Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-23

enees becoming general day q fasting ard prayer
specially SCI aPar b. kepi 81 the whole colony. The
srl in ~l;cerafa be N thus soemnly recoe mixed ana
], VA not long before the oei ason spread across
The whole be dth Of the province The number % vic
I'm. 80 rapidly nrreased fhs Of TIE coionit pei
lectS pan c-srcsn became the users q oihers, le
n-y sn"ad be hroueht under suspicion themselves The
ekeFt on al Salem village % Nj. Burroughs, minister
o. o. M les NE va terrible instance Of IN power
ruch the deluon exercised the -troneest minds N
the community For fifteen months this strange belief
hela iall possession Of the popular faith During this
Peo out o. twenty persons eapiiay convicted Of
wiichcraft nineteen had hanged and pressed
death"
Sir. let not these remarks and records Of faith
lnl history be construed into an attack upon the
ministers OF our divine religion. / have endety-
ored rather 20 portray the evil results which Aow
IRON a desecration OF that high calling. To my
mino there IS no vocation on this side OF the mSS
ferrous river which divides time from eternity so
ioiiy. no career of life so serenely beautiful and
bordering so CLOSELY upon Heaven. as the beney-
oient pursuits of him who tenders the cup of
salvation TO the lips of fallen world. A halo
hovers around his head which tells that he walks
IN the footsteps of his blessed Master In the
presence of such man | would stand uncovered
and do him reverent homage Aud there are
many such whose pure and noiseless lives pass
almost unheeded by the busy, striving world. but
around whom the comforting angels OF the Lord
encamp by night and by day. In their keeping
are all the future hopes of the ehurch-the
Christian welfare of mankind. The youth OF the
land should sil at their feet and learn wisdom,
aud both young and old should rise up and call
them blessed. But in this bright category Of
human exeellence-rhis high galaxy OF stars
shining with an unearthly Splendor-there Is no
place Tor such take charge of churches by or
der of the War Department and preach the Cos
pei as commanded by the President OF the United
States The vineyards where they labor will
never bear the fruits of peace-neyer smile with
domestic tranquility Before them | do not
plead my cause From them | expect TO hear
no voice save the continued and protracted cry of
havoc.
But. sir, will be told by the advocates OF
force and violence remedy and the sole
remedy, for OIr troubles, that although the South
might send commissioners TO treat Tor peace, vet
they would accede to no terms save recognition
ard separation In support of this view. certain
propositions recently offered in the Congress at
Richmond cited To my mind they indicate
far different conclusion Ii Is true they do not
signify TO that the power OF the Southern
people is exhausted; that the rebellion is crushed;
that panic of fear prevails in the Southern
mind; that government, whether de factO or de
Jure, which can maintain an army OF ball NIL
lion well armed men in the field - conquered l
do not see the evidences OF all this as some have
proieSsed 10 do every sixty days since the
began; but L do in these propositions
earnest desire upon the part OF the South tOc0n-
form To the usages of the civilized world. and
bring this unhappy and disastrous conflict 20
close by the power o. reason. II is true that
certain objects declared Tor which they desire
Ia negotiate; but does that fact include final re
suits which may grow out o. negoliatiOn when
once cOmmehcedi Whit nation at war with an
other ever opened communication for treaty of
petce by procaliuing in advance the precise
terms on which it was To- be cOncludedl Such a
course peremptorily excludes the very idea of
negotiation. Commissioners would have no dis
erection, and reason ana argument would have 40
room 20 net Such is not in nv judgment. the
meaning of this movement in the Confederate
Congress. Sir what is this conIesty Whal in
terestS does it nvOlvel They are very distinct
aud simple when divorced from fanaticiSm. On
the part of those who have kept their allegiance
II Is struggle 10 maintain the boundaries ot the
Republic. aud thus defeat the ruInous doctrine
that State has night TO secede On he part
OF those IN rebellion it is an effurt IN their est
nation, To preserve the integrity OF their local
laws, their social Institutions, the right to control
their domestic affairs free from Federal inter.
ference. With some. this attempt is made under
claim OF the right of secession; other, proclaim
"a revolution. which il the right OF all people If
grievances sufficient exist - Justification. But
the people OF the South united in the objects
at which thew aim and IT they could be attained in
the u Mon, and without war, would they not gladly
embrace and accept them rather than continue in IA
state of endless hostility which Is DESTROYING the
very interests they seek 10 Drotectl WHY, the
gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Garfied) declared,
lew days ago, on this floor that ii the private- OF
the opposing armies in the field were permit ed
to come together IN peace. they would speedily
remove all troubles and vet he spoke
and voted III favor OF taking from
even the wives and children OF the Southern
masses, who. he asserts, are thus willing to re-
turn 10 the Union the last foot OF soil aud the
last crust of bread by which life Is sustained.
With such evidence, then, this, can we
justify ourselves before God man. il We fail TO
respond TO the action of the South in favor of
negotiation which promises in advance such hap
by results? LEI all grievances. whether iancied
or real, be considered by candid craftsmanship
Let there be safe aud unrepea labe guarantees
adopted against those that are found to be real
and those that are tancied will be easily explain
ed away. Five enlightened commissioners from
each section, imbued with the spirit of Christian
benevOlence, animated by un>efsh love of
country aud of their fellow men. meeting by the
consent and encouragement of their respective
authorities could. and in my solemn and deliber
ate judgment would. in ninety days, agree upon
terms which would be acceptable To large ma
lurity ct the American people, and by which the
Union of these States would be more firmly es-
tsbii-hed than ever beloTe-the lives OF millions
spared. the hard earnings OF the IabVrer lett him
10 enjoy. Jeace and domestic tranquility restored
i would improve the armiStlce which winter de
elares. to achieve many bloode>s and permanent
victories in favor of the Union and the Con>ttu-
ton would not stop there | would extend
the srmi>tice - long there was hope OF Undue
ing the return of a single State. But suppose lie
gotiation should fail. Then indeed would this
Administration he armed with an argument, m
favor of war. which it has never vet Possessed.
This fact j. well understood by the Executive
and his advisers. but they refuse 10 negotiate be
cause they have reason TO believe that the Union
would thus be restored and the war enled But
slavery would not thereby be abolished. and the
scheme of building up deSpotic. centralized
Federal Government would be defeated The
war, therefore, goes on; the Young of the
nation are swept into their graves upon the plain
OF battle. and the old mea become slaves to the
tax gatherer. not to restore the Union, but 10
give worthless liberty 70 the black man, and to
strike down the legal rights and privileges of the
white man.
Sir, upon this question of negotiation conces-
sion. compromise and Uuion. appeal tor ap-
prevail TO nv OWL conscience Ii Su>tains me
with all the force Of burning convection OF DUTY.
By II ] am lifted beyond the reach OF partisan
malice. appeal TO the people The vuice and
humane instincts of honest nature will plead nv