Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-23
rue President Negro soldiers an
the south.


rae President ON Negro soldiers an
the south.
We publish this morning lftle speech Of Mr..
LIxelLs delivered in Washington on Friday las'
upon the presentation Of confederate hig. cap
,ured near Wilmington, 20 Governor NJ RroS
We publish the enor. this morning. and all who
read cannot ell 90 DC impressed ~i,h The fact
that II is eminenty Characteristic OF the man
The Philadelphia Age in commenting upon the
shusion, remarks ,ha, amid the usual quantity
Of loose and incohereut assertion, there -ere
some expressions of opinion worthy Of note and
eommrnt.
After stating the fact .ha. saere are but iew
views OF aspects OF the upon ~bich he had
not written or delivered his sentiments the presi-
dent remarked: IL have neither written nor
mtdes speech upon the employmeu, OF slaves as
soldiers in the south, because tha' 10 their busi.
ness. not mine. and if they have a wish on the
subject. | have no, the poSer 70 Introduce j, or
make it effective" This being the opinion of the
president. let apply the principle upon which
!, rests TO the abolition question. on Of which
grew the unfortunate difficulties witch are now
CONFUSING tho nation.
Are not the domestic institutions Of the south
ern states the especial business Of the people OF
those statesf Is il not 80 nominated in the great
bond Of union, the constitution! Was This posi-
lion ever doubted uutil the advent Of the .boli-
ton ssctionr Are not the decisions Of tue
pFeme court unanimous spoa this pOintf As
suredy 80. Then why II that this cardinal
principle OF our government ass yiols'ed. aud
shy did the party 90 which the president belongs
intermeddIs with a matter which was the husi-
mess OF the southern states slone7 II tho ques
ton OF using the lsboring population Of the
southern states as soldiers be one which. accord
ing to the views Of the president, IS no bushes
of the people or authorities OF the north hos
the interference OF the people Of this section
with the institutions or lahoress Of ihs south Ia
any manner be justihedl
They did interfere. day after day. and year
after year. Until the mischief accomplished.
until the union was rent ssunder. But. how
when the thinking and rejecting men of the
country stand appalled, at the side-spfesd ruin
that surrounds Us. the president repudiates or
overlooks the plain teachi' x Of the past and
the history of the party 10 which he belongs, and
announces that the confcdeFates may or may not
employ negro soldiers tina, is their business
and not mine" Why. this IS the boldest and
sheeres, hypocrisy. The abolition party, OF
which The president il the leader and captain. is
founded upon the ides of interference With the
rights of the states. aud this attempt to mslead
and csoe the r.ople for political purposes ia
Characteristic of Mr. LINCOLN. and reflects dis
grace upon the high position which he file a. eI-
ecutive head OF the American nation.
While on this subject. we would ask. wha; is
the meaning of the following sentence in the
same speech Of the president: while have
said that al men ought TO be free, yet would
allow those coIored persons 20 be slaves Who
want TO be, and next "a them. those white men
uho argue in favor of making other people
slaves" How Can the president reconcile bis
emancipation proclamation with the declaration
tina. he would "alo- those coored persons 60 be
slaves sho want TO De- That imperial ukase
forces freedom upon all persons ~hether they
wish or are fitted for il o: not. This remark sp
plies ~ we'll 70 the abolition amendment the
constitution The freedom which that measure
proposes Is compulsory. II reaches The old and
infrm. and opens the almshouse to them: the
young. and forces them into society for which
they are no. s,ted: the middle aged. ani without
education or PREPARATION. obliges them to enter
he lists with white lsbor. which sil push them
aside. aud crush out their existence
Bot the president does not end hi. hnrangue
~ith the colored man DE includes the whites
also in his declaration of opinions. and ssys / .
is IN favor of giving an opportunity 10 all white
nen 20 try slavery for themselves Who are in
favor of making other people slaves" Nov.
this assertion. when interpreted by ne opinions
and surroundings Of the president. means Just
;his that he Is for eusIavinS al white ner Sbo
are opposed to his plan for freeing the negroes.
Who "srgae in favor Of making other people
sisvesf" No one certainly Nth reference to the
cclored race. whstever sirection the opinions Of
the abolition part, nav take as TO the white nan
The only question j. With reference TO the cor
sti:uiionslity Of the rsed ~ the preside ct
and 81. party 20 disturb and uproot the domestic
Institutions OF sovereign and independent states
Those WIZ oppose the abolition party 10 their
mode Of reaching and sbOli-hing slavery do not
argue in favor OF making other people slave. -
They Only insist that We bound by the orig
inal compact. INT. thst oompac, Is amended in
the manner aud form prescrioei in the instrument
itself. ana thai the northern states have no more
right 20 interfere With the domestic Institutions
OF The south than tie south has ~ita ours This
being the case he ding OF TIE pre-der; at large
and respectable body OF his fellow citizens. e an
other evidence OF ais un6tness TO manage the
afars Of the nation at this critical period Of is
history.