Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-08-21
cling to the principle.

In all questions of public policy there is
stiutiona and business right or wrong, which
are Just as absolute and unchangeable as moral
right or wrong While We admit that sometimes
the Democratic party has conhded IN the men
who have deceived them, we must insist that their
principles have been right, and have ever had for
their foundation true appreciation of the ends of
government. They have ever regarded the ma
ton as an aggregation for business purposes,
whose affairs ought to be conducted with strict
business fidelity, and with constant reference to
the mere end of their institution The same
principles, which prevent interference with relig-
ion, prohibit other attempts to guide the morals
Of men, With questions Of philanthropy, govern
ment can have nothing to do, for all such ques-
tions involve repugnant consciences, and must re-
suit in the majority forcing the minority in mat
ters which belong alone TO God. In the true end
of government this cannot happen. Tariffs,
banks. sub treasury, all have business, none OF
a moral aspect. They bear the same relation TO
the nation as the policy of conducting commerce
does to a merchant. They involve the method of
doing the public business TO the best advantage
for the people. Hence all policies on these and
kindred subjects which will not endure for all
time and under all ircumstances-which are not
as necessary to the business prosperity of the
country in war as they are in peace-must, in the
nature of thing be wrong policies, because they
fail at the critical moment, when, If right they
/ Il
the present distraction of the country We beseech
Democrats to cling to their party principles. If
we denounced anti-slavery agitation as inimical
to the Union in time of peace, how shall we say
that it Is better in time of war. If it is right
that government shall not, even in the most pros
porous times, confide its money to nrivate banks
but shall keep it in its depostOries, how shall
we say now, when times are not prosperous. and
when the temptations to fraud are greater than
money in the banks and wrong that it shall keep
it in the sub treasury These are stubborn in
quiries which will present themselves to the hon
est mind, and which, unless we take it for grant
/ ed that the end of all these things has come will
decide our action in the present crisis. Either
through years the Democratic party have been
wrong in their principles or they must apply them
now. But they have not been wrong in the past.
and now, of all times in the country's history, is
their strict construction of the constitution neees-
sary. They have always been a Union party.
They resisted Republicanism because they. thought
it tended to civil war. They were driven from
office in every State in the North. They long
and patiently endured the taunt that they were
"Union savers, In their devotion to the Constitu-
ton and the Union. Are such party to abandon
their high conservative ground, and virtually de-
sert the Republic in the hour of trial! Is it not
insolence in the opposition TO demand of them
that they shall discard their organization and
principles, as necessary proof that they are loy-
al to the government Was not Stephen A.
Douglas a loyal man? Can devotion to the coun-
try assume a better form than his precepts his
practices
The Democratic party are for the Union first,
| last, forever. They endeavored to sustain it by
peaceful means. They will fight for il in war.
| But the Union must be governed in accordance
with the Constitution. Chicago Times.