Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-14

iesier into hatred the bands Of political a-sOcin- +
tiuu will rot longer hold together partIe- attracted
by The magnetism OF cOncilliaied interests ADD
kindly synpathies; and far better Il Will be for i
the people Of the disuuited States TO part 10 /
friendship from each other than 10 be held TO-
Cethsr by coust-Hint Then will be the time for
reverting tO.the precedents which occurred at the
formation aud adoption of the Constitution. TO |
form again more perfect Union. BY dissOlvins
that which could TO longer bind. and TO leave the
separated parts to be reunited by The laws of po-
liicai gravitation 10 the centre.
Thus, Mr Chairman, spoke John Quincy
Adams in an address delivered before the New
York Historical Society the 3Oth of April.
lc39. in commemoratiuu OF the fiteth annver-
sary of the Inauguration OF George Washington
= President of the United States. Mr. Adams
was a believer in the doctrine therein set forth,
and the leaders of the party To which he belonged
shared 10 that belief and continued 70 90 so until
the present unnatural civil war If ii vas sound
doctrine before secession took place. aud the war
begun what is there in either to change the
principlei
Andrew Jackson. in his farewell address to the
American people, has solemnly warned them that
the citizens Of one section OF the country ed
in arms against the other would be the end OF
the Union aud end of the hope OF freedom.
He says that. IF such a struggle is once begun.
and the citizens of one section of the country are
arrayed in arms against those of the other. in
doubtful conflict. let the battle result as it may.
there will be an end Of the Union. and with it an
end of the hope of freedom. The victory of the
injured would not secure to them the blessings OF
liberty il would avenge their wrongs. but they
would themselves share in the common ruin.
The Constitution cannot De maintained. nor the
Union preserved. IN opposition to public feeling.
by the mere exertion OF the coerciye power OF the
government"
But this opinion. that the Union cannot be
preserved by the coercive powers of the govern
ment. WAS not confined TO the departed statesmen
OF the country.
William H. Seward, in his letter of April i,
1861, to Mr.. Adams, Minister to England,
said:
For these reasons, the President would not
be disposed TO reject cardinal doctrine of theirs
(the rebes) namely: That the FEDERAL Govern
ment could not reduce the seeding States TO
obedience by conquest. even though he were dis
posed to question that proposition. But IN fact.
the President willingly accepts il as true Only
all imperial OF despotc government could subject
thoroughly disatfected and Insnrrectionary MEM
bers OF the State This Federal Republican
system of ours is of all forms of government. the
very one which is most united for such labor.
Such was the language of the Secretary of
State in April, 1861. three days before the Sun
day on which the President wrote his pr0clama
ton ling out seventy five thousand oops, but
after seven States had seeded. The Seer etlry
shared 10 the fears of the President that the at
tempt subjugate the South would destroy the
government. Three wears of civil war in vain
and fruitless attempt at sub ugation attest and
prove to-day the CORRECTNESS OF the opinion then
held by the President: "0nly an imperial or des-
poiic government could subiugate thoroughly
III. nf
State This Federal Republic of ours is Of
all forms Of government the most unified for
such labor" Who does not believe itl Is there
truth in the Declaration of independence, and
the eentem on the opposite -ide of the House
will certainly not dispute II, since they lncorpO
rated it in the Chicago platform. which became a
law the President; who, ask, can deny the
conclusion OF the Secretary ot State, having IN
view always, AS he and the President undOubte1-
ly bad, the great cardinal truth underlying ali
republican governments, deriving their Just
powers from the consent OF the governed" If
the President and his Secretary of State gave
utterance to truth in 1861. is it any less a truth
to-day? Has not rather the experience of three
wears of war confirmed ity ! believed il then
believe it now. But, Sir, propose to call an
other witness TO testify against this coerclve poll
cy, who also spoke in advance of the war Ed
ward Everett, in his letter of May %. 1860, to
Washington Hunt accepting the nomination "a
Vice President of the Union party, of which
believe the distinguished gentleman from Mary
land Mr. Henry Winter Davis was member
and for whom number of gentlemen upon this
floor voted. said:
The suggestion that the Union can be main
tanned by numerical preponderance and military
prowess of one section exerted to coerce the
other into submission Is. in my judgment, as self
contradictory as it is dangerous. lt comes
loaded with the death smell from fluids wet with
brothers blood Ii the vital principle OF all re-
publican governments is the consent of the gov
erned much more does a union OF cOequa, soy
eregn States require, as is basis. the harmony of
It's members and their voluntary corporation IN
its organic functions"
1t may be said that Mr Everett. has changed
hI- views upon the subject. That may be so but
| have not beiiev Ell 1t sound doctrine in 1860
before secession occurred or coercion began
Three years of experience in attempting by Gnu
mericsl prepOnderauce and military proves OF
one section exertsl To cOerce the other into sub
mission" has convinced me more thoroughly that
II l. las self contradictory as il Is dangerous -
contradictory because il violates the great prin
cipe OF free government, which derives their
just powers from the consent OF the governed
and dangerous. because by Its exercise. espec-
ally when welded by weak. vasciIlating and
INSCRIPTIONS man il DESTROYS. instead of main
tanning the Union. Constitution aud organic law /;
civil liberty aud personal security are forced to
yield TO what i claimed TO be a military neces
sity aud the government itself, in the brief space
oil three short wears IS TODAY yerging upon the
'sy brink OF ruin.
am well aware. sir, that the cry OF disloyalty
want OF patriotism and lack OF devotion TO the
government which is in every place and NJ all
times raised against those who have the indie
pcndeuce 10 dlsapproye of any of the acts of Mr.
Lincoln. An inordinate desire for Government
patronage from the building OF steamship and
a shoddy contract down TO the insignificant posi-
ton of taking chaig OF nutated AMI depre-
ciated greenback Ia the Treasury building has
changed the opinion of many men. but the fixed
principles of free government well the
rules OF right. reason Justice and truth, are I'M
changeable and although IL NAV be unpopular
and even AT the risk of personal liberty in times
like the present to advocate them they are. new
ertheles>, eternal and immutabIe
The distinguished gentleman from Pennsvlva-
MIA Mr.. Stevens who stands upon this floor aud
before the country as an acknowledged leader of
the Administration party, has had the honesty
and independence in speech delivered at an
early part OF the session 10 announce what he
holds to he the true position of the Confederate
States He saws:
Some think that these States are still in the
Union, aud entitled TO the protection OF the Con-
stitution and the laws of the United States"
This idea he AT once repudiates and then bold
ly affirms that 10 which he believed To- be a true
doctrine
Others hold, that having committed treason