Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-11
FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE,
Erroneous Statements to the Re-
publican state Convention,
February 23, 1864.
PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY ORDER or THE
DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEES.



In the scale of civilization. We would resort TO
the scenes of ages of barbarism in matters OF
warfare. From the time of the revolutionary
of our grandfathers the cruelty of the Brit
ish soldiers towards the families of soldiers of
the colOnies-towards non-combatanis and in the
wantOn destruction of private property, has been
handed down as traditions that have kept alive
hatred towards that powerful but cruel. nation.
The writer of this when but an urchin, has
leaned upon his grandmother knee and listened
to many a recital of these scenes of cruelty and
wrong, until there was planted in his bosom feel
ings towards England that time will never oblite-
rate The Governor points out the same course,
only worse towards the revolted States, and
seeks, through such means, to re-unite the North
ern and Southern people What is it Not
only 10 destroy their armies. their arms, their
munitions of war. their food and clothing for
their armies, but also for their fdnilieS a. home,
and to set free their slaves and compel the whites
to associate with them on terms Of equality.
The right deStroy appropriate the Of our
own Government their railroads. brigts, hppng g'0,c-
~ cr9n', and ehtrcer polety my de nsef"l 10 a.,
denied by the most bitter enemy OF the Government.
Such inhuman, barbarous, and savage modes
of warfare, without doubt, meet with the appro-
baton of several classes of people. First, bands
of thieves and plunderers, who invariably follow
an army, will saw, that is right. Second, army
contractors, who will seize the private property
found in the enemies country, whether belonging
to a Union man rebel, and sell it TO our
Government at high price. Third, the fanat-
cal part of the priesthood for all history shows
that in wars they the most cruel and heartless
of all people. Fourth, Aboliiionists, because
this is the mode of reasoning by which the Gov
ernor arrives at the right TO strike down slavery
He reasons thus Slaves produce food and
clothing. We have the right TO take food and
clothing; therefore. we have the right TO free :he
slaves who produce it. Now. aS this is the only
ground upon which he rests the right 10 abolish
slavery il is clear that his whole fabric of argu-
ment, upon that point, falls if the foundation is
unsound. That foundation is our right to des-
troy food and clothing of non-combatants indis-
criminatcly in the enemy'S country seized by us.
Professor Kent shows, in his fifth section. that
away back in the Gothic ages, IAN enemy was
regarded a a criminal and an outlaw who had
forfeited all his rights and whose life liberty and
property lay at the mercy of the conqueror."
He cites Grotius, b. 3, ch. & s. Bvnkershoeck,
b. |, ch. |, 2 and 3; and other works. Grotius
wrote in the year 1862, and Bynkershocck in the
year 1888. The former was, il is said. born in
Delft. and the latter in Middelburg, in Zealand
" Am. Cyclop., vols. 4 and s.
" Bur (Kent says these barbarous rights Of war have
been questioned and checked in the progress
ti"n. Public opinion. 1t becomes enlightened and
life and property equally useless and injurious p. s6
And again, p. ss:
The general usage is not TO touch private prop
ery. upon land (~e may say that somewhat different
rule maintain captures the high Seas.) without
making compen~ on unless IN special cases dictated bv
the necessary operation. Of war Il the
conGueror beyond these limits wanonly when it
clearly ndSpen>a ju-t purposes Of war
and ezeS private properly pacific persons for he ake
OF gain and de>trp iyatp dwelling. or public eihce
devoted 10 civil purposes only; or makes upon
ft.rs sf.faF
H. quotes Vattel (b 8 ch. 9.) who wrote in
the year 1853, and was Swiss publicist and iu-
rist. Am. Cyclop., vol. l6. So il is written:
"By the modcn usage Of nations, which mas now ac-
qurei the fore" # Law private pr perry Land
exempt from conn caiilr. except such may become
booty IN p cal ca>r when taken from the enemy IN the
Held or M be,iescl towns. Tbs exception extends
To- the If absolute and unqualified conquest the
enrHy's couutrv.' VIII. Ini. Law p l9O
So also: 9" ~ nubc priv re inliviiuals engaged IN
the ordinary civil pursuits Of lie exempt the
direct Effect ct military operations. unless actually taken
in arm or guilty Of snmc purt in yiolation of tho
usate, o. var" III. 4ls-Ruth riori', Inst b. , ch o
ser also the protest Government against the raw
ages CochTaue in ls3 and the destruction Of the
erumeni building A. Washington. VIII. 422-3.-Amer.
-. Papers vol 3 G91
This change in the mode of warfare Kent
shows 10 have been brought about by Christian-
", civilization. and bv the law of nations which
l., . that code of public instruction which defines
the rights and pre>crbeS the duties of nations
in their intercourse with each other The faith
ful observance of this law is essential TO national
character; and, according To Montesquieu. il is
founded on the principle that different nations
ought to do each other as much good in peace.
and as little harm in war, as possible without
injury to their interest "-p. I-2. Wheat.
international Law, p. l-22. Wheaton was of
Rhode Island, and wrote in 1856.
Ii all those writer's were living now. thew
would conclude that SO far as Governor Nor
tons individual views were concerned there had
been long step backwards taken in civilization
y, to Christian views. We suppose he never had
any upon thar any other subject.
What We have said upon th, subject is not
dictated by any special tenderness for rebels as
such although the grandfather of the writer of
this wa, an officer in the roIei army of the revo-
luton for six wears but q because the obsery-
ancc of these laws Kent SAYS is essential 10
national character" Suppose all Northern men
were of the same mind with the Governor. and
would carry oui that mind BY acts: we would. as
Kent SAYS, p IS, he held up to the general
scorn and detcstation of the world Kent was
Northern man-a New Yorker and not a
Democrat, and wrote in 1926.
As the Governor admits that lin time of
peace there is no power vested in the President
or in Congress 10 interfere with slavery in the
States where il exists. we will not spend time
discussing that point; although ii be had stated
otherwise VIC could have overwhelmed him with
authorities. Sec Wcb>ter's speech March :.
1850 CLAY, speech February :. 1889: Action
of Congress. March 23. 1890: Hildreih's His. IF
the United States. vol. ' 2d series 2d Art. of
the Articles Of Confederation: | Rev Stat. ..
: 4th Resolution of Chicago Convention and
Lincoln's Letter of Acceptance; IL Peters Rem.
Supreme Court United States. and l6 ID 53e.
But he saws the right of the President so 70 act
"is drawn from its resting place in the Constitu-
ticn bv the war" Sumner first advanced this
doctrine and was hooted az. War. as II comes.
trcads down within It's sphere all rights except
the right of war" Sc Congr. Globe 1864
ls6l-2 But on this a. on all other questions
conservative Republicans have been led astrav
bv ultra Aboliiionists 20 act against the whole
course of our Government.
In l735. Dunmore, the Roval Governor OF
Virginia after advising with his KIM. by "pio-
clamafion" declared all slaves free who would
rise and Join !him TO teach the coloni>ts their
duty" BancrofJ's History of the United States
vol. PIP. 276-7. This united all parties against
the government Old. P. 247 } and even gave other
colonies reason for epararion-secession.
Notwithstanding n goodlv number of slaves
hocked TO the British standard under this call
vet al the end Of the war that power abandoned
any claim of right under the war power to make
freemen OF them BY stipulating in the treaty that
they should be left a. "other property to be re-
claimed hv the Art treaty of Sent