Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-21
New England Fifty Years AgO and
Now.

NOW.
Support the Government Maintain the
Unionl' No matter what cost to us of life and
treasure Restore the old flag though we
have to march waist deep in blood, even to the
Gulf of Mexico, and to plant il on heaps, noun
tain high, of our exiermnated foesl Such is the
cry of New England in 1864 Yet the war
which it would prosecute with such relentless
fury, to such bitter end, is civil wari In thou
sands of instances, do we find in opposite ranks,
father and son, brother and brother. Hardly
blow can be struck but, if il bring death to the
foe, causes wailiug in some family oil the side of
him who dealt it. 1t is war which, in its afro
ciOus origin in its cruel, iendiSh prosecution, and
in the nefarious purposes which it seeks to con-
summate. is of character to make humanity
shudder and almost despair of man. Such is the
that New England in 1864 so zealously sup
ports; allowing no claim to either patriotism or
virtue for him who would welcome peace. or toll
crate even suspension of hostlities till the foe
is prostrate and our heel upon him.
How it fifty years ago? TheD, too, we
were engaged in not with brothers. but
against foreign foe the most formidable nation
of Europe. in maintenance of national independ-
ence and our righttul place among the powers of
the earth. The war had been prosecuted for
nearly three wears. We had suffered disasters
Public credit was almost exhausted The Fed
eral capitol was occupied by the enemy His
fleets were lowering on our seabOard. threatening
pillage and conhagraton to our towns. A for
midable naval force collected on our Southern
coast was meditaiing a descent, which it was
feared would be pOweresS To resist. Our
naughty foe rid of her other enemies by the
downfall of n Napoleon, had announced the pur-
pose of reducing us TO unconditional submis
sion" Under these distressing circumstances,
what was the conduct of New England? Her
cry not then "suppor, the Government"
Struck severely in some Of her material interests,
she was not OF opinion then that patriotism and
virtue required the desire for peace to be sti1ed
In the midst of the gloom that pervaded the
country, she deliberately instituted measures not
merely to Withdraw from Government for further
prosecution of the war New England's resources
of men and means; but to Withdraw New Eng
land itself from the Union, il her own selfish
wishes aud interests continued to be disregarded
"They," said distinguished Senator in the u.
S. Congress; "who could not find it in their
hearts to rejoice at our victories, sang TIE Deum
at the Kings chapel in Boston upon the restora-
ton of the Bourbons They who would not
consent TO illuminate their dwellings for the cap
ture of the Guerriere, could give visible tokens
of their oy at the fall of Detroit The beacon
fires of their hills were lighted up, Lot for the
ragement to their friends, but as signals TO
the enemy"
Under such circumstances was il, that on the
18th o: December, 1914. convention met in
Hartford Connecticut 10 mature and carry out
the patriotic and virtueus designs of New Eng
land. IL was composed of delegates from all of
the New England States. Maine had not then
been admitted into the Union, but still dis
trict appertaining to Massachusetts,. The dele
gates from Massachusetts,, Connecticut and
Rhode Island were appointed by the Legislatures
of those States. Those from Vermont and New
Hampshire came directly from the people of the
several counties The Convention fairly repre-
sented, as its historian and secretary admits the
views and wishes Of the party of which it was
the organ. We quote from the elaborate Re
port, in which this Convention embodied the
result of their abors, to show that, during a ma
tioual anI necessary war, New England meditat
ed the refusal of her material resources in prose
cution of the war. active opposition to the Gov
ernment. even to the extreme measure of seces-
sion. if the war policy of the country were per-
sisted in. The Report says:
"The convention is deeply impressed with
sense of the arduous nature of the commission
which they were appointed to execute of devising
the means of defense against dangers, and of re-
lief from expressions proceeding from acts of
their own government, without violating consti--
tutonal principles. or disappointing the hopes Of
a suffering and injured people. To prescribe pa
thence and firmness to those who are already ex-
hausted by distress, is sometimes to drive them
Z W uc-pdlf, anu thc pfOBfccS to"afO fctOfm oy
the regular road, is irksome to those whose i'm
aginations discern, and whose feelings prompt to
a shorter course. But when abuses, reduced to a
system, and accumulated through course of
years, have prevaded every department of gov
ernmeut, aud spread corruption through every
! region of the State; when these are clothed with
the forms OF law, and enforced by an Executive
whose will is their source. no summary means OF
relief can be applied without recourse to direct
and open resistance.
Necessity alone can sanction resor. to this meas
ure: and ii should never be extended in duration
Of degree beyond the exigency until the people.
not merely in the fnrore of popular excitement,
but after full deliberation. are determined to
chaage the Constitution. IL is a truth not TO be
concealed. that a sentiment prevails to no incoD-
siderabls sextent that this Administration has given
such constructions to that instrument, and prac-
ticed so many abuses under its authority, that the
/ time for achange is at hand. Those who so be
lieve regard the evils which surround them az
intrinsic and incurable defects in the Constitu-
ton. They yield to persuasion that no change
at any time, or on any occasion, can aggravatt
the miseries of the country. This opinion may
ultimately prove TO be correct But as the evi.
dence on which il rests is not yet conclusive, and
as measures adopted on the assumption of itt
certainty might be irrevocable. some general con
sderatons are submitted in the hope OF reconcil
ing all to course of moderation and frmues:
which may save them from the regret incident te
sudden decisions and probably avert che evil, OF
.,.,~c olofio and ouorosa in }aa