Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-07-14
Remarks of senator Hendricks IN
the United states senate, In An
swer 90 sumner, ON the Proposition
of the latter IN Hepeai the Fugitive
slave Law, Delivered ON the path
OF Iune. 1874.

adopted The objection a. TO its materiaity or
proper connection With this measure is but an ob
jection of time. No gentleman Can question
that the Senator from Massachusetts, will event
ually carry bis proposition. Why, sir. about two
weeks ago this BODY. after full discussion, DELHI
erAtely voted that the Constitution imposed
C;uty upon Congress aud the President OF the
United States. The present incumbent Of the
Presidential chair, ia his inaugural address. said
that that duty rested as an oath upon the con-
science OF every Senator To see than there was
an efficient and adequate law for the return of
fugitive slaves: and yet under some process, not
the force OF argument. but through some iHdu-
ence that the uninitiated cannot understand after
the Senate had rejected the proposition in its orig
nal fern, Il was carried Though yesterday by
large vote
Why then contest the matter longer! Let the
Senator bring in his propositions. The Senator
from Ohio Mr.. Sberman) made an effort TO stay
the progress at one point upon the Constitution.
and did for a while save the act OF 1893 and the
signature of George Washington; but the Sena
tor from Ohio finally failed yesterday. and il all
went by the board. He may for this hour. and
in this debate upon a technical point, prevent
the adoption of the measure of the Senator from
Massachusetts, upon the bill; but that it will come
in this body have no doubt. 1t may as we'll
come now as at any time. Let il be understood
touching the relations Of these States are TO be
wiped out at once. and then / suppose the Sena-
tors that accomplish so much will undertake the
work of reconstruction or the formation Of Il new
Union
Sir regret to see this Every law put upon
the statute book by our fathers with view OF
carrying out the provisions of the Constitution.
or in pursuance OF the spirit of the union be-
tween the States. | regret to see'wiped out; but
-. .,oI - / ls.t- oA..
delay is useless. We may just as well let it come
now rs at any time. Ii misfortune comes of it
| am not responsible. and there are other Sena
tors who not responsible | believe this
Union is to be restored upon the Constitution, If
il is ever restored, and | do not believe there is
wisdom virtue or patriotism enough now TO
make a new Union, and ii we do not come back
again upon the old Union substantially and upon
the basis Of the Constitution, do not hope for
new Union.
Mr. President. am not satisfied that the true
friends of the Union the men who are break
ing all the bonds that our fathers made 10 hold
the States together One l:gament after another
gives way in the presence OF the sentiment of
the hour; and yet Senators who will adopt these
measures call themselves specially Union men,
and upon some occasions doubt the fidelity TO
the ULion of Senators who oppose this policy
claim TO be Union man. because | stand upon
the bond of the Union, the covenant that
brought these States together; and if | 60 out
SIDE OF that covenant cannot well claim to be
a Union man.
do not suppose this Law that the Senator pro-
poses to repeal is important in any respect but it
simply shows the purpose that is to be successful
in this body-whether in the House of Represen
tatives no cannOt,say-Of breaking down all
the institutions that fathers established, based
upon the relations that exist between the States
and within the States. Ii in the end, some years
from this time. find broken Union, some
States gone South. some States gone off by the
Pacific, some States gone to the West, some per-
haps in the East. il will not be charged upon the
men who stood day after day and year after year
upon the Constitution: but true history will write
it down that the responsibility is with that class
of politicians who from day to day weaken the
bonds that hold these States together.
Sir, at the commencement OF this war the North
was a unit and the South was divided Now the
North is divided and the South is unit Why?
Let Senators that ask for success in the war an
swer the question, why? Because here in this
Senate you said to the honest people of the coun
try that this war should be to preserve the Union
and the Constitution, and not TO break down the
institutions of any of the States, and the people
believed YOU and they rallied from the wheat
fields and the orn-helds and shops everywhere
to make glorious army. You did not have to
send provost marshals after the young men then,
for they rushed forward themselves and the ques
ton who should get into the first regiment.
Now the bloodhounds of war have to be set upon
the track of the young men of the country to
bring them into the army; and why? Because
faith has been broken with the people. not by the
statesmen with whom il is my pride and pleasure
to think and to act, but by the Senators and Rep
resentatives who have attempted to take advan-
tage of this cOavulslOn in our country 10 break
down the institutions of the States
The country had right to demand of the Sen
ate, the country had a right TO demand of Con-
gress and of the President faith to the Critten-
den resolution, the highest faith, because you
asked the people for their money, you asked
them for their blood, and you said il should be
upon that proposition. / put it to the honor of
any Senator. has it been upon that proposition?
Has not every possible opportunity been taken
advantage of to strike at the peculiar institution
of one section of the country have never con
sidered, rs a public man, the question OF slavery
in a moral aspect. Our fathers have agreed TO
it; they wrote it down in the Constitution that il
should be respected and protected in certain re-
CARDS; and they have covenanted in respect to
IT, so | have looked to it. To stand upon that
covenant and agreement felt TO be my highest
duty q citizen, and especially when took an
oath TO respect the Constitution that they made.
but rose merely to make these suggestions. |
hope TO this Union restored; hope TO see 1t
restored with the Constitution preserved; but |
say to Senators that have no hope Of the Union
that will bring " greatness or prosperity outside
of the compact that our fathers made.
Is there any Senator here willing TO say in his
place that the virtue and intelligence of this day
are superior the virtue and intelligence of the
revolutionary day? presume not Is the pub
lie mind now in the proper condition TO make a
new Government, 10 bring these States together
again.
Sir, our only hope to go back again upon the
old Constitution the Union "a it was the Con-
stituton as it is Because | believe that is the
only hope of our country. | oppose all PROPOSE
tons like that presented by the Senator tom
Massachusetts They DO no practical good, but
every such measure as that says TO the Union
men of the South. You cannot rely upon
the North"
The Southern men we're encOura ged to secede
upon the argument presented by Southern dema
gogues or statesmen. whichever you choose 10
call them that the North could not be trusted,
that a sectional party controlled the North, and
that ii they remained with the North i'm the gov
ernment their rights would be trampled under
foot has any occasion been let slip ia the
Congtess OF the United States TO make good
that assurance OF the Southern statesman and
dsmagogue! Has not every prediction that they
made to the people TO fire their minds against
the government been made good by the action Of
Congress-
Will any man be good enough to state how 1t