National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-09
A rREAsoNABLE RECORD.

There Is no more dlsTaceful passage In the
history Of the democratic party than the record
Of the Indiana democracy during the war.
That record is part Of the history of the party.
Thomas A. Hendricks was the leader Of the
Indiana democracy during the war and he is
It's most popular leader now. In 1862 he was
elected TO the United States senate rs an anti
war democrat, and to-day he is the partys
candidate for vice president. The record Of
the Indiana democracy during the war belongs,
therefore, to the record Of the party, and Mr..
Hendricks and other surviving leaders Of that
period are ~ much responsible for 1t now as
they were then.
II must never he forgotten that very many
loyal democrats In all tho northern states gave
hearty support to the government in It's ef-
forts to suppress the rebellion, either enlisting
in the army orlendlngthclr patriotic assistance
at home. But mueh the larger number, and
in most Of tho states the party, as nm organlza-
tlon,, ,wero opposed TO the war and did all In
their power to cripple and ombarrass the gov
Icrnment in its enortsa at self preservation. This
was notably the case in Indiana, where Mr..
Hendricks was the leader Of his party.
The methods by which the disloyal democ-
racy endeayored to effect their object were:
J. By legislative action intended TO hinder
troops.
2. by expressions OF popular feeling in the
resolutions of local meetings and general con
vontions and in the uttorances Of spoakersand
newspapers dououncing the government.
3. By the dissemination of disoyal feeling
among the soldiers through the letters Of rela-
tives and friends misrepresenting tho objects
and condemning the conduct OF the war, urg.
ing deserton, and promising protection 10 de-
serters.
4. BY local organizations in nearly every
county for the purpose Of protecting desertcrs,
resisting the draft, and obstructing the enlist.
ment OF volunteers
8. BY secret and sworn order known as
tho "Knights Of the Golden Circle" or as "The
Sons Of Liberty" organized for the expressed
purpose Of assisting tho rebellion by resisting
the measures of tho government and prepared
by the arming and drilling of its members to
resort TO active hostillties.
All OF these methods were resorted to by the
Indiana democracy and vigorously practiocd
under the leaders Of that period, of whom Mr..
Hendricks was one. Considering them in the
above order we remark:
First. The Indiana house ofrepresentatives OF
| 1868, In which the democrats had large ma
jority refused to receive or consider Gov. Nor
toms message, because 1t did not approve his
| war views.
They voted down resolution declaring that
'the members Of this legislature will vote for
no man for Office who Is not in favor Of yigor-
ous prosecution of the war, and is not unalter-
ably opposed 10 the severance of any state or
states from the union"
They adopted resolution denounoing the
arrest of dsloyal persons "as acts of tyranny
| wiz NJ al "a NJ In
people"
They voted down resolution to appoint n
committee to inquire in regard TO the exist
ence of secret reasonable organization, hay
| ing for It's object tho dissolution OF the union,
and the formation OF northwestern confed-
eracy, with view TO ultimate annexation TO
the south.
| They voted down q proposition TO premlt
Indiana soldiers In the field TO vote, and re-
| fused In repeated instances to receive or enter
tain memorials sent by soldiers In the field,
asking them to cease their opposition to the
war, and their efforts 10 embarrass the govern
| ment.
They passed resolution demanding that
"the president shall Immediately withdraw
his emancipation proclamation" and denounc.
ing the employment OF negro troops.
They passed resolution calling for a suspen-
sion Of hostilities, and for national conyen-
tion to devise means of bringing the war to an
immediate close lin January, 1863, and OF
which action the Richmond WIN, of Feb. IL,
1863, said: eve Of the confederate states
should do what is possible to encourage the
growth and ascendancy of that spirit"
The foregoing are a few instances of the dis
loyal action of the Indiana legislature OF 1868,
of which many moro might be cited.
IA
democratic meetings were held in various
counties throughout the state, at one Of which
II was declared, "If fight we must we will
fight for the constitution and tho union, and
will never give any aid or assistance TO the
continuing Of this unholy and unconstitutional
war;" Another meeting declared that tive
are opposed to men or money to prose cute q
war to free negroes" and demanded an "im
mediate armistice" Another declared thai
1--WE arc opposed to tho prosecution of tn,
present war for the subjugation of states.
Another, "That wo will not give cent or senC
one single soldier to tho present contest while
1t is conducted for Its present unholy pur
pose' Another, that I'VE hereby declare on
opposition to the further prosecution OF tn,
war and that we are not In favor of furnishing
the present administration another mar
gun, or dollar for such hcllish anC
unchristian crusade" Another, THAT W,
regard the lives of white men q
Of more value than the freedom OF the negro
and we have given the last man and the las
money we are willing TO give for the prosecu
tion of the present abolition war" Another
"That 1t is beyond the power of the north I,
, restore the union by force aud we call on tn
administration at once to stop useless slaugh
ter Of our people and proclaim an armistice.'
| Another THAT 1t is the deliberate sense O
this meeting that not another soldier and no
(; another dollar ought TO be furnished for til
further prosecution Of this war for negr
emancipation" Similar resolutions wor
4 passed by the democracy In nearly half tn
= counties of the state, and these citations coul
: be indefinitely multiplied. They are of record
/, On the 18th of August, 1854, nearly u yea
before the close of the war, ian address OF tn
= democratic state central committee to the pee
4 pie OF Indiana" was published in the demo
cratic organ at Indianapolis in which, ate
I declaring the right of tho people ITO bear arm
Q as necessary means of Defense" the commit
i tee said 1--WE especially recommend to tn
. people in all their counties, townships, an
q election precincts thorough organization
3 The object was TO organize and arm tn
: democracy for disloyal purposes. On the az
a pearance of this address Gov Morton issued
i proclamation, IN which, after recitlng IN
0 facts,.h said: 81 do therefore solemnly warn th
u people Of the state against accepting the ev
o counsel they have received to abstain froi
y all military organizations looking directly {
p indirectly resistance TO federal or state Al
4 thorlty; to abstain from all schemes of resis
d ance to the laws, and FROM all organizations
A combinations political or military, toneing
IS compromise those In their allegiance and dut
a to the goyernment'of the United States"
In various parts Of tho state there was ope
n resistance to the draft-enrolling officers wer
h shot union men were notified to leave IN
= . country their barns wero burned aud house
u plundored, and In sOmo localities regulf