Year: 1862

duty to the whole country, and wage this war in
no spirit of oppression or for any purpose of
conquest or subjugstion." Never did feel the
slightest alarm tor the ultimate triumph of my
country until during the last session of Con-
gress, when / saw a controlling, working major
ity carving out the policy of such men as " en-
dell Philps-then, and not till then feltthere
was danger. / never doubted the power of the
loyal people of these States to suppress this re-
bellion, and TO protect the honest masses South
from the Vaccinations of their wicked oppressors
who inaugurated this wicked rebellion. But do
fear the spirit that controls the dominant party in
Congress. fear all the enemies OF the Union do
not reside in the South There are enemies to
the Union North as well as South, and were it not
that this Congress is composed of partisans elect
ed in a time of peace, but of high party and sec
tlonal excitement before this war broke out,
should have but little hope for my country. The
suffrages Of the people were obtained by DENYING
that which Henry Clay and DanieI Webster, and
other men Of like fidelity and renown, had told
the people and warned them against from their
places in the Senate, House, and on the hustings
for twenty long years. Again and again had the
people been warned of the consequences that
would inevitably follow the agitations of Gid
dings, Sumner, ct id omne genus. To-day one
represents you abroad and the other is the leader
OF his party in the Senate. The latter intro
duces his proposition one day to reduce States
to Territories. His party associates denounce
it. A few days thereafter his party friend from
New York introduces it under the guise of bill
to establish provisional governments for the Sc
ceded States. Look at the journals of the last
session and you will see that almost every sue
ceSslu proposition of an anti slavery character
was foreshadowed by the Senator from Massa-
chusetts, although it may be, when first intro
duced by him, it received but little favor, have
sometimes thought this was the result of an un-
derstanding. Certain it is that such men as he
compose the majority of Congress and he leads
th9m or they adopt his opinions and incorporate
them into the legislation OF Congress. Well
may Millard Fillmore say that Congress has un-
done all that armies have done. These men
went, as have remarked, in time of peace, but
of high party and sectional excitement before the
people, told them there would be war, no dis
soluton that the South could not be kicked out
of the Union, could not live out of it; that the
Southern country not sufficiently fertile and
fruitful to bread and provision its inhabitants or
to support an army. La an evil hour the people
listened to their teachings. disregarded the coun-
sells of the patriotic dead who contempora-
neous with the founders of our Government
heirkened to the deceitful sayings of ambitious
men and conhded to them power and place Now
that war has come and our country is fast be
coming vast military camp, these same men
would use the power thus obtained to change the
purposes of the war shudder when reflect
upon the madness of the fanaticism that seems to
have seized upon portion of our people There
are those who would make the earth one great
repository of dead men. Already has the Iri-
bune announced that the country south of the
Potomac must oe repeopled. See its issue of the
I'D inst. Do the people of Indiana sympathze
with those who would exterminate the white
race South and repeople it in order that there
shall be no Union with shareholders? Is il for
this that Indiana has sent go 600 of her gallant
sons into the field? The man is mistaken who
believes that the people of the Southern States
can be exterminated and the country conquered
and held. To hold and occupy 900 square
miles of territory, inhabited by hostile people.
is what never has been done. To exterminate
such a people never has and, in my opinion,
never will be done. The prosecution of this
war upon any such an idea, or for any such
purpose, will result as Mr. Clay predicted the
agitation of the question of slavery in the free
States would result First destroy all harmony and
finally lead to disunion, poverty and perpetual war,
the determination of the African race, ultimate
military despotism


In le45 Mr.. Clay wrote the following letter to
Rev. Mr.. Coltcn, his biographer, to which l call
your special attention:


ASHLAND September ?, ls45.


'MY DEAR SIK: Allow select subject for of
your tracts which, treated in your popular and con-
densed way, think would be attended with great and
good eTect-I mean Abolition.


'It is manifest that the ultras of that party
tremey mSchievous and hurrying the country to
fearful consequences They to be conciated by
the Wings Engrossed with single idea, they for
nothing else.


sand yet they would see the administration of the
Government precpate the nation into absolute ruin be-
fore they would lend helping hand to arrest its career
They treat worst denoupce most those who treat them
BEST who so far with them to admit slavery to
be evil Witness their conduct towards Mr.. Briggs
and Mr. Adams in Massachusetts, and towards me.





would handle il. Show the origin Of slavery. Trace its


introduction to the British Government Show how it is
disposed of the Federal Constitution; that left
exclusively to the States except in regard TO fugves
direct taxes and representation Show that the agitation
of the question the tree States will first destroy all
harmony, and finally lead to dsunion, poverty and per-
peual war, the determination of the African race-u
mate military despotism.


'But the great aim and object Of your tract should be
the labong classes of the free States against
Abolition Depict the consequences them of immedi-
ate Abolition The slaves being free would be dispersed
throughout the Union they would enter into competition
with the free labOrer-with the American the Irish, the
German-reduce his wages be confOunded with him. af
feet his moral and social sandng and reduce the white
laborng to the despised and degraded condition OF
the black man."


Fellow citizens, was prophecy more truly
fulfilled, so far as it has proceeded, than those
words of the departed Clay, uttered nineteen
years ago? Congress at its last session should
have occupied itself in such legislation was
required TO enable the rebellion to be suppressed





that the authorized report of its proceedings will
show that three -fourths of its time was con-
sumed in discussions about the negro and in
the consideration of propositions to deprive the
owner of the services of his slave. These bills
many of them, were called bills to free the
slaves of rebels, and Senators spoke of liberia
ting the slaves in face of the fact that every
man knows, the practical effect of depriving the
negro of his master, who is also his guardian
and protector, is not to make the negro free
but to make him, instead of the slave of one
man well cared for the slave of every man in
the community, not one of whom has the slight
est interest in his comfort or in his moral OF
intellectual culture. The descendants of the
men of the revolution will never admit the ne
gro to a social and political freedom and equal
ity with themselves. What is freedom? Is il
a tangible substncey Does il bring with il
practical results, is it idea, that which
brings with it neither benefits nor privileges
What are the social and political privileges o
free negroes in the so called free Statesl This
Utopian idea of freedom for the negro has
swept over large portions of our country, seized
hold of our people as a contagious disease, dis
ordered the mind. of its victims until in theil
madness they look on approvingiy of the ac
ton of Congress, and also applaud tho act thai
has filed Green's row of three story brick build
ings in Washington, under the shadow of youl
Capitol, with fugitive slaves, who of their OWL
motion by the aid and comfort afforded 10y
others, have left their masters who supported
them and their homes that sheltered them ant
are now supportered and sheltered at the expense
Of the peoples treasury.


What will be the result if such fanatical coun
sells prevaili Already has this Congress enacted
law making negroes competent witnesses in al
judicial proceedings criminal and civil-in th'
District of Columbia, that il you visit th'
capital of your country your life, your liberty OF
your property NAV be taken from YOU upon ne