Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-18

We have used this imposing caption to intro
duce most laughable farce played at Indianapo-
lis on Saturday, 3lst uit Some fellows whose
zeal got the better of their discretion, and per-
haps. moved and instigated by " tangle lee" :"
waited on the editor Of the State Sentinel at bis
residence and requested him to take the oath of
allegiance to the United States, though he is a
natural born, American citizen, never lived out
of the States and claims to have been always true
and loyal 10 the Constitution. That editor de-
clined then to accede to the wishes of the mob.
but agreed to 90 with Col. Ryan, ut later hour
though it were useless and made his loyalty not
any greater than he owed as a born citizen The
hour came and Col. Ryan and the crowd accom-
panied that editor TO some Office, and there in the
absence of the proper oath, accidentally swore
him, like true son of Malta, into the service
militia of the State. All this Mr.. Bingham treat
ed as a farce, and It went off harmlessly and
more in a joke than otherwise. Now, had Mr..
Bingham refused to take such an OATH because
it implied distrust to his loyalty, perhaps the
crowd would have injured him, hence he did
right i'm not sacrificing himself on a question of
etiquette. by refusing to take oath in this IN
stance, doubtless in accordance with his conduct
in life and with his warmest feelings. But a mob
is the creature Of passion and is oftener wrong
than right and hence the spirit Of it was in that
case manifest; aud suppose they had demanded
of Mr. Bingham to take an oath renouncing his
belief in the Trinity, or take a hundred bastina-
does and have his ears and nose slit, &c, would
not this have been clear case of duTeSs per mi
mas, as known in law, and hence had no effect.
Certainly so. Hence what folly. Let us illus
trate the farce Thomas Cooper, NJ. d LII. D.,
"a most distinguished citizen of the United
States-now dead, in able treatise of his.
the "Lap Of Libel and Liberty Of the Press, in
PRODUCES forcible example. Says he:
Il xVor hon hv an A lQar
and carried in as a slave. Suppose was carried
before the Dey, who, by his Dragoman, should
address me, in the usual language of politeness
Of that humane and polished people: Christian
dogl will YOU have your infdel - circum-
cised, and declare aloud that God is Just and Ma
homet is his prophet, and become a true believerI
or will you prefer 10 have three hundred bastina-
does on the sOles of your feet, and then have an
iron spike driven up, passing along your back
bone the inside of your body, and coming out
at the nape of the neckl Christian dogl choose
Immediately"
81 should say: 'Merciful commander of true
believers, am penetrated with your goodness; |
will not give any servant of the prophet the great
trouble of bastinadoing and impaling your hum
BILE and devoted slave. God is great and Ma
homet is his prophet; and | am ready to undergo
the rest of the ceremony And why notl
What obligation can be under to submit TO be
lmpaled Tor the amusement ana EratlncatlOn OF
such savagesf Would the Almighty expect this
as a duty from me, for no other purpose whatever
but to excite the merriment of cruel and relent-
less prosecutors into whose hands he has wiled
me to be thrown?"
Now this illustration is a good one, and lu-
dicrous good, and will serve as instructive to
those who may be required to submit to indigni-
nifty. Our editorial craft who are assailed better
say as Thomas Cooper would to the Dragoman =
"God is great and Mahomet is his prophet, and
am ready to undergo the rest of the ceremony
Fort Wayne Times, (Rep)