Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-23


Therefore let the elements of opposition at
once combine so that the friends of the Union
may determine upon the best course TO secure
peace. 1t those elements are too strong to he
subdued except the expense OF our own liberties
and the loss OF every good for which III. gov
eminent was established, the sooner we know the
fact aud act upon il the better
IL IL become evident that the friends Of slavery
are strong enough in this country to resist all
Efforts 10 subdue them. shall act upon IL lam
not prepared TO ruin the country in a vain effort
10 do what cannot be done Shall this war 20
on foreverf IL the common cry of "the last man
aud the last dollar" poetry. patriotism. or bag
gsdociaF should the war go until the public
debt equals the entire wealth of the country
Should the whole capital Of the people be forced
into Federal securities, and these securities made
the basis OF an irredeemable paper circulatong
Should IL 60 on until misery btoods over the
whole land, until civil authorities shall become
lmpotent. and all rights of person and property
stand at the mercy OF military power?
Should II 20 on until the members of the Sen
ate and House of Representatives shall owe their
places here To the bayonet instead of the ballot
box; until they become rs contemplate as the
Rdmp Parliament that so long enacted the mill
tary usurpaiion to the overthrow Of the English
Constitution, TO be finally expelled from place by
the power they had so basely servedg Should
il 60 on until corruption aud fraud the necessary
concomitaDts of civil war. shall have crept into
high places and put on the garb OF patriotism:
until officers become 30 numerous that official
patronage may quarter one half of the people
upon the other half, aud give them the means of
perpetuatiBg their own power? Should it con-
tinue until, exhausted, the nation would welcome
the coming of a Cromwell or a Bonaparte: until
Provost Marshals with military police shall be
stationed at every village in the Northern States
displacing the civil authority issuing orders for
governing people heretofore supposed 10 be able
to govern themselves. teaching how God shall
be worshipped, prescribing new and strange Of
fenses, and Furnishing them by court martaY
Should it continue until financial ruin brings
misery, and misery runs into anarchy. when no
hope but despotism is left?
Nr President, "a few years more of civil war
and the outline of this picture will be seen. IL
cannot he otherwise. 1t is the necessary result
OF a long civil strife Peace parties will spring
up; the war party will denounce them traitors;
the publication of newspapers will be suppressed.
and freedom OF speech denied mobs will retaliate;
the blunders as well as the cOrruptons of the
party will tend to strengthen the corruptions of
y,
each party appeals to violence. the one to hold.
the other TO obtain power the ballot-box becomes
Il mockery. a cheat instead of proclalming the
voice OF free people it speaks The subdued Ian
guage of base subserviency or the bold tone Of
military despotism
Such Is history. We not exempt from the
frailties that wove this web OF history for others
Party pride. blinded vanity. may think so These
have driven many nations from the enjoyment of
liberty to the proioundest depths of tyranny. To
prevent this state of things all interested.
one party no more than another, Tor when it
comes, all parties will suffer alike.
When the Roman legions had subdued Car
thage, the enemies of Hannibal who in party
blindness had compassed his defeat, shared the
same fate with his friends Party revenge may
be satisfied when political enemies come TO grief.
but this Is no compensation for a ruined country.
When anarchy comes we are overwhelmed alike.
The Girondist and Jacobin followed each other
in rapid succession to the guillotne The Roy
alist and the Republican,, the Presby,erian and
the Leveler suffered alike when party divisions
sacrificed the blessings of the revolution. estab-
lished despotism for England more loathsome
than Charles had ever proposed
In this moment of danger let all parties aban
don The preudces of the past and resolve to fol-
low the dictates of right Whatever establishes
Justice tends to restore the Union. Whatever
perpetuates wrong will continue to disturb our
peace Let us unite to restore the Union, and it
il be practicable let US abandon the war.
Mr.. President. the party in power should re-
member the past. The responsibility OF the
present occasion is mumentous Will thew be
able To save the Union. and ii so, will they save
ANYTHING else that is desirable? These are plain
questions and they ought 10 be discussed in all
canGOr. have never doubted that the rebellion
could be crushed If the proper course OF policy
were pursued But | have always feared that
when the Southern leaders, who had 20 long
domlDeered over the minority. LETT these halls
the political pendulum would eep too tar to the
other side. Every wrong had been previously
committed in the defence OF slavery IL was but
reasonable that thereafter some wrongs nigh be
committed IN the name of ant-slavery In the
days of Louis Nv. the French people bad been
oppressed IN the name of the Church When
oppression had been thrown off. they not ONLY
sought and worshiped the ashes at Voltaire. but
Knocked the embems of the true religion
| once before stated, anu | now repeat the
opinion. that If the people OF the seeded States
were al united as men united when inspired
by just cause, when urged on bv convictions
OF duty TO self. 10 country. and To God they never
could be conquered. History furnishes no ex-
ample oil such a thing. and saw no special rea-
sou why the general current of experience should
be broken in this case | thought however. they
could be conquered. because | did not believe
they were united.