Year: 1861




Democratic Convention I'm Spencer


County. f s.ai


The following resolutions were adopted in the
county convention of Owen county, which met at
Spencer, July the 4th, 1861:


| WHEREAS, When the Democracy of this county
one year since met in convention, the country was
at peace and in a prosperous condition; and,
whereas, IN the last canvass, both State and ma
| tOnal, We spent our time, labor, money and means
freely to warn the people of the impending dan
gers OF the triumph of sectionalism; and whereas.
Notwithstanding our efforts, sectionalism tr-
umphed, the magazine of disunon has exploded,
commerce destroyed, the Government nearly
broken up and the people will soon be reduced
to bankruptcy, confidence destroyed, and ruin,
anarchy, eyil and desolation staring US in
the face; Therefore,
ResOiDed, That we are still as heretofore in
| favor OF the Federal Constitution, the union of
all the States, both North and South upon the
principles inculcated and agreed to by our fore
fathers of the revolution the maintainance of the
Constitution in its purity, the enforcement of the
laws by the legally authorized agents, and the
defense of our common flag by the strong arm
OF the military against foes from without or
traitors within.


Resolued, That we have no sympathy, aid or





son that if the Southern people have any griev-
ances, the better place to remedy than is in the
Government and not out of il; for had they re
malned true 70 the Government and the great
Democratic principles that majority shall rule,
and not have seeded from the Charleston Con
vention and divided the Democratic party, Mr.
Lincoln would not have been elected President,
and Northern sectionalism would not have sue
ceeded IN gaining power and later, had thcy re-
mained in Congress they could have successfully
prevented the least injury from Northern fanati-
cism; they therefore are the authors of their
real injury, and now seek to destroy the Gov
erBment to redress wrongs which they could
have prevented.


ResOlUed, That we have no sympathy, aid or
comfort for Northern abolitiOniss or their fanat-
ical sympathizers, for the reason that the prin-
ciples inculcated by them of no more Union with
Shareholders, the admission of no more slave
States into the Union, the prohibition by Con-
gress of slavery from the Territories, their ire
pressible conflict, that these States can no longer
live together in peace part slave and part
free, but must all become one or the other are
principles as much subyersive of the true princi-
Piles of the Constitution as disunion itself.


Resolved, That we have no confidence in the
good faith and efficiency of many of the present
selfconstituted. par excellence Union savers who
have heretofore acted in such fanatica sectional
manner as to destroy confidence in the different
sections, engender strife, hatred and i'll will be
tween the people and States, and who are now
denOuncing every person who does not join in the
hue and cry in favor of the present Administra
tons war policy and bow down at the shrine of
the Chicago Platform, as traitors to their coun.
try. Such men are not safe lights to look to for
the purpose of restoring peace and harmony to
TO our distracted but once glorious and happy
Union. r- t1.-.


Resolued,i That we are now as we always have
been. opposed to sectionalism and fanaticism be
it either North or South, and that we hold all
men and party organizations propogating such
doctrines as enemies to our common country, and
the quicker all such men and party organizations
hurled out of power, and the more strictly the
guard is kept against placing any more such in
power the better it will be for the country a
ResoIued, That while we in favor of de-
Tending the flag of our country and maintaining
the supremacy of our Government, we are op-
posed to the prosecution of this for the pur-
pose Of freeing the slaves or IN any way to in
erfere with the constitutional rights of any of the
people or States. e--t


L. Resolced, That we have full confidence in the
integrity and great military skill of the distn-
guished veteran and hero, Gen. Scott, and be-
lieye that the nation may repose with confidence
In his plans for suppressing the present rebellion.


Resolved, That we prefer peace to war, and
that we are in favor of the present Congress that
meets to-day. using all honorable means to settle
our present difficulties, and to show themselves
willing and anxious to do what is fair and honor
able in the spirit of compromise and settlement
And if nothing else but war will do, let that be
the last, and not the first resort And when all
but fighting has failed let soldiers march on
to the battle field with the sword in one hand and
the oliye-banch of peace in the other, proclaim.
ing to the world the supremacy of our govern
ment, peaceably, if they can; forcbly, if they
must rfH


Resolved, That while we are in favor Of root
ing out fanatical sectionalism in the South, in
any form, We are in favor also of roofing it out
in the North, and that we are in favor of opening
a recruiting Office at every precinct in every
township, and calling upon all conservative
men to enlist as soldiers to the ballot box
during the war, and that we commence a
vigorous campaign to hurl from power and for
ever put TO rout the entire forces of Northern
sectional abolitionism, with all their sympathi-
zers. fi.I .n till-fH fe'Fo7 o.
Resolved, That the foregoing resolutions be
published i'm the Owen County Journal, State
Sentinel, and other Democratic papers. and that
a copy of them be forwarded to our Representa-
tives in Congress. - 80 4aaa