Indiana Republicans and the Re-Election of President Lincoln WINFREDA
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Indiana Republicans and the Re-election of President Lincoln WINFREDA. HARBISON Possibly the most famous single act of Abraham Lincoln was his issuance of the definitive Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Such a fact, however, was hardly dis- cernible from the contemporaneous reception the Proclama- tion received in Indiana. The Democrats denounced it in comprehensive terms as unconstitutional, provocative of dis- sension throughout the North, and therefore detrimental to the Union cause. Most of the Republicans were willing to de- fend the measure, but relatively few were inclined to praise it with enthusiasm. Some agreed, to be sure, with the rad- ical Julian brothers, who exclaimed that “The Year of Jubilee Has Come” and hailed the Proclamation as the greatest act in all history.’ Also a new journal, the Indianapolis soon made its appearance as the champion of the emancipa- tion policy in the Hoosier state. But most of the journalists were lukewarm and careful to explain that the purpose of the war had not changed from the preservation of the Union since the Proclamation was designed to weaken the Confedera~y.~ In fact some Republicans expressed serious doubts of the effectiveness of the measure, and even energetic Governor Morton admitted in his message to the Legislature that “it remains to be seen what effect this proclamation will have in suppressing the rebelli~n.”~ There were two fundamental causes for this lack of enthusiasm among Lincoln’s Hoosier supporters. One was the relatively conservative nature of a majority of them on the emancipation issue.s The other was the particularly un- satisfactory condition of both political and military affairs Indiana TTUE Republican (Centerville) edited by Isaac Julian. Jan. 8, 1863. On February 18, 1863, George W. Julian mad; 8;. long speech in Congress on “The Mis- takes of the Past-The Duty of the Present, in which he castigated Lincoln’s early slavery policy. Admitting that the Proclamation was moving in the right direction, Julian continued: “A wise policy of war is not enough. Proclamations of freedom will, of themselves, accomplish little. What we need is action, instant, decisive. de- fiant action, scourging faithless men from power, sweeping away obstacles and kindling in the popular heart the fires of a new courage and hose. The government should arm the colored men of the free States as well as the ,:laves of the South, and thereby give effect to the proclamation of freedom. Congressional Gbbe, 37 Congress, 3 Session, 1064-1069. *Published by J. H. Jordan and J. C. Burnett. * Indianapolis Journal, Jan. 5, 1863 : Madison Courier. Jan. 3, 5 : Vincennes Gazette, Jan. 10 : Logansport Journal, Feb. 7. ‘William M. French (ed.), Life, Speeches, State Papers and Public SwVices of Gou. Oliver P. Morton (Cincinnati, 1866). 310. See also Princeton Clanon, Jan. 10, 1863. 5 Winfred A. Harbison, “Lincoln and Indiana Republicans, 1861-1862, ZndiQn0 Magazine of Histmy (Sept.. 1937). XXXIII, 277-303. Lincoln and Indiana Republicans 43 at that time and the tendency to blame the President for this condition. In October, 1862, the Indiana Republicans had suf- fered a serious defeat in the state and congressional elec- tions, which they were inclined to attribute largely to the unsuccessful prosecution of the war by the national Admin- istration.6 Although Lincoln responded to this rebuke at the polls by dismissing Generals McClelland and Buell, the con- servative conmanding generals of the main aimies of the East and West respectively, the change did not bring victory to the Union. On December 13 the Army of the Potomac un- der the command of General Burnsides suffered one of the “most bloody and disastrous” reverses of the war at Fred- ericksburg. Any chance of advancing southward during the winter immediately vanished ; the capture of Richmond ap- parently was as remote as it had been a year before. A few days later the two key armies in the West fought major battles, suffered heavy losses but failed to make any per- ceptible progress towards the suppression of the rebellion. Many thousands of Indiana soldiers had been engaged in these tattles and many hundreds of them had been killed or wound- ed. The prevailing gloom and despondency deepened almost to despair, even among the Republicans.‘ As the people of Indiana came to the conclusion that the enormous sacrifice in life and fortune had been in vain, their enthusiasm for the Unicn cause reached its lowest ebb of the entire war.8 During the early weeks of 1863 the “Copperhead” ele- ment ic the Democratic party took advantage of this situa- tio:: to make defiant attacks upon the Lincoln Administration and its war program. As a result the Republicans were virtual- ly impelled to become constant defenders of the President and his policies. Public meetings were held and “Union Leagues” were formed by Republicans and War Democrats to counter- act the “Copperhead” activities, by pledging wholehearted * Zbid., 301-303. ‘About the same time disquieting reports reached Indiana that the President had quarrelled with the Republican members of the Senate over the personnel of his cabinet, especially his ytention of the conservative Seward. The belief spread that the cabinet had not been harmonious in regard to the method of prosecuting the war” and “unquestionaEly” did not possess “the confidence of the nation.” On December 23, the Indianapolis Journal bluntly declared: “If the President had force of character enough for his place he would speedily end these turmoils by turning out the whole concern and making a new one. Most of the Republicans, however, directed their critiri-m at the retention of Seward, who, they declared, had lost the confidence of the nation bemuse he n.a< not in favor of a vigorous war policy. Lafayette Journd, Dec. 22, 1862: Lafayette Cowier, Dec. 23: Delphi Joiimnl. Dec. 21: Ind:ana Herald. Dec. 24: Indiana Trun Republican, Dec. 25. + Lafayette Journal. Der. 19, 1862 : La Porte Herald, Dec. 27 : Rushville Republican, Dw. 31. 44 Indiana Magazine of History support to the war policy of the Government. There was a tendency, nevertheless, to damn the President with faint praise, as the following resolution of the Union meeting in Muncie will illustrate : RESOLVED, That while we admit that the President, under the influence of the ordinary infirmities of human nature, and imperfec- tions of human judgment may have fallen into mistakes, in many particulars, which have operated seriously to retard the overthrow of the rebellion, we believe that, as a whole, his administration has been characterized by great moderation, wisdom, caution, forbearance and the purest patriotism, and impartiality, and it is the duty of all citizens, patriots, and lovers of humanity to give him their warm, hearty and unwavering support to the end.9 By early spring a widespread popular reaction had set in against the obstructionist and anti-war tactics of the “Cop- perheads”.10 The people of Indiana longed for peace but they wanted permanent peace, which they felt could be secured only by the restoration of the Union. Therefore the adherents of the President faced the opening of the spring military cam- paigns with renewed hope and confidence, but with a better understanding of the difficulties involved than during the two previous years. Consequently, when the rejuvenated Army of the Potomac, under “Fighting Joe” Hooker, the idol of the Radicals, met defeat at Chancellorsville, most Republicans evinced keen disappointment but not the profound discourage- ment and discontent of the year before.ll They were still confident of ultimate victory and anxious for another trial of battle. When Lee undertook his second invasion of the North, however, the Indianapolis Gazette came forward as the newest and henceforth the most prominent Republican critic of the Administration. On June 2 the editor censured the President for not having sufficient troops in reserve to fol- low up a victory or to recover from a reverse, and urged the immediate application of conscription for that purpose. A few days later, as the situation steadily became more criti- cal, the Gazette denounced the Administration’s military pol- icy in most comprehensive terms, and demanded the display of more energy and efficiency or the substitution of more competent men, declaring that sDeZaware Free Press (Muncie), Feb. 12, 1863. See the Indianapolis Jou~nal, Feb. 12, for a similar resolution. lo Madison Courier, Feb. 16 : Mar. 26, 1863 : La Porte Herald, Feb. 21 : Indianapolis Gazette, Am. 7; Frederick Thomas,. Indianapolis, to Ignatius Donnelly, Feb. 6. Don- nelly Mss., Minnesota Historical Society. Madison Courie7, May 13, June 9, 1863. Lincoln and Indiana Republicans 45 the greatest deficiency.. .on the part of the men at the head of affairs at Washington [is] forethought . And it has been that, more than anything else, that has discouraged, vexed, and at times almost crushed the hopes of, and driven to despair, the loyal people of the Nation. The history of the world does not afford another example of such an utter lack of forethought, of energy, of inability and want of com- petency to comprehend and grapple v-ith a great emergency of state- of imbecility, we will say, for we believe it and feel it-as has been sh0R-n from the very commencement of this n-ar, and all the may through . by the men constituting the Administration. There is no use denying this, or in trying loiiger to blink it or hide it. It is true, and every earnest, loyal nian in the nation feels, sees. and deplores it. We have seen it and felt it all the n-hile, and have more than a hundred times urged the fact upon members of the Adrninistrationlz.. We presume thousands of others have done the same , .