Year: 1862




but was coldly heard and hardly treated
with respect. In fact. the dislike of the
Convention for him and his speech. was so
thoroughly manifested as to induce him to
desiss at the end OF few minutes. What
has Col. Dunham done to forfeit the high
place be so lately held in the estimation of
his party? The answer is he has drawn
his sword to crush the rebellion and sus-
tain the Government. There were many
gentleman present of high rank in the par
ty who had taken service in the army. but
they were left out in the cold, were not
consulted about anything. aud were treat
ed with every mark Of dispeasure and con-
tempt. 40


The resolutions. the speeches, the pri-
vate management of the Convention, and
the nominations, all manifesteda determin-,
ed hostility to the war and the army, and
show concusively that its members would
rejoice to hear Of any disaster or dishonor
that might befall our arms. Every patri-
OF, and especially every military man present
felt that he was breathing an atmosphere
as vicious and as reasonable as that which
surrounds the rebel Congress at Rich
mond. a most striking manifestation of
the spirit of the assembly was the hatred
and scorn with which resolution eulogis-
tic and endorsing the Hon. Stephen A..
Douglas was rejected. not even permitting a
vote to be taken upon it. but compelling
the mover to withdraw it. The printed
proceedings, as signed by Thomas A. Hen
bricks, are false and fraudulent. They
profess to be history Of the proceedings
Of the Convention. but they wholly fail to
make even an allusion to this transaction.
These men did not dare to publish to the
world what they had done. They endeav-
ored to supply the evidence by putting
forth garbed and imperfect record of
their transactions. .tu 7 4
The names of Douglas ard Wright were
spit upon. Dunham. and every other mil
itary man was snubbed and clbowed out,
but the open and avowed traitor John G..
Davis was heard with vociferous applause.
Davis was the heart and soul Of the Con-
vention. Heinfuselhis spirit into its mem
bers. and they breathed it back into their
resolutions. and in their imprecations up
on the Government, and upoa every man
who is willing to uphold It by word or
deed. The rebels in arms were justified.
the whole blame was laid upon the Repub-
lican party of the North, and every argu-
ment offered that would prove that Lincoln
is a traiter and a tyrant, and Davis patri.
OF. benefactor. and martyr.


If speeches AMI resolutions Of this con-
vention are true. then our government is
entirely in the wrong. and the rebels en-
tircly in the right, and every man who
sheds traitors blood n defense Of the
Government. is felon and murderer -
They do not say so in words. They dare
not draw their conclusins from their own
arguments. But that is what it all means.
They do not say SO an SO many words that


we should surrender to the rebels. and
make suitable apologies and repraration to
them. as the injured party. but if what
they do say is true. we should do so. and
that is what they mean and desire.


We say to the leaders Of that Conven


ton, beware. and pause before tits too late


You will soon be at q point from which
you must back square down or maintain
your position by force of arms. You arc


there now You ore speedily drifting into


open fraternity and alliance with traitor,


in arms. You are to-day monuments o


the generous forbearance of a free and 10y


al people, but there is point beyond


which forbearance will not go. Do not de
ceive yourselves with the opinion that in


the hour of your extremity you will have an


organized party to rush to your rescue :


No; the very men who now cheer oil


your treason will be among the first I,


abandon you to your fate. They will de
sert you and your cause as rats do the sink


ing ship aud not only so. hut seAk to estab


lish their loyalty by the zeal with which the.


labor to bring you to justice. Let us tall
plainly. It.is our interest to do SO, an
5 it is yours to hear. Your words and you
deeds are giving aid and comfort to tn


enemy. They understand that your heart


are with them and they seize upon the hop
c that you can rally party strong enougl
c to paralize the arm Of the Government an
: enable them to dictate terms of peace
n They will read your resolutions and speech
!, es. and in them find only words ofkindnes
and sympathy for themselves and of bitter


relentless hostility to the friends of III


Government. and if they have faithin yon


sincerity they will know that you stan
:. ready to fight on their side when the op
f portunity offers. The path You hav
!. marked out leads directly into the rebe
t camp The conclusions to be drawn fror
c your reasoning point clearly to the unfurl
y ing Of the standard OF rebellion in til
9 State OF Indiana. If your speeches an
o resolu as do not mean that they al
r empty, <unmeaning and sensless. In
$ Convention extending through two day
1 no word Of censure or condemnation is nj
t tered against the criminals who are tryin
y to destroy the Government, and who az
J, shedding the blood of our sons and broth
Z ers in the field. while you make the wall
G Of the building tremble with the violenc
y of your denunciations upon your neighbor
: and fellow citizens of the Northern an
+ loyal States. The Union and loyal me
j are long suffering and generous. The
8 have born much and dealt kindly under Gil


cumstances of great aggravstion. bat ther
: Is point beyond which forbcarance ceas
( es to be virtue. they may rise up an
: inflict upon You summary vengeance TO
Q your foul treason and malignant abuse
o We deprecate violence. We believe
: never did good at all equal to the conse