Year: 1862

very next day after the battle of Bull Run
that venerable patriot and statesman. John
D. CritteDden Of Kentucky. offered the fol-
lowing resolution:


Resolved, BY the House Of Representa-
tives. that the present civil war has been
forced upon US by the disunionists of the
Southern States now in rebellion against
the Government of the United States; that
in this national emergency. Congress. ban
ishing oil feeling of passion and resent
ment, will recollect oaly their duty to their
country; that the war is not waged for con-
quest or subjugation or interfering with
the rights or established institutions Of the
States. but TO defend tho supremacy of the
constitution with the rights and equality
guaranteed by 1t unimpaired, and that as
soon as these objects shall be accomplished
the war ought to cease"


That resolution was adopted by vote
OF I22 to 2. Democrats and Republicans
voted for it. Men of all parties declared
that they could stand upon that platform.
The bogus convention that assembled in
this city on the Sth Of January last, it.
too. adopted platform. and in that plat
farm was single resolution embodying
part of MIR. Crittenden's resolution, but
skillfully arranged so as to to dodge the
issue--to avoid fixing the responsibility
of this war where it belongs Here is the
resolution Of the convention of the Sth of
January Yon will observe that the first
part of Mr.. Crittenden's resolution is left
out. and the rest inserted:


Pesolved. That in this national emer-
gency the Democracy of In1iana, banish-
ing all feelings of passion and resentment.
will recollect only their duty to the whole
country; that this war should mot be waged
in the spirit of conquest or subiugation,
nor for the purpose of overthrowing or in
terfering with the rights or institutions Of
the States. bnt to defen and maintain the
supremacy of the constitution, and to pre-
serve the Union with oil the dignity, O.
quality and rights of the several States un-
impaired. and that as soon as these objects
are accomplished the war ought to cease
There is no declaration there that the
present deplorable state Of things was
drought about by the disunionists of the
Southern States." nor that the design Of
this war is only to maintain intact the
rights Of the several States as guaranteed
by the Constitution. That point is care
fully shunncd. and instead of a declaration
that the Government is doing right in con-
centrating all its energies upon this mon
strous and Infamous rebellion, we are only
told hat the war ought not to be carried on
for the conquest and suljugation of the re-
bcllious States. And yet | am to be told
that sm not Democrat, because I ,cN
not subscribe to the faise and infamous as
sefions made in that Conreation,


Men need not tell me that all these diff
ficulties have been brought about by ia
naticism in the North. All our troubles
are to be attributed to the wretched doc
trine Of the right Of States to sccede at will
from this Government. as promulgated in
the Inaugural Of JEFF. Davis. That doc
trine overthrows at single blow all our
institutions, and all that we hold dear
Adopt that principle and all is lost; You
have no state. no country. If a State can
leave this Union, you may as well shut up
your schools and colleges. and stores and
shops. You are ready for civil war, con-
fusion. and anarchy Of every kind. And
yet great political party, protesting de.
vo'ion to the best interests of the country


calling itself by the name of National
Democracy. cannot afford to make dec.


laration of this truth "that the miserable


doctrine Of the right of secession is at the
bottom of all these troubles" And vet i


man mnst be told that he is not Demo


crat because he dares to say so. | vii


stand OF no platform which cannot afford
to tell the truth. The platform of the 8,f


OF January can claim to be a very ingeni
Gus one. While it deeply depores the IN
happy condition of the country and la
ments the fact that civil war with all il,


evils Is upon US as nation. still there i
no remedy proposed. While it avow.


that the supremacy of the Constitution
should be maintained. it does not pledg,


assistance TO the Government in its effor
to maintain the laws. They do not ever
say they will fight. or they will not,
The resolutions seem to have been skill
fully worked so as to bear the semblanc,


Of patriotism and devotion to the country
and still give the least possible encourage
ment to those who are straining every nerv,


to maintain the Government, as we'll as III,
least possible affront to its enemies. And
last of all, to cap the climax, they say


they rejoice in the success of our troops on
the battle field!


have said before. at the commencement
Of my remarks. and have said it frequent


ly. that the great difficulties which lie in
the way of our success in quelling this tru.


ly distressing insurrection are fear, dis


trust Of our ability to do it, and a disuni


ted North. The hope Of the rebels has


been Tor months that there would be divis.
ion in the North. and the proceedings of the
Convention Of the 9Th of January were
copied into Southern papers and circula.


ted among the Southern people as conclu
sive evidence of division and dissension in


the Northern States. / hold in my hand
at this moment paper published in Rich


mond. Virginia. which contains the doings


of that infamous Convention, and com.


ments. with much satisfaction, upon the


very interesting speech of Mr. John g


Davis. in which it is asserted that the sur.


render Of Mason and Sldell in obedience


to the demand Of the British Government


was more dishonorable and humiliating
than the recognition of the Southern Con.