Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-08-28

eminent and State Governments would, BY this
time, have volved harmoniously IN their respec-
tive orbits, and then 70 the States would be left
az they properly belong. the questions Of negrs
suffrage and new Constitutions and the relations
Of labor think General Sherman proved him
self even more sise in negotiation than formid'
able IN war, and that bis ststemanship, more than
his arms. would have maintained the Union.
But IN these latter dsys new theory has
sprung into being. IL is the offspring Of more
than Yankee ingenuity, stimulated BY more than
Yankee faBaticism. IL holds that acts Of seces-
sion are both valid and UNBELIEVABLE to destroy
the State. invalid 10 destroy the Union. The
State Of Virginia adopted and ratified the Con
stituton, not a. part of the people of the United
States. not a majority of the people Of Vir
ginia. but in her capacity az a sovereign State,
regulating her relation to other sovereigns. The
old Confederation had been practically dissolved.
the new one had not been formed Virginia was
absolutely sovereign, and as such, gave her as
sent to the Federal Constitution. BY that act
alone-by her command alone--her citizens owe
obedience 70 the Federal Government. Virginia
repeats that act Of ratification. and thereby ca !
desvors 20 sscede from the [ mon, and to release
herself from Federal obligations. and her citizens
from obedience TO Federal Law.
These gentlemen aver that the act of repeal
does not dissolve the tie witch binds the territory
eminent; does dissolve il as a political eommu-
nifty; does Absolve the Federal Government from
all duties, and does confer upon it all powers Of
management and control / will not say that
they do not themselves believe this doctrine, but
| will say that II they can maintain il, the war
was not for the Union, but for conquest; and the
result is that the South is subjugated, not to the
Consultation, but to the will Of the North. And
then il follows that the imposition of negro suf
frsge, of new Constitutions, OF amendments to
the Federal Constitution, the restoration of civil
law, or the continuance of military rule, are
questions OF policy. not power; and 10 this posi-
ton do these gentlemen, most OF all things, de
sire to reduce them
Midway between these positions is the theory
adopted by the Administration, or perhaps
ought TO say, by President Johnson He be
beves that the question of suffrage belongs to
the States. he believes that the ordinances Of
secession were invalid for every purpose--ut
terly void-that they do not affect either the ter
ritory or the people, or the State Government +,
but that the officers of the State Governments, in
resorting % war, became usurpers, and by force,
and in fraud perverted the powers of the State to
illegal ends; that their acts, so far executed,
were without authority, and therefore wrongful
so far as not yet executed are utterly void
This usurpation supplanted the legitimate Gov
ernments, which lie dormant, imperative now,
but entitled to all the powers and rights OF the
States, ben the usurpston displaced them. Hence
he appoints Provisional Governors to set the old
machinery in motion, and seeks pivotal pon IT
on which its revolutions shall commence.
! wish the President han gone further. He
would have done better II he had accepted Sher-
maa's truce. He would have done better If, when
he received the submission OF armed forces he
had recognized the legitimate powers of organized
Rufl a has all in
this, that he recognizes the powers Of the States
over the question of suffrage; that he appoints
Provisional Governors the citizens of the States,
and not superserviceable patriots from Ohio or
Observation-Disclosures he desires the States TO re-
sumo their relations to the Federal Government
as soon possible, and to be represented in
both Houses Of Oongress--sud on these points
| desire TO give him cordial and hearty ap-
prevail
The first desire of every patriot now is the
pacihcation of the country. the return to the
ways and duties and properties OF peace; and
this can most speedily and only be accomplished
by securing tn the people of the South self gov
eminent in their States, and their appropriate in
duence in the Government of the Union. The
Constitution will do this. lt need only be OBJ
served Its provisions are allsufficient. 1t
needs no amendment. Wise men made il: good
men administered it for seventy years: peace and
prosperity attended il. 1t will bring again union
and freedom asd prosperity. Ii secures the
rights Of the States at home. It secures the just
rights of the Federal Government 1t secures
the liberty of the citizen. If the President will
fairly administer it; il be will make honest Ell
fort TO apply Its provisions; il he will remember
that the powers Of the Federal Government are
all delegated, aud that the rest are all reserved
that trial by jury, free speech, free press,
are TO be held inyiolste; that military com
missions, for The trial Of citizens, are abso-
lutely prohibited, l, for one, believe il to
be nv highest duty to give him a warm support.
Ii he will not COS far, will support him where
he is right. and as earnestly condemn him where
he is wrong The party which has not been d-
verted 10 the midst Of the terrors OF the past
tour years from It's steady support of the rights
of the States aud the rights of the people, can
not be seduced by hopes of power, nor driven by
fear OF consequences TO abandon that position
now IL demands nothing which is not pre-
scrlbed in the Constitution; it will De unselfsh
and earnest in its support it will be determined
and active ia its opposition; it rises abose party
aims; it banishes party aspirations; it will be true
to him, whoever be may be. who will be true to
the Constitution and the country.
The questions now in controversy touch the
very organization of the Federal Government
They revive the old theories of confederation
and consolidation. They are hidden under
spurious and deceptive names. Reconstruction
our opponents use the word, means not resto
ration OF the Union, but reconstruction of the
Constitution; change in the framework of the
Government. and every change proposed is in
dlmlnatOn of the States, and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of
the Federal Government. Delay In reconstruc-
ton means that military Governments are to be
used to effect them The tendency OF war is to
consolidation. We must resist IT, II will lead
to desPotsm. Local self government, the rights
of the States, confederation. These are the
only hope of liberty. Our fathers saw this, and
they formed a confederation. In few aud simple
words, they established the test of all questions
"All powers not delegated are reserved" Let
Us bring all to this test. Let us solve them bv
IT, and az far as human wisdom can effect it, we
escape all dangers. Shall we change that test
now! Shall we destroy the States? Shall we
impair their powersi Are we wiser. more patri-
otto, more honest than our fsthersf No Let US
restore the Government as they made it. They
gave us blessing; let US beware that we do not
make it curse.
The speech was warmly received, and elected
throughout marked attention aud great applause
DlABOLICAL Outrage Monday morning
last as Miss Hefiner was coming up the river
road, three miles below Spencer, near Rattle