Year: 1861

cal hOurishes about the American Eagle and the
star-spangled banner, | take my stand for the
Union of the States-and as necessary to that
Union-for the peace Of the country-for the
peaceful enforcement Of the laws, and the pro-
lection of the Federal property. Without peace
there can be no Union, with armed intervention
for the strict enforcement of the laws and pro-
lection of Federal property there can be no
peace. So while there is a united voice among
US for the Union, the point of divergence is
found IN selecting the means to compass the end.
| hold that every drop of blood shed at this stage
of the difficulty diminishes the chances of the
Union, and every battle fought will make the
stream of blood deeper, wider and more impassa
Bile between the sections. Then plant myself
and take all the responsblity-on the policy of
peace and compromise. This conservative pol


icy for the time requires all parties TO dissolve,
and platform TO perish and all party slogans,
watchworis and creeds to be offered as sacrifices
upon the altar of Union. But if the madness
which sways Republican counses now shall turn
Gut 20 be the permanent policy of the incoming
Administration, farewell to the peace of the
country and the unity of the States-farewell to
civil and religious liberty-farewell to our fame,
strength and greatness--farewell to all except
the reign of faction. fanaticism and folIy-the
saturnalia of demagogues, military Adventures,
and usurping dictators, fixing us in history with
weeping and degenerate Mexico. Whoever then,
demands immediate military coercion of either
one, eight, or fifteen Southern States, demands
disunion, demands war. blood and rapine-de
mands that in the wake and hurried tread of ar
mics shall follow burning cities and servile nsur
rections-demands commercial, manufacturing
agricultural and financial ruins-demands the de-
cayof civilization and reigion-demands that the
American people shall be held spell bound in
feverish nightmare of alarm at the chains being
forged for them by ambitious leaders and daring
usurpers-demands that individual and national
wealth, national pride, national confidence, pub
lie spirit and public enterprise shall be buried in
the grass that shall spring up in your streets,
take refuge with the bats that shall gather in the
silent halls of your National Capitol


There never has been time in the career of
this nation when such grave difficulties envroned
our pathway. We have had rebellion and nulli-
fication before-we have had our Northern Hart
ford Convention, and our Southern Nashville
Convention-we have heard the mutterings of
revolution time and again, but we always had a
Washington, n jackson, Clay Webster
that we're masters of their position and equal to
the crisis-but now ii seems that We have no liv
ing statesmen so enthroned in the hearts and con-


idence of all sections and parties, with enough
wisdom, courage and influence to give direction
to the current of revolutionary events.


Our people had Just emerged from embit
tered contest for the Presidency, and | need not
say how much the vindctiveness, jealousy and
alienation of leading public men have contributed
TO produce the present deplorable condition of
things. But il is selfevident that there is one
man who can say to the troubled waves, be STILL


Let me say it is time Senators should make
fair, frank and open avowal of the policy which
they propose to pursue. Now, sir, it is my firm
conviction that there is no higher aim end for
the people of Indiana than to be prepared to send
up one united voice to the nation upon the issues
of the Gay. Nothing would be more deplorable
than to find Indiana with divided c0unsels, and
giving divided support to the present or ncom


ing administration. / believe, sir, that the in
coming administration will be compelled with the
whole fifteen States of the South, against the
policy of coercng States in this Union by mill
tarv power, and with a divided Northern senti-
ment, to abandon its policy of coercion. be-
lieve it will find it impossible to carry out such
policy and preserve the Government. / believe
it is of vast importance that the sentiment of In
diana, as expressed in this memorial and joint
resolution, should go out at the earliest day pos


sble, that it may carry streak of sunlight to the
hopeful and anxious people of the border slave
States. / am opposed to the report submitted by
the majority, not that l dissent from its senti-


ments, but because it does not 60 far enough. 1t
will be taken up in the Southern States and used
as ultimatum, the only olive branch the
people of Indiana have to offer, as the declara-


ton of the representatives of Indiana, that what


ever your provocations may be, however perilous


the condition of our liberties, however much the


Constitution may be rope of sand, under the


excitement of the hour, we have no other olive


branch to present. This, / believe, will be the


spirit in which this declaration OF sentiment that


is prepared by majority of the committee will


be received at Washington and at the South.


Now, sir, it will not do for any party, believing


as do that the condition of the Union is con-
| hiatt fba NJ tba MI ;c


promise-it will not do for the Senate of Indiana


to send out declaration that she has no CON-
promise to make. Gentlemen say that they do


not know what the border slave States demand


by way of compromise. i answer, that we have


a good indication in the action of the distin-


guished Senator from Kentucky, Mr.. Crittenden. ]
His resolutions indicate what the border slave
States demand. Let Indiana come up to the


work manfully and nobly Let the Senate of


Indiana show that we realize the responsibility


which is upon rs, and give to the people of the


Southern States pledge that while we are for


the Union, we deny the right of State secession,


and while we recognize plain duty of the Fede


raj Government to enforce its laws by civil pro-


cess and maintain the supremacy of the Federal


authority over the Federal property, and however


much we may doubt the legitimacy of the de
mands they make upon us, yet in differences Of


opinion will discard all partisan considerations


and looking only to the perpetuation of the
Union itself, we are prepared TO offer ratifca
, ton of their proposition thus early. Now there
would be-there could be, Senators, no wrong il
, this-no wrong to the country-none to its peace
, if we send this pledge of our good faith and fra


ternal feeling to the people of Kentucky and ou
sister slave States Ave, Mr.. President, this il
not ALL this goes out as the declaration of tn,


people of Indiana, not to be modified at any fu
ture time. i say, then it il indispensable to tn
perne.uitv of the Union that we come to ant
. agree upon some principle of adjustment tha
will meet with the appreciation OF the borde
slave States Without that we might as wei
I come to the conclusion to recognize the indepen


dence of fifteen of the Southern States. Is an


Senator prepared to vote to acknowledge thei
!, independence or vote men and money to com
: mence a war of subjugation? Is there ma
: who would hesitate to acknowledge their indie
= pendence, whose heart is so thirsty for the bloc
of brother, so little tanned by civilization an


the Christianity of the age that would now, j
T this age and country, involve this Union in
: scene of blood and carnage with all the horror
! of massacre and the confusion of battle, in orde
. to preserve political, sectional party ascendenc
q for an hour?


= Mr. Lincoln is President elect. He comes int
office under most desponding auspices Cloud
!, as dark night hover over the horizon. For HI
= support he will need to look not only to his part
- in Indiana-not alone to the dominant party
JUe NOTlli-Dut W cNtf ctTOuS uctTb anu
y the maintenance of the Federal laws Unle:
:, some great compromise shall be agreed upon th
8 can not be. Give us the Crittenden amendment
= or any kindred amendments, that will satisfy I'll
:, conservative slave States, and in sixty DAYS "
q will be united people


,s | would not stand here, sir and by argumer
o" o" attempt to mould the measures of this body
= suit the tastes of South Carolina. Ny opinion
70 are that South Carolina is disuniOn State per
- and but sought occasion of ofense and grounds f
:, disunion. But, sir, we can not adopt the mea
j, ures for the pacifcation of South Carolina whiC
:, General Jackson did in 1882. We are frequent
:, - reminded that the policy of General jackson W;
!, so very different from that of Mr.. buchanan
~ but will remind Senators that the crcumstanc,
~ ~ are different in 1861 from what they were in 1S5
I. Then, sir. South Carolina was engaged in a nu
~ lifying movement, and had not the sympathies
- the Gulf States to any extent. Now, sir, we ha'
= at least eight Gulf States not only sympathzin
!. but co operating with her, and not only that. b