Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-16
The object OF the War-ConditIOn OF
the IsebelIIous states.

the RebeiIIous states.
1t cannot be denied that the object of the war.
so far as the Republican party is concerned, has
been changed in every aspect. and this is admit
ted in every action of the party in power. A few
days ago we referred TO the resolution of Mr..
HARDING in the House. which was voted down.
We give that resolution entire so that we may
have a clear record of the Republican party. 1t
is as follows:
ResoIued, That the Union has not been dis
solved, and that whenever the rebellion in any
one of the seeded States shall be put down
and subdued, either by force Of the Federal
arms or by the voluntary Submission of the
people Of such State to the authority Of the
Constitution, that such State will be thereby
restored tn all its rights and privileges as a
State of the Union under the constitution of
such State and the constitution Of the United
States, including the right to regulate order,
and control its own domestic institutions &C
cording to the constitution and laws Of such
State, free from all Congressional or Execu-
tive control or dictation.
Mr.. HARDING had spoken upon his resolution
when first offered. early in the session. Previous
to the vote being taken be made the following
remarks. which most happily and forcibly define
the position Of the party in power:
Il take it for granted that no Union man can
object to this resolution. 1t takes the ground
that the Union has not been dissolved, and the
remainder 10 tho necessary sequence from that.
THE question upon which this whole contro
vcrsy turns is whether the Union has or has not
been dissolved II it has not been dissolved.
then whenever the rebellion in any one of these
States is sublned the authority Of the Constitution
and laws of the United States are Immediately
restored, and Eeither the President. nor Congress.
nor any other department, has any shadow or a
constitutional right TO dictate to the people Of
those States in regard to the form Of government
which they shall set up, nor in regard to any
matter pertaining to their local jurisdiction
Whoever contends that this resolution is
wrong places himself in the position Of declaring
that this Union is dissolved. He must either be
a revolutionist or he is a secessionist. A man
who takes the ground that the Union is dis
solved Can oppose this resolution, but no other
man can.
Il know. sir. that il has become quite CON-
mon nowadays for gentlemen who once espoused
The cause OF the Union with great ardor, men
who once stood where President Lincoln stood
ia his inaugural address. when he. decla. ed that
the Union was not dissolved and that is could NOT
be dissolved. Who are now repudiating that whole
~dnctrine. 10 take the ground that the Union has
been dissolved. and that these Southern States
COHStSutca iOIciPH OOftTuuftnb. s FL
Sir, IL IL be true that the Union has been dis
solved, then by what authority is it that taxes
are being collected in the seeded Staiesf by
what authority is it that their lands are being sold
and parceled out ? If the Unioc has been dis
solved, how did it take place? Was it by virtue
of these ordinances of seceSsion2 Is there any
gentleman here prepared to acknowledge that
there was virtue in those ordinances Of secession
to dissolve this Union? If not. then how did the
1 Mo- haonn ~ 1faCnIy,I1 W.. - -, ro-.o - IL
Confederate armsl Could that which was void
and nugatory be made operative by vic
lence and force and blOodshed2 ere their
ordinances of secession utterly null and void2
Gentlemen say they we're How then was. the
Union dissolvedH Was a void act made obera-
tive and obligatory by force and bloodshedI No
man can say that. The Union, therefore, has
not been dissolved. What then is the matter2
Why. there is a rebellion there among a portion
of the people. When that rebellion shall be sub
dued by force of the Federal arms, the only Jus
LITIGATION OF the war will be gone. The only
thing that could justify the President in moving
at all by force of arms is the rebellion, and the
moment that rebellion is subdued and put down,
the cause of the war ceases. and with it the war
must cease also; ana il the President or this
Congress should. for abolition purposes, protract
the war a solitary day beyond the suppression Of
the rebellion. then your become rebels; you rebel
against the CONSTITUTIONS; you change places with
the rebels. and become reyolutionists and rebels
yourselves.
my resolution then takes the ground that
the Union has not been dissolved, aud that
when the rebellion is suppressed by force Of
the Federal arms. or by the voluntary submis-
sion Of the people Of those States to the au-
thOrity of the Constitution, that that State is
thereby restored to all its rights and privileges
under the Constitution. may send representa-
tives TO Congress, and do all other acts which
any other State in the Union can do.
"Sir, what difference is there between the
States in the Union, the rebellion being sup
pressedf There is no more constitutional power
to intermeddle with The local institutions Of the
State of Louisiana than with those Of dassachu
sets. and any attempt to do il is nothing more
nor less than revolution. as unjusti6able in its
character as the revolution in the South, because
il is equally a revolution against the Constitu
tiost Of this Government; il seeks TO subversion
aud utter overthrow.
ANY attempt TO control a State organization
after the rebellion shall have been overthrow
proceeds upon the ground that the Union is dis
solved What right can we have TO re-establish
State Governments in the South IL the Southern
States be still in the UniODt The very idea OF
reconstruction is an absurd and revolutionary
idea. because il admits the dissolution Of the
Union There can be no reconstruction OF a
State Government that is still in existence.
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The Lawrenceburg Register has changed
hands. A. Book Walter retires. after eleven years
connection with the paper. He is succeeded by