Indianapolis Daily Journal, May 1, 1861

Two weeks have now elapsed since the President’s proclamation was issued, calling for 75,000 volunteers to preserve the Capital and defend the constitutional Government. The response to that call was prompt and overwhelming. History affords no parallel to the joyful alacrity, the almost fierce enthusiasm of loyalty, with which the Northern legions have rushed to arms and rallied to the preservation of the Republic. Millions of men and money are ready at the tap of a drum to be used in the holy cause. The Government, if it is only true to itself and executes the present bidding of its loyal citizens, can make no draft upon the patriotism of the North that will not be cheerfully responded to. The issue has been fairly made up and forced upon them; their long forbearance has at last been replaced by a burning desire to avenge the insults heaped upon the Government, and to purge the country at once and forever of traitors. The loyal North demands a clean victory or a clean defeat.

In this position of affairs what is the duty of the administration? The unanimous voice of the Northern millions is for the swift and terrible punishment of those who have attempted the overthrow of the government. This sublime exhibition of loyalty means that the time has come when the tremendous machinery of our Constitution must be set in motion against rebels; it means that every resource of States whose resources are exhaustless, is fully pledged on the side of the Union and the enforcement of the laws. All the President of the Republic has to do, therefore, is to execute the mandate of the people upon traitorous States and individuals. Any disposition on the part of the administration to parley with traitors, or to compromise the Federal authority, will show that the administration is not true to the country, and that it fearfully and fatally misapprehends the present temper of the North. We want no phrase-making; we do not want this tremendous march of events to be thwarted by diplomatic notes or talk of arbitration or compromise.

The work to be done now is to be done for all time; the interests involved are the vast concerns of humanity and posterity. The President must not mistake the scope and meaning of the people’s voice. If any Governor or Mayor stands in the way, let him be extinguished. If any city or State offers to thwart or oppose the military operations of the Federal Government, let every gutter run with blood, and every foot of ground within the State be furrowed by cannon, if necessary to vindicate the supremacy of the constitution. We are not making war upon the rights of any section; the rebels know this as well as we do. We have simply set about putting down usurpation and treason. The people, in thunder tones, are declaring that they will be true to the government, if the government is only true to them. It is the constitution that is on trial, and the time has come to test its reserve of selfsupporting power. Let there be no compromise, no concession, until every nullifier and traitor in the land is hung or sworn to new allegiance. We do not want peace now, nor do we desire a slow or merely defensive war. We want war, swift and overwhelming. The more terrible the war is made, the shorter it will be, and the more humane the policy. Let not the President suppose that the loyal North desires the war cloud to be gently and gradually discharged of its electricity; they [sic] demand rather that it should burst, and rend and blast forever every enemy of the government.