Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-14

We have been Sillng 10 Apply u other nations,
such as Austria, Russia and Spaing II we Do,
what will be the iud sment of impartial history Z
How much better il would have been for u, and .
for the cause of Democracy throughout the +
globe What splendid tribute ii would have
been 10 a republican government If we had parted
in peace Sith our dissatisfied sister States as Mr..
Everett recommended A. late as February. leol.
sustained by such leading Republican journals as
the Cincinnati Commercial. New Yo k Tribune. I
indianapolis Journal. Chicago Tribune. New !
Haven (Counecticut) Palladium. Columbus /
Journal, aud Salmon p. Chase. now Secretary OF
the Treasurv and many others of that school. 4
What i'm morarchical countries had required a
long and bloody war. would have been accom- 4
plished bv Democratic principles and republican
sense What splendid proof il would have at +
iorded of the capacity OF the people for self
government
What a valuable lesson il would have con
viewed to the whole civilized world The fact
that We could ri>e superior ali preiudices and
passions, and to have conquered ourselves. would
have been the highest triumph that we bad ever
achieved | regret much. Mr.. Chairman, a.
any gentleman upon this floor that sny OF our sis
ter States should have desired to cut asunder the
ligaments that bound them 10 US None would be
mOre willing than myself 10 make anS reasonable
sacrifice TO induce them 10 return TO their part
nership with Us; but still cognzing the truth of
the doctrine taught by the fathers of the RePub
Tic and so fairly expressed bv Mr. John Qaincy
Adams. that our government was, after all in the
heart. IL would be better. severe as would be
the pang of regret. to part in friendship rather
than hold sovereign states pinned 10 By the
bayonet, as Mr. Greeley expressed il in 1861
What advance have we made In the science and
principles of free government. Mr. Chairman, If
we cannot be above the Austr0 Russian principle
of holding subject provinces by the power of
force and coercion? What becomes of the De-
caration of Independence, and all our teachings
for eighty wears?
After all. Mr. Chairman. it is not the extent of
territory which should be the object of de
sires. Better sacrifice even nine tenths of the
territory than destroy our republican form of gov
erument. What our people desired in 1861, and
which hOnored, though regarded AS uushaken,
WAS the preservation of the government and the
retention of our jurisdiction over the whole terri
tory They are rightly willing to sacrifice every
material consideration for that purpose Land Is
nothing. Mr.. Chairman. composed to liberty. We
existed a Republic when the mouth of the
Mississippi WAS held by foreign power, vixen we
had nothing of that river when Florida
held against "; and We could exist again if by
the chastiSement of heaven we should be
tailed To our old territorial dimensions. For IF
teen millions OF dollars we purchased the whole
of that immense territory anu were it hundred
thousand times valuable it, preservation would
not be worth our admirable form OF government.
Peide of territorial ambition is vulgar and low
form of national greatness. Russia ana even
China can even vie with us in that; but who would
not rather reside ia of the Cantons of Swift
zerland. or in Great Britain, than IN those coun'
tries Ii i not in the extent Of territory that We
possess, but in the manner in which govern it,
~ 10 am on
seem rather to look at the quantity than the
quality
All republics have been destroyed by The thirst
OF territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and the lust of con
quest The great objec' OF our government
should be TO develop and cultivate the internal
resources of those friendly To its jurisdiction
rather than to extend it over hostile and foreign
people 1t Is in that character that true patriot
ism j. to be cultivated and true national glory
found Especially should all republics cultivate
the arts OF peace. since 1t is by the power
that free governments are commonly overturned.
The charge has been made that Democracy is
turbulent. warlke and aggressive: but If so it is
"A terrible miSconceptOn OF its interests, for upon
the people fall the awful caamties of armed col
sions An eminent poet has said-Lord Byron
that game which, if the people were
wise kings and princes would never PLAY At The
venerable DR.. Franklin. at the close of his illus
triOuS career remarked: =" i hat there was never
good war nor n bad peace
We have made, Mr.. Chairman bv this war
eight millions OF bitter enemies upon the Ameri-
can Continent While time shall last. the reco-
ections OF this bloody strife will never fade from
the memorie, of the people North and South but
will be handed down TO the latest generation
The words Shiloh. Antetam, Gettysburg. Muir
free>boro, Richmond, Ficksburg and Fort Don
e-on, are words Of division and d>union. and
will serve TO bring up emotions of eternal hate
II 1t we're true, as alleged by distinguished
Senator from Ohio MIR " ade), in speech in
Portland in lS56, "that he believed that no two
nations on the earth hated each other much as
the North and South" how much more is
the remark now. after ihey have been arrayed iii
such bio ,dv contests Ii il the object of the
sword TO cut aud clelve a>under. but never to
unite What Union is there between Russia and
Poland, between Austria and Hungary, betwe cen
England anu Catholic ireland. where the sword
AMI the bavonet tor centuries have been EN-
ployed? Instead OF comforting material strength,
they are sources Of weakness 20 countries that
hold them in sublertion, and which would this
day be stronger without than with them
Mr. Chairman, these lessons of history are full
of warming and example Much better would it
have been tor u in the beginning better
woud il be Tor H. now--fo consent 10 a division
relations with our estranged brothers, than 10
seek ID hold them To u Oy the power OF the
sword Here let me advert TO the common. yet
perfectly glaring and apparent error that TO piIt
with our jurisdiction over eleven States involves
the obstruction of Government The state
ment OF the proposition demonstrates its absurdi-
ty A. well might one say who had a farm of
two hundred of land. thar he had lost his
title deed to all of il. because. By some msiOr
tune, he had parted with fifty. In losing the
South no, one function OF our government over
u j. surrendered IL rem iins over as COM
Dletev sovereign - il did Here lie: me
say, A. The EXPRESSION OF my individual belief.
that it il h 81 Deen understood in the North in
the South that bv the terms If the Federal com
pact Stale had right To secede from the
Union. this disputation would never have occur
red Had the North understood the matter.
there would have been upon It's pirt iorbetr
ance from the exercise OF extreme measures. and
the desire not force the Southern States 10 the
wall. that would have ever m ,intained the Con
federacy unbroken. Ii was the prevalency of the
idea of the consolidstionists in the North, that
the Southern States had right to. and would
not secede that tempted them and that fatal
policy that has slnderei the Confede acy.
1t is said that no confederacy can exist by a re
cogntIon of this principle but such was not the
view of the fathers of our government. it was not
the view Of Jefferson and Madison in their i'm
mortal resolutions of 1898 and 1893.
1t has been said. Mr. Chairman. that il would
make a contederacy rope of sand. but If so
il is strange that the Southern Coniederscy.
r.lf f,.ar