Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-08
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GALS in revolutions, destructive. In ali, lalSe 10
goodness and truth, because they follow their
own Wills and not truth. Men not mere
space, nor mere subjects of the laws OF geometry,
as they have feelings, sense and passions. And
thus, conclusions from premises will not always
prove true with regard to men amid the ever va
rying circumstances of lite. Duty does not de I
pend upon mere commands, the doing or not do
ing of some abstraction, with no heed to actual
things about us. Duty varies with the changing
realities of life. The act which to one man is
criminal may be duty to another. and the duty
of to day NAV be the crime of the morrow. be- /
cause other duties are presented. In the charge
of battle, Cromwell had no time to hear prayers,
and rightly threatened to cut down the fanatic or
coward who wished to do what he had not been [
commanded to do
But good men find time for every duty, and
because they follow principles applied to hu-
man living and acting To-day their duty is
obedience to law and its constituted authorities,
tomorrow their duty may be resistance to the
powers that be- for the reason that these powers
are trampliDg on law; for obedience to law is q
principle unchanging and Interchangeable. not obe
dience to law executors, who keep the form, but
not the spirit.
At this time we would most particularly com
mend this duty of obedience to law the true
path for US to tread amid the perils of the revo-
luton in which we are. Missouri now holds the
vantage ground. Admitted into the Union amid
the perils of revolution which threatened de-
struction. but brought it not, she has ever been
true and loyal to the Constituton-has ever been
faithful to the duties she assumed when she be-
came a sovereign State. There is no bar on her
shield, no reverse on her ensign. As she threw 1t
to the breezes Of Heaven but two score years ago,
so she waves it to day over with the same motto
salus populi, suprcrna Ter este. As she came into
the Union pledging herself to the Constitution
/ lot faI
in pursuance thereof, and to no others, so she
stands by that pledge, asking only the fulfllment
of the reciprocal duties imposed upon her sister
States.
| The Constitution, as our fathers made it. is the
| instrument to which she subscribed her name, and
she will leave that name still inscribed, with no
blot or erasure, while she may. To all her sister
States she says to-day, said the Parliament of
| Arragon to their King, eve swear TO obey while
you observe the laws; if you do not, we do not"
1 She says, the covenant made we will keep,
but, when broken, motto is still unchanged
the safety of the people is our supreme ld,o.
And now Missouri holds the vantage ground,
with no blot on her escutcheon, word breathed
against her honor, she claim to offer her ser
vices as mediator in this strife of cOntendng
| factions She has offended neither the North
nor the South, she has broken covenant obi
CATION TO either, she has made no war upon the
! Union, and she can say with force, why war We
one with another; why sacrifice the blessings We
hold on the altar of passion and warf The Con-
stituton of our fathers provides for redress of
wrongs by amendments to that instrument,
either through Congress Convention of the
!, States Submit the questions in difference to the
people of the States assembled in convention,
and then, If reason has lost her power, if frater-
nal affection has no more influence, and mutual
interest imposes checks upon the fell spirit OF
! party, then, and then only, make appeal to the
! god of battles, and God defend the right
The citizens of St Louis declared at one of the
largest IN, etings ever held that there just
cause why Missouri should at present withdraw
from the Union. The people OF Missouri ratified
that declaration, and in Convention assembled re-
asserted that, for past causes, Missouri ought not
, to secede-to dissolve her connection with Gov.
ernment which secured to her citizens perfect
freedom of trade and intercourse throughO the
length and breadth of the whole Land; that Mis-
souri,, with her sister States of the South had
ceived both injuries and insults, not denied
but revolution was not considered rs the appro
{ pirate remedy therefor, ut that time, more espe
cially revolution by force-for secession is revolu-
ton and must be backed up by the mailed hand
of war, unless sanctioned by the other confede
{ rate sovereignties OF the Union.
, Has ought occurred which requires Missouri to
change her policy, and to unite with either sd'
in civil war; in this strife of brothers of the
: blood and lineage, who have so often given pIoO
I of courage that all must know that such wa
must be bloody and destructive, and that the onl,
n end can be peace by compromise and Cancellation
d when both parties are exhausted by the struggle
Siding with either, Missouri must be the sufferer
d Her very position places her under bonds to kee
d the peace. Siding with the Confederate States
n she has border of twelve hundred miles to pro
tect from hostile invasion, and her imp0rtatiOns
y manufactured goods are cut off. She has no Dor
4 l. sl.
: mouth of the Mississippi is under blockade
e Siding with the North, her great trade with tn
l. South along the channel of the great Father o
/, Waters is stricken, and she must bleed at ever
o pore. Freedom of trade with any and every paI
of the country is the necessity of her iie and sh
consent to its surrender only at the cost of he
existence. Now, the foremost of the slavehold
?, ing States, with the promise before her of bein
IS within few generations the foremost State o.
3 the continent, she claims part and parcel of til
ct whole broad land. Nay, she looks forward to tn
j. day when her people, with the people of her man
re sister States say,
z 'The whole boundless continent is ours."
n And now, why should Missouri unite her des
It TIMES with the Confederate States. and join i
is war against the United States? Has she mad
in preparation against the day of battle? Has sh
D, an armed force drilled and equipped for the cor
;r test? Has she her rfed cannon stored in he
armories ready to deal forth their iron messenger
w of death? Has she manufactures of arms an
s. powder to supply all the demands of campaign
ht or 4 that may last for years, can she pre-
in cure them at demand? Has she a revenue tha
i can maintain a standing force of ten thousan
ID troops, at a cost of five millions of dollars year
Has she lines of internal communication, lines 9
II railroad by which she can instantly send forwar
u troops to any point of attack The mouth of I'll
TO Ohio is within her jursdiction can she send trooT
a. : IL
a forcel Can she march an army to Arkansas {
n can Arkansas or Kentucky give her assistance
il with Illinois armed against herf With her III
d finished railroads, she holds strong defensiy
be position, but weak offensive one. With ii
ne railroads her eastern border large armies ca
$. be concentrated against her in short space
IL time Eight and forty hours could land fift
r. thousand troops at four different points on h,
st eastern border, and she would be compelled
II rely on her own strong hand alone to resist then
for she would be cut off from assistance from ii
ne Confederate States, by batteries controlling the
@. only way of advance-the Mississippi rive
5 Single handed she would be compelled to oppo.
u the advancing horties Of the prairie States.
n. compelled to this, she would defend her soil
VS. th, last man. and would repe the enemy from h,
n border, for her position is strong for defense,
IN her people would be strong to war.
1t But have the Confederate States right and in
~ lot with them, and make war upon the Unite
al Statesf Did they seek revolution, to be releisf
J. from the obligations imposed by the Constitution
rk in and through the forms of the Constitution
Did they exhaust all peaceibe remedies befol
resorting to war? No. they passed ordinances ,
secession. united in n confederation, made ne
d. government without the consent OF their sist,
y. States and threatened an attack upon Washin,
ton; threatened that if there should be war,
should not be upon their own soil, but upon Il
te soil of the Northern States. Their Secretary
r. War. in public speech. declared that by Ma
r. the flag of the Southern Republic would wave
er Washington, and that fifty thousand soldier
~ would march there under it. Is it any object ,
~ wonder that with such brag, the Admins
i'll traton should see the bet and go twenty ii,
en- thousand better; and that the whole Mort
III should 70 its pile to defend Washington fro
e, attack and the North from invasion? That Il
It President a silly man, and issued his proc
ne nation, not to defend the country or any pa
We thereof from invasion, which he might legal
e have done. and in which all good men wou
he have supported him. but to suppress insurreciic
d. and to retke the forts and asenas in the secedt
States, which lie could not legally do. does N,
iusfifv in fn-,