Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-01
From the New York Metropolitan.
what we are Fighting for-The Case
Argued.
Nav YORK, August IS, 1861.


there is article entitled "Give us the best Off
GERS" which explains to its readers "What we are
not fighting for, and then subjons further dec
laration to let them know w hat we are fighting
for" Having chanced to read this article and
believing its contents untrue, have made, and
venture to send you, the following observations
upon it, that you might cause them to be pub
lished, il agreeable.
Instead of referring to that papers columns for
its statements concerning. the two points above
mentioned. transcribe each of them in full be-
fore l make any remarks upon il. In so doing,
| deyiste, perhaps. from what is customary on
such OCCASIONS; but my object is that the reader,
who has not those statements at hand, will thus
have the whole case, pro and con laid before
him, and. consequently, be the better able to
judge which of the two parties is in the right
Yours very respectfully, Phil. V.
As to the first point, the World saws:
81. Weare not fighting to subjqgate the South.
1t is wrong impression that the North wishes to
control the South. The .only wish is, that all
should acknowledge and recognize the Federal
Constitution as the great chart ef our liberties
and civil duties"
Well said: only il is not true. Is it "a wrong
impression that the North wishes to control the
Southr One should pray it were so; but the
,ao'S Nv. 'hnse. The present war, i is pretended.
Southern States from the Union; and the seccs
sion of these States, it is notorious, has been
caused by the North having now even officially
declared that she intends to deny their citizens
the use of such rights in the common territory
as the Constitution has secured to them.
What then, We fighting fort Ii it is true,
as the World afirms that 1.-The only wish is, that
all should acknowledge and recognize the Fed
eraI Constitution as the great chart of our liber
az <.t.,sl a.,tso oil
her arms down, and better far would she have
done had she never taken them up at all. For
that the Federal Constitution is the great (and
only) chart of the liberties and civil duties of
the American citizen. the South always did, and
does at this present moment. recognize in
the fullest sepse of the word.
al. Weare not fighting to exlinguish slavery
Slavery is recognized under the Constitution, and
the North would not interfere with the rights
which the Southern States enjoy, BY the Consti
tuition, in regard to their slaves Only their own
persistence in rebellion can damage slavery"
By the writer's leave. all and every word of
this clear profession Except only that slavery is
recognized under the Constitution'') stands be-
fore the world convicted of falsehood by the past
as well as the present
Would not interfere? And what else has the
North been doing these thirty years but working
hard with all her might to extinguish slavery
"a,
every art has been resorted.to; all sorts of means
-open and secret. public and priyare-have been
made use of, aud all unlawful. These are facts,
too certain to be gainsad too well known to need
remembering, too numerous to be here even bare
ly mentioned.
But, TO pass everything else over in silence,
who is ignorant that the secession of the South
ern States, on whose pretext our country is now
forced to undergo (if it cam the whole trial of
al.
effect of the above mentioned declaration of the
North that her fxe,l determination is not to al
low the citizens of The South the use of their
property in the common territories of the
Unionf
Or is the citizens right 10 use their property in
the common territories less clearly and positively
guaranteed bv the Constitution than it IS in their
native States? would fain learn in what part
of that ins is the line al difference drawn,
by which the writer of the above-quoted para
graph, or any man, may think himself justified in
affirming that ''the North woulI not interfere
with the rights which the Southern States enjoy,
bv the Constitution, in regard To their slaves, "
when the North openly proiesses her intention to
be. To refuse the citizens of the Southern States
the right Of settIng with their slaves in the COM
mon territory of the Uniunl'
iii We are not fighting for rapne and plum
der 4 sacred regard has been, and will be, paid
y,
to resist the General Government. or to fnrther
the existing rebellion. There is no intention to
invade the privacy OF domestic life, or in any way
to iniure and the high-minded sol.
diery-bDth officers aud men-would scorn the
mputation thrown out for the sake of effect by
certain military leaders"
Against this nroclamation and chivalrous an
nonncement | should have observation to
make, except "a regards the threatened condem
nation aud seiziug OF personal property, ,where
it is emploved,' the writer says Ito resist the
General Government. ur 10 further the existing
rebellion But. as the Justice OF such seizing is
only dependent upon the justice of our lighting,
and as the justice of our fighting is attempted to
be vindcaied in the lolluwing explanation OF
"What we are fighting for:" therefore leave
here the matter untouched.
For the rest, l would rheerluly subscribe TO the
sentence that ''both officers and men would scorn
the imputation" referred to in the paragraph; al
though have heard il related by credtabe per
sons that some OF those engaged in raising men
against the South have actually enticed them 70
go by laying before them the tempting prospect
ofrapine and plunder, ~ ing, you may be sure
every one of your. Ia come back rich with the
spoils gathered from the well stored houses of the
Southerners." .rf.t 80
But, with regard 10 the Worlds editor. | am
at a loss how to make that civalrous proclama
ton agree with certain passages in the letter OF
'hs special correspondent" in Washington
dated August lst and printed 10y him in the very
next column of the same paper. under the cap
ton 1.-The war for The Unionl' Their tenor il
as follows: You have heard of the drunken
ness, maraudi:sg, rapine, and even bloodshed
which prevailed along the avenues until thl
week." and few lines below: Look at the
license given to our troops from the outlet :. .tht
unpunished robbery. iDcendiarism and violence
perpetrated. in defiance to orders on the march. ;
This correspondent, we must believe. alludes
to ascertsined facts, and speaks from persona
knowledge What sort of correspondent would
he otherwise beY Aud special one. too! Unless
then the Worlds editor has reason of his owl
for understanding those passages in different
sense from what their words plainly and necessa
rily signify, il seems that the high tone oil eulo
gium which he paws To the high minded soldier,
must abate somewhat flom his correspondent
letter. ,f
/ will admit that the import of those passage'
little affects the officers, supposing them unable
to make their orders obeyel by unlisciplined OF
undiscplnable troops; although the expression
"the license given TO our troops, and 'the un-
punished robbery incendiarism aud violence,
would make one think otherwise; but certainly !
does fully affect the men, whose mind and char
acter, aud resolution to do. therein dstinctl,
and completely enough deineated. On the otbe
hand, one may consider that It is not in the off,
GERS. how extravagantly soever multiplied, but !
is in the men that consists. to numbers ans
material force. almost the whole of that which
goes by the name Of soldiery.
Yet STILL in that communication from Wash
ington, there is good thing which highl,
recommends ..our soldiers, and deserves CAREFUL.
to be taken notice Oft is their impartiality
They are, in fact. Represented as having no re
spect Of persons. but being determined to trca