships, of $4,000 ,000.00n, more than
I one third of the property of the United States.
Does the Senator contemplate with pleasure that
upon the people of The United States there will
! be at the eud of the coming year burden OF
debt such as is not borne in comparison to their
property by any people upon earthI
I suppose-tbe qualification OF thezSenator
arises not from the effects of this calamitous
upon the people of his own race He knows
there is no happiness, no prosperity to come TO
them from that. He knows that there is hut
misery, death. destruction, embarrassment, debt,
bankruptcy TO the men, women and children OF
his Own race. But suppose he Is gratified when
/ he contemplates the effect upon the -four million
negroes in the South. Is the Senator right sure
that il is going to add to the happiness and pros
| perity of those people in the Soulful Is he sure
that the four millions who at the commencement
of this war. had masters 10 take csre Of them, il
turned loose and made dependent upon their own
efforts for their subsistence and their prosperity
4 will be happier alter that state Of things than
they were when they were taken care of by their
masters in the SOUTH | am not sure that il is
4 going to be
The Senator cOntemplates that they will be
free, that they will go when and where they
please: but when they come into the Northern
States among people not accustomed to them
and commence to crowd the free white labor OF
the North, these unfortunate people will come
IN contact with Northern prejudice that will
be hard upon them and upon their prosperity
But. sir, with sl the cslamites and misfortune
that have befalien twenty-six million white PEG
pie. the Senator is grati6ed when he contemplate
the happiness that may possibly by chance come
upon four million negroes
Does the history Of the last year and bal
justify the Senator's exultation and joy2 Lee
him go along the Mississippi, and instead Of
finding the negroes there happy and Industrious
he will find them without protection. and, as
the reports are, without provision and almos
without clothing, and large number OF then
prematurely dead The Senator from Ken
tncky Mr.. Davis suggests to me that at least
two hundred thousand of them have already
persisted prematurely. And yet with this STATE
OF facts before the Senator he expects gOoC
time for these unfortunate people vet to comel
Are they 10 remain among usl ! can say t
the Senator that they never viii associate Will
the white people of this country upon terms o
equality. IL may be preached; it may be legis
lated for; il may be prayed for; but there is tina
difference between the two races that renders j
impossible. 1t they are among US as free peo-
pie. they are among w. as an inferior people Tn,
Senator from Delaware Mr.. Salisbury mos
happily expressed il, that this difference betw eel
the races is not chsrgeable upon us; il is no
chargeable upon our Institutions; it is not charge
able upon the condition in which these people
have been kept for many generations past; il va
the pleasure of God to mark that difference upoI
the races; difference in intellect in tastes in al
the qualities that enible race to go upward AM
onward. which God himself has made and i'm
pressed upon them.
viii ask the Senator if he can refer to tn
negro in any land, in any age in which his con
dtIon better. in which his physical comfort
were securel TO higher degree, in which hi
intellectual aud moral elevation was promoted il
a higher degree, than in his connection with tn
white people Of the United States since he WA
brought to America What was his condition
before he was brought here? Had he any right
then that were respected. even by the rulers o
his own r4cel He was brought here slave,
barbarian, knowing no rights &c himself. ENJOYING
no rights, ig'ioranL OF that religion which Ina
been taught him IN this country. He has bee
elevated. 80 far as be could be elevated, by hi
contact with the white man. do not believe il
this notion that the negro is going TO elevate him
self IL the influence of the white mar Is remove
from him His Tendency has heen downUar
when not in contsct with our superior race Then
sir, fluid nothing in the past history OF this race
their history in Africa their history in the island
near by cur own coast. their history in the Fire
States, their history in the Southern States, {
encourage the sentiment that grat6ed the Sena
tor so much, that they to be much hlesse
and elevated by the change that is to be made ]
their condition.
Mr. President. I will not vote for the resolr
ton that IS before the body. do not intend
discuss the merist or dement's Of the propositio
OF general emancipation. That question has bee
r sufficiently discussed. perhaps by other Senators
In the first place. will not vote for the resi-
!, luton because think the times are not auspi
ciOus. 1t is not favorable time for to la
our hand upon the work of the fathers. o.
Constitution was made after the war Of the Rev
I Pollution was closed. when peace had returned
when there but little party prejudice an
, strife in the country time most favorable "a
having the foundations of government On
fathers were statesmen. taught in the seenes
T the Revolution. They laid the foundations
, government; and. for myself | am not willing
disturb them in these times of excitement an
! strife,
Ought not the people deliberately to consid'
: any proposition for an amendment of the COnst
tutionl Ought il not to be considered more d.
liberaIely than any ordinary measure of govern