Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-14
The War.

If this war continues as i. has thus far been
conducted, and upon the scale which the expedi-
tons (thus far Indicate, we have no idea that
the Administration has told US the truth, by one
half, as to its cost. We have war by which all
our foreign relations are disturbed, and at the
sar,e moment the authors of it are making war
upon all the domestic relations of business and
industry of our own country. The occasion
demands an inquiry into the true cause of this
extraordinary state of things. What has led to
this enormous increase of expenditure of money!
Why is il that we are thus plunging into debt
of uncounted millions? The people of this
country have right to an answer to this inquiry.
The world-all mankind-will sternly insist upon
the inquiry, and as sternly Judge of the answer.
And we shall not be deferred from a discussion
of the subject by the miserable cry of those
whose duty and profit it is to yield ready sub
mission to power, that the present is not the
proper time to make this inquiry; that should
wait until the war is over before we should
presume to investigate tie conduct of the Exec
utive. Ii is never too soon, for people who
desire to remain Free to scrutinize the conduct of
those who are i'm power. The time may come
when it may be too late-fatally too late. But
it can never be too soon. Eternal vigilance
tireless and seepless, is necessary, to watch and
guard against the insidious elcroachments of
power; and he who drugs his conscience with the
reflection that men in power are to be presumed
to do right, adopts the doctrine of despotsm.
self unauthorized military power, and fails to pro
claim and denouEce it, is as false to his duty as
much traitor to his country, as the man who
deserts TO the enemy upon the field of battle.
Can it be possible that in Government like
ours, war may be waged, and the people may not
ask ioheretore7 That armies may be levied
millions of dollars expended-the blood of our
gallant soldiers poured out-and that our mouths
are to be sealed as to the causes or necessity
which has produced such results? We acknowl-
edge no such slavish doctrines. Stern contempt
and utter loathing are all they deserve. They
belong rightfully to the lips of those who live by
the thrift which follows fawning-tEose whose
patriotism is valorous and loud mouthed in pro-
portion to their chance of getting Office and emol-
ument. We hold that we should be false to our
trust if fail to hold to a strict accountability
those who are temporarily in power, administer
ing the Executive Departments of the Govern
ment. Those men are not the Government; hrs,
are not the country. They are, for brief peri
od. the instruments of conducting the affairs of
the Government and the country. The power of
the sovereign people is only partially delegated
for special purposes. How absurd and preposter-
Gus, then, is the clamor, that when we venture to
censure these agents of the people. we are
arraying ourselves against countryi The
all Christendom-will condemn this attempt by
military conquest to subdue neighboring peo-
pie 1t belongs to barbarous age and bar
barous people And although temporary sue
cess may crown the adventure, it will not, it can
not, come to good. And if such schemes are to
be quietly sufIered-if the public voice does not
rebuke them-we see portentous omen of the
early and premature decay into which our institu-
tons are fast falling.
Some of our Republican friends upon read
ing the foregoing may declare the sentiments ex
pressed to be reasonable, and denounce them as
furnishing laid and comfort to the Rebels. II
so, we can only say that they are the views. and
in the language of one of the most prominent
Republicans in the country-one who acted an
important part in securing the nomination and
election of Mr.. LINCOLN The author of the
sentiments now occupies very prominent no
sition in the Republican party, and has the conf
dence of the President and the Administration.
We can furnish his name to any inquiring Re-
publican friend who may wish to be enlightened
If the sentiments he utters are reasonable we
expect our Republican friends will give him the
benefit of the halter.