Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-30


20 the war while the white population OF the loyal
States is twenty millions against seven mil
lions in the disloyal States If we can not whip
out the rebels with these odds in our favor, We
had better abandon the contest and plead guilty
TO the rebel taunt that we are an inferior peo
Pile"
The Administration not the Governs
menf.
For making the distinction between supporting
the Government and the Administration but few
months ago, mob law was threatened and some
times executed But few months experience
has satisfied those who could not appreciate the
distinction, and who were ready to prosecute
those who could, that there is a wide difference in
unfolding the Government and supporting those
who for the time being selected to represent
it. This distinction is forcibly illustrated by the
Milwaukee Neios. 1t says. in view Of the corrup-
tons at Washington which have been revealed by
the House investigating committee, it is about time
for the people to consider whether an honest sup
port of the Government necessarily implies a full
some adulation of all civil officers in the empty Of
the Administration. When President LINCOLN
came into power, he did not hesitate to dismiss
from the Cabinet such tried patriots as HoLr and
DIX, and to substitute Republicans, the integrity
and patriotism Of some Of whom were not above
suspicion. The question is, is it necessary in
der to sustain the integrity of the Union, that the
corruption and inetficiency of these men must be
concealed or passed by in silencei
The Government of the United States is a
Government of laws, not of men. CAMERON is
not the Government, nor is WELLEs, nor is
CHAsE-nor is the whole Cabinet together. Every
one may die. resign. be removed, or be convicted
and imprisoned, and the Government exist as
much as before--none the less complete because
OF their absence. The whole Government con-
sists Of Congress to make the laws, one Su
preme Court to adJudicate them, and Chief
Magistrate to execute them. To support the
legal and legitimate acts Of all these departments
so far as those acts are the law. But all these
departments may be properly supported, without
approving the conduct or policy of the persons
who fill the places in either. The conduct of no
person connected with the Government is justly
exempt from the knowledge, criticism, approval
or condemnation of the people.
There are m my who have presumed otherwise
many who have taught that to support the
Governments is to cease all opposition to the con-
duct Of its mere instruments. Upon this princi
ple portion of the Cabinet have not hesitated
TO restrain all criticism upon their official and pc
litical acts, by the Imprisonment Of persons in
loyal States without due process of law; by the
exclusion of newspapers from the mails, and by
censorship worse than that of France over tele-
graphic dispatches, and letters of correspondents
from Washington.
We begin to see the consequences of the confu-
sion Of the terms Administration" and Gov
ernment"-n the disclosures of the Corruption
Committee of Congress. A free press, free
telegraph, free speech, and free mails-all free,
so far as not to communicate military facts to the
enemy-would have prevented the Wholesale
robbery of people who are generously willing to
spend their last dollar and live on their last crust
Tor the honest purpose of sustaining the Union.
Hereafter let US hope that the people while they
insist upon the maintenance of the Government,
will also insist upon the right of freely discussing
and exposing the conduct of the Administration,
remembering that loy-l and patriotic support OF
the one. does not imply silence as to the short
comings of the other.