Year: 1862

m ar
the Constitution, and seeing in the present condi
tion of the country the deporable effects of
denarture from its time honored and conservative
principles, and the triumph of sectionasm; and
firmly believing that the Union and the Corsttu
ton can be preserved alone by the restoration of
that party to power. we invite all the Union men
throughout the land to unite with us in sustaining
its organization and carrying out its principles.
Therefore,


Resolsed. I That we reaffirm and endorse the
political principles that from time to time have
been put forth by the National Conventions of
the Democratic party.


That we are unalterably attached to the
Constitution, by which the Union of these States
was formed and established and that a faithful
observance ofits principles alone continue the
existence of the Union, and the permanent happi-
ness of the people.


g. That the present civil war has mainly re-
suited from the long continued, unwise, and IA
natical agitation, in the North of the question OF
domestic slavery, the consequent organization of
geographical party, guided by the sectional plat
forms adopted at Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia.
and Chicago and the development thereby of
sectional hate and jealousy, producing Gas had
long been foreseen and predicted by us) its coun.
terpart in the South of secession, disunion, and
armed resistance to the General Government, and
terminating in bloody strife between those who
should have been forever bound together by fra
terna bonds, thus bringing upon the whole coun-
try a calamity which we are ROW to meet as loyal
citizens striving for the adoption of that mode of
settlement best calculated TO again restore union
and harmony.


A. That in rejecting all propositions likely to
result in satisfactory adjustment of the matters
in dispute between the North and the South, and
especially those measures which would have
cured the border slave States to the Union. and
harty CO. operation on their part in all constitution
al and legal measures to procure return of the


tlA,r al - D..
publican party assumed a fearful responsibility,
and acted in total disregard of the best interests
of the whole country.


| 5. That if the party in power had shown the
same desire to settle, by amicable adjustment our
internal diss ensions before hOstties had actually
commenced that the Administration has recently
exhibited to avoid war with our ancient enemy,
Great Britain, we confidently believe that peace
and harmony would now reign throughout all our
borders.


! 6. That the maintenance of the Union upon
the principles of the Federal Constitution should
be the controlling object of all who profess loyal
| ty to the Government-and in judgment this
purpose can only be accomplished, by the ascen-
dency of, Union party in the Southern States,
which SHALL bv counter revolution, displace those
who control and direct the present rebellion That
no effort to create or sustain such party be
sue, essful which is not based upon a definite set
Element of the questions at issue between the two





settlement be made by additional constitutional
| guaranty, either initiated by act of Congress or
through the medium of National Convention.


:. That the Republican party has fully demon
strated its inability to conduct the Government
through its present difficulties.


g That We are utterly opposed to the twin
heresies, Northern sectionalsm and Southern Sc
cession as inimical to the Constitution and that
freemen, as they value the boon of civil liberty
and the peace of the country, should frown indg-
nintT upon them.


9. That in this national emergency the oemoc-
rae, of Indiana, banshing all feeling of passion
and resentment, will recollect only their duty to
the whole country that this war should not be
waged in the spirit of conquest or subugation.
nor for the purpose of Overhr0wing or interfering
with the rights institutions of the States. out
defend and maintain the supremacy of the Con
sttution. and to preserve the Union with all the
dignity, equality aid igHts of the several States
unimpaired and that as soon as these objects are
accomplished the ought to cease.


10. That we will sustain, with all our energies
a war for he maintenance Of the Constitution. and
of the integrity of the Union under the Constitution;
but we arc opposed to war for the emancination
of the negroes, or the subugation of the Southern
States.


| Il That the purposes avowed and advocated
by the Northern disunionists, to berate and arm
the negro slaves, is disgrace to fhe age calcula-
ted to retard the suppression of the rebellion and
meets our unquallpeu condemnation.


12 That the total disregerd of the writ Of ha
beas corpus bv the authorities over us and the
seizure and imprisonment of the citizens of oyal
States where the judiciar, is in full operation
without warrant or law and without assigning anv
cause or giving to the party arrested any opportu
nifty of defense, fragrant violations of the Con
stitutOn and most alarming acts of usurpatIOn OF
power. which should receive the stern rebuke of
every lover of his country and Of every man who
prizes the security and blessings of lie liberty and
property


I3. That the liberty of speech and of the press
are guaranteed to the people by the Constitution
and none but usurper would deprive them of these
rights they are inestmable to the citizen and
: formidable to tyrants only. And the ATTEMPTS
which have been made since our present unfortu-
nate troubles to muZZle the press and stihe free
discussion, exercises of despOtic power agains,
! which freedom revolts and which can not be tole
rated without converting freemen into slaves


IA. That the seizure of Mason and Slidell on
: board neutral vessel, on the high seas, was
either in accorda nee with international law, and
so legal or else in violation of such law and Sc
illegal. If the former, We lament that our nation
- has been Inundated by their surrender, under O
threat; if the latter, il the duty of the Ad


ministration at once to have disavowed the act nj
their officer, and instead of incarcerating the cap
tves in Fort Warren, to have immeda, ~ 70
e paired the wrong by placing them, as far .,c


ticable, in the same condition in which t, :, OH
: Ger found them. In either event, the action O


the Administration was vacillating ard COW
ardy nddegrading to the dignity of great nation


Is. That the action of the Republican party
il manifested in the partisan character of all ap
IS pointments of the Administration to civil office
&C and in holding party by the Republica,
members of Congress for the purpose ofimpressin.


upon the Legislative action of that body the pecuia
: dogmas of that party, have demonstrated tha


their professions of Sacrificing party platforms
- and party organizations, upon the altar of thei


couE.ry,' are but so many hypocritical and falls


pretenses by which they hope to dupe the unwar
- !, into their support and all loyal persons
4 l. as they love their country, not to be deceive
, thereby.


= 16, That the disclo ures made by the investi


eating committee in Congress of the enormou


frauds that have stalked into the army and nav
departments, duplicating the heads of those de


partments in n contrivance at, if not an actua
* participation in system of corruption, and i
er which our brave soldiers have been defrauded q
= their proper supplies, and our Government threat


ened with bankruptcy, demands Il thorough inves