Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-13


Mr.. Smith (resuming) -No. slavery is a. muir
ierous At the North as at the South. There
never vas = worse type Of pro-slavery in this
land than that you in this city less than two /
ysars ago, which killed and burned negroes. You
need not 20 away from your Own city to fnd /
abundant evidence TO show that pro slavery Is |
Joined TO these great crimes. Oh I AN 90 dis |
gasted With nv fellow men here At the North |
Read paper after paper, and the whole blame Is |
laid upon the South. and lot particle taken 70 |
ourselves Nov, say this pro slavery. which |
has hung TO the North and the South is the
very worst spirit, not that God bat the devil. |
has let loose on earth. And whereverit can
come in contact with the spirit OF sristocrscy, II
kindles up that spirit into sympathy with itself.
The truth IL, that aristOcrsey Is set on the IRE
pro- slavery, and sristOcrscy Is set on the fire
OF hell.
A Voice-May ask one question 7 under
stand the speaker TO say that the vote OF the
South would be against secession. desire TO
ask the speaker II, as the evidence has been de
veloped within the past few days at w .shing,on.
that would have been the vote OF the leaders OF
the SOUTH
40 PUNISHMENT FoR THE SOUTH.
Mr. Smith mot noticing the interruption >
Blu. may be asked Just here whether propose
no punishment for the South. kone at all; no
punishment at all. bold that she has been al
ready punished enough; aye, too much. Long
continued cheering When / reflect that this
rebellion sprung from common political senu
ment on the part of the North and the South
and from their common crime against crushed
humanity, say again, what in substance | have
told you before that our duty - 70 repent rather
than to punish. Applause
THE UEsrIoS OF RECONSTRUCTION.
But now | shall De asked whether in the recon
s,ruction of the rebel States-and see that At
torney General Speed does not like this word
construction, but when We come 10 see the true
theory in the matter, IL will be a very popular
world may be asked whether. in the recon
struction of the rebel States. | would propose
any changes? answer, none at ali for punish
ment or TO provide ourselves indemnity for the
past: for hold that we are entitled to none. IL.
after having been out drinking with a neighbor,
have a bout with him and get black eye, il is
not for me to prosecute him for assault and bat
terry Applause My only concern is to pro-
vide security for the future by not drinking with
him. So in this case are not to punish, but
simply to provide security. Now, the truth is,
that, from well-ngh the time they FIRST came into
existence. the North and the South have sat
down to drink. and their beverage has been the
blood Of the black man; and in that maddeniDg
draught they have wronged aud torn each other
Now il is for them TO cease from that work the
most murderous of all forms of intoxcation pro-
vide security for the future. aud generously let
by cones be by cones [Cheers. Now, in or
der to provide this security for the future, We
should at least get some changes for the South.
In the first place, she must have no more slavery
Cheers In the second place. her great landed
estates. which are an essential part OF her system
of slavery, must be broken up; and our soldiers
must not have them. Their estates belong to
the Southern poor We can pay our soldiers our
selves. and ought to pay them well, but the land
of the South belongs to the South. Ia the next
place, utter Reputation of the Confederate
debt Applause The North cannot consent
to second mortgage on the South, nor joint
mortgage with any other country. The North
most be entitled TO revenue and sources of taxa
ton at the South at the North and little
more-to the loyal belongs the ballotboI APP
plause
voice. understood you to say there were
no 10y alists now.
| Mr.. Smith-You misapprehend me; am a
loyalist myself. and hope you are another
| One thing more: among the loyal do not in
clude those who have perjured themselves by
| listening to dozen words and kissing book
| can't excuse a traitorous man by a process SO
simple. and all the dsloysl must be kept away
| from the ballot-box. You say this is punish
ment. 1t is not intended. Another class of
directors say the black man shan't vote. Wha.
shall say to this? Verify verify | say unto
you, you mus. be born again. Applause !
Then you will see that the black vote il indls
pensable to save the white loyalist, to save tho
South and save the nation. Applause. The
speaker srgued that in the reconstruction of the
rebel States il was Indispensable that it be held
that they were still in the Union, but that they
were not under the Constitution until they had
come so by their own acts. Now, but for the
sudden collapse OF the Coniederacy, President
johnson would have the Confederate Govern
ment to treat with as President Lincoln did but
as il is | see no other way but for Congress
with its absolute powers, to say in what condition
the rebel States should put themselves in order
that the law of war may pass away and the con-
stitutional law resume its sway, but all this must
be done, mind you. before peace; it will be too
late il deferred till peace for all the States must
be equal under the Constitution. Kentucky and
Delaware may hold men in slavery. while Ala
bama and Georgia, il they should come again
under the Constitution, will so far as the Consti-
tuition is concerned. have that right just as per
fectly. but there may be in the meantime disa-
bilities and restrictions imposed upon them by
the law of war, such Congressional action.
But pass from that and hasten TO the close.
WHY cLAH0R FOR MORE BLOOD?
Now, what possible good can come from the
punishment which is demanded by this blood
thirsty spritl | see no good; but on the con.
trary. see great evils. We should exasperate
the South, aud produce a spirit OF dsaffecton in
the North wider and deeper than before; and
spirit OF disaffection bad been produced before
the last few weeks of President Lincoln's life
And she trials of these men, will they not agtate
the whole landI For a large number of our peo-
pie believe We have 10 right 10 try these men for
treason when We hold them as prisoners of war
Then, will there be convictions 10 these cases of
treasonI think not in one Of them, when there
are IMPARTIAL juEies aud able counsel, who shall
throw around them the safeguards of civil
trials.
ABOUT JEFF DAVIS PROPOSED TRIAL
And q word about Jefferson Davis trial.
cannot think the Government means TO do an
unjust thing towards hun. TO put him upon his
trial for treason while the accusation Of compile
ity in the murder OF the martyred President
hangs over bin. Jefferson Davis. standing in
that court. would stand there nearly convicted
assassin. know il Is said both crimes are pun
ishable by death, aud therefore it cannot m Ike
much difference to him upon what charge he is
tried. But there is much difference: for it be is
put on trial for treason, with this charge of com
plcity IN the assassination hanging over him. the
charge, coming from such source as il does
will be believed, aud il will be said il a man is
guilty of such a crime a. that OF assassination, of
what will he not be guilty? | glance at some OF
the evil consequences OF course thatis inbu mau
and cruel towards our fallen toe On the other
hand, how blessed would be the consequences Of
treating him mildly Ii would lead the South TO
o -