Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-23
WEEKLY SENTINEL.


A Change.
The speech Of WENDELL PHILLIPS. at the an
niversary Of the American Anti Slavery Society
in New York. last week. furnishes topics worthy
of consideration. Some two years ago that gen.
tleman visited Washington. He was welcomed
with distinguished donors by the President and
the Republican members Of Congress. Then he
was in favor of a vigorous prosecution of
the war, regarding the overthrow of
slavery as its object and its Justification.
He did not consider any consequences beyond
that as being involved in the terrible civil wari in
which one section of the Union was arrayed in
deadly strife against another. But two years
reflection and experience have wrought a change
in his mind. As all men Of thought, cultivation
and integrity must. Mr.. PHILLrPs frankly admits
that civil war is not the proper means of eradi-
eating what he regards a great political, social
and moral evil. He is willing now to
consider that the remedy is a dangerous one, and
in attempting to cure one evil by violent meas
ures, the liberty Of the citizen and free govern
ment may be. in fact, will be. stricken down by
the rule of despotism which has been developed
in the attempt to subjugate the people OF the re-
belIious States and change their political status
As Mr.. PHILLIPS is the great abolition apostle,
and has been the head and front of the anti
slavery movement for many years, bis views as
to the results Of the war upon the free laboring
population of the North are eminentIy worthy of
consideration, especially by that class. We
therefore quote an extract from bis address upon
THE BURDENS OF THE WAR.
Even standing as we do this hour with the
news-if it can be credited. of the greatest VIC
tory Of the past three years-it is still to be
borne in mind that we have already incurred a
debt, that we have already sacrificed human lite,
that we have already LIunted the old vigilance
for individual liberty to an extent that bids Us,
American citizens. 10 beware OF any second
struggle of this character. Ii is very problem
etical whether another such trial could be borne,
and free Institutions survive it, on this belt of the
continent. With the debt which has been in
CURED, and with the expense OF 4 standing army
which will be inevitably under any plan of
reconstruction, a mortgage rests on the labor of
the next half century. Every living right hand
is mortgaged, and every one to be born for the
next twenty years Hitherto the charm of Amer
lean labor has been the surplusage of its means.
One third of the American artiZln's wages were
left for use for books. lectures, travel, the edu
cation OF his children. But now, so long as the
results OF this war last. so long AS one third, If
not one half of the average income of the capt.
tai of the country must be asked to defray these
expenses, so long the laborirg man of the north
ern States is robbed of that surplus, which was
the nucleus of intellectual and moral progress.
These are the evils which the abolition apostle
predicts will fall upon the free laboring men Of
the North from an abolition war-a war, not to
restore the old Union. but to overthrow the coz
stitutional Government formed by the fathers Of
the Republic, and establish in its stead a cousoli-
dated and centralized despotism. Mr.. PHILLIPs.
while not yielding his desire for the freedom and
enfranchisement Of the negroes held in bondage,
has the honesty to announce that the burdens of
the war will rob the laborlng men of the North
ern States of that surplus heretofore derived
from their industry, which was the nucleus of
their intellectual and moral progress. So that
while freedom in name may be secured to the
negro slaves, a mortgage is placed upon the free
white laboring man which will not only lessen
the physical comforts which he has heretofore
enjoyed, but place an embargo upon his intel
lectual and moral progress for the next half cen
tury. Aud be il remembered that this is not a
''copperbead" view of the results of the war. but
it comes from a Simon pure abolitionist to whose
judgment, ability and honesty of purpose the
homage of A. LINCOLN and the Republican mag
mates in and oct of Congress has been rendered.
Laboring men Of thesKorth. the suggestions of
Mr.. PHILLIPs are worthy of your consideration.
If his views are correct, what is the object of
the further prosecution of the war? What says
Mr.. PHILLIPS. will be the consequence:
"Accustoming the public mind to the liberal
exercise Of despotic power, until at last vigilance
is bluuted and the keen sense of individual right
and the sacredness of the bulwark of personal lib
erty is lost"
One more extract from the address of this
apostle of abolition illustrates most fOrcibly the
sppreheusions of a sincere and able man who
reads the future from the history of the past. He
remarks. under this head:
THE DEMONSTRATION HABITUArED TO DEsPoTIsN.
Over this picture looms the cloud of q Gov
eminent habitusted to the exercise of despotc
power. Well did Seward sty to Lord Lyons, II
but ring a bell Oh this side and unchallenged |
put in prison a New Englander. | ring one on
that and equally irresponsible consign a citizen
of Ohio 70 a dungeon" No such despotism this
side the wall of Chinai Necessary, Inevitable,
not to be found fault with in this death grapple
with the rebellion. but all the more earnestly is
il for Us to remember that such powe rs and such
example. if perchance intrusted to less worthy
hands. may result in the speedy dismemberment
of the Republic and the quick advance of des-
Potism.