The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-19

Dhtleut, Dut MI. cletnens gave cFeLy lEter-
ruption q respectful attention, and answered
sll so happily as finally to silence Mr..
Toombs He argued against the possibility
OF Mr. Lincoln, as President, committing
any act or even making any appointments
Objectionable to the National Democratic
party, which was then, and would be for ct
least two years to come, in the majority in
both the House and Senate of Congress. He
showed that, with Democrats controlling the
Senate the President wsnld be compelled to
select only Democrats fer not only all other
Offices, but even for his Cabinet, il the Demo
Gratis in the Senate should so decree. He
plead for continuance OF the Union, point
ing to the prosperity and greatness the Re-
pablo had attained to under its wholesome
institutions. Here sre passages worth quot
ing:
my countrymen," ne said, L am not OF
those who believe this Union has been q
curse up TO this time. / will not un-
dertake to say that this Government OF our
fathers is perfect. There is nothing perfect
in this world OF human origin; nothing con.
nected with human nature, from man him.
self 10 any of his works. You may sslect
the wisest and best men for your judges. and
yet how many defects are there in the sd.
minlstration of justice? You may select the
wisest and best men for your legislators, aud
yet how many defects are apparent In your
laws? And il is so in our Government. But
that this Government OF our fathers with all
its defects, comes nearer the object of all good
governments than any other on the face OF
the earth, is my settled conviction.
Contrast it now with any on the
face of the earth. Compare, my
friends, this Government with that OF France,
Spain, Mexico, the South American Repub-
lies, Germany, Ireland, Prussia; or il you
will travel further East, to Turkey or China.
Where will You go, following the sun in its
circuit round cur globe, 10 find a govern
ment that better protects the liberties OF its
people and secures 10 them the blessings We
epjoy?" Applause
Continuing Dir. Stephens referred to the
rapid development Of our resources and
great wealth of the country under the ad-
ministration of our form of government, and
then said:
ut was only under our institutions as
they are that they were developed. Their
development is the result of the enterprise
of eur people under operations OF the Gov
eminent and institutions under which we
have lived. Even our people without these
never would have done 1t. The institutions
OF people, political AID moral, are the ms.
..ix in which the germ OF their organic
structure quickens into life, takes root and
develops in form, nature and character. oar
institutions constitute the basis, the matrix
from which spring all our characteristics of
development and greatness. Look at Greece,
There is the same fertile soil, the same blue
sky, the same inlets and harbors, the same
Ksean, the same 0lympus-there is the
same land where Homer sung, where Periclss
spcke-it is in nature the same old Greece;
but it is living Greece no more. APP
plause. Descendants of the same people
inhabit the country; yet Whist is the
reason of this mighty difference In the
midst of present degradation we see the glori-
Gus fragments of ancient works OF art-tem-
pies with ornaments and inscriptions that
excite wonder and admiration, the remains
OF once high order of civilization which
have outlined the language they spoke.
Upon them all, Ichabod is written-their
glory has departed. | answer this, their in.
situations have been destroyed. These were
the fruits of their forms of government-the
matrix from which their grand developments
sprung And when once the institutions of
our people shall have been destroyed there is
no earthly power that can bring back the
Promethean spark, to kindle them hare
again, any more than in that ancient land
OF eloquence, poetry and song Applause
The same may be said of Italy. Where is
Rome, once the mistress of the world? There
are the same seven hills new the same soil,
the same natural resources; nature is the
same but what ruin OF human greatness
meets the eye of the traveller throughout the
length and breadth of that most down-.rod-
den land Why have not the people of
that heaven favored cline the same spirit
that actuated their fathers? Why this sad
difference? 1t is the destruction of her insti-
TUT ne that has caused it. And. my oun-
tn u.en, II We shall. in an evil hour rashly
pull Gown and destroy those institutions
which the patriotic hands of our fathers
{
which have done so much for Us aud for the
world who can venture the prediction that
similar results will not ensue? Let Us avoid
them II we can. ] trust the spirit is amongst
us that will enable Us TO do it. Let Us not
rashIy try the experiment of change, OF
pulling down and destroying; for as In
Greece and Italy and the South American
Republics, and In every other country,
wherever our liberty is once lost it may
never be restored to us again"
But the malcontents were stronger than
the conservative Union meL before the con-
ventions that were called, and secession was
forced where, had the decision been msde
| by the ballots OF the people, believe it
would have been against disunion.
That is mistaken idea held by many at
the North that the firing upou Fort Sumter