Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1861-01-23
The military Com missions.

application, filled the vacancies in the of
Gee Of Brigadier General ia the eleven dis
trIcts in the State, and in strict compliance
with the law. commissioned the field and
staff officers appoloted aud recommended
by those officers. Governor Hammond,
and Mr.. Durham. the late Secretary of
State, while in Office made out, and signed
and placed the seal upon about three nun
bred OF these commissions, and recorded
the appointments according to law. After
Mr.. Morton took the Guvernorship, Mr..
Peelle having succeeded Mr.. Dunhsm in
the Secrstsryship, he went to Mr.. Peelle's
office and took Possession Of the commits
,i'ns yet Remaining in the office uncalled
for. Yesterday, some Of the appoint-es
sent the lawful ices for issuing the CON-
missions, but they were found missing
The Secretary said Governor Morton had
taken them away. On application to Gov.
ernor Morton, and tender OF the fees. he
refused TO deliver the commissions. saying
that a, the Law would be repealed in few
day, be would not give the up.-Sentinel.
+ The Sentinel has never been remarkable
for disposition to suffer martyrdom for
truths sake. and its indisposition gets no
better Just a. fast rs its power declines
In regard to the military commissions it is
rathar more than usual in error. Epeyv
commission issaed aeeordia9 10 iGp. is ready
for the person entitled to II On application,
al d payment of fees. Those issued with
OFT authority of law have very properly
heeD stopped by Gov. Morton. This is the
~hole case in few words. But "telling
all Is not telling everything" DR.. Whatley
says, and to gitea better idea Of the affair,
We = al tell a little more.
Within little more than two months
Gov. Hammond has issued no less than
nee hundred and fifty commissions in the
d ate militia. erery one to Democrats. Such
a flood OF appointments, in a department
50 likely to plsy an important pert in the
affairs o! the State, made by an accidental
Governor, in tive months administration,
is queer, to say the least. Why should
Gov. Hammond seek, as his party passes
ont Of power, to fill the military depart
ment of the State with officers Of that re-
pudiated partvf This was his evident.
and, We believe, avowed object. At least
II IS very plainly avowsd in some of the
letters on file in the Secretary of States !
office, urging the appointments. Ii lie
meant only to keep up proper organize
ton IN the department, how comes it that |
no man not Democrat has been found fit /
TO be an officer II be meant to force the
majority in the State to submit TO the mil |
usry control OF the minority, be acted /
with vilIful disregard Of duty. Whstev-
er he meast, his action tended either to /
tie establishment Of a military force hos
tile TO the State government, or to the de.
Of the force by DESTROYING
pubic confidence in its managpmeDts
And in either case il was the duty of Gov.
Morton to arrest his injudicious policy.
not to give il harsher name. This he
lid, aud the people will sustain him in il
To do so he has simply required that com
missions not warranted by law shall not
be issued. This would have be- q his du
y If there had been DO partisan trick to be
by the defeated scheme, but
{ became doubly his duty W hen be saw
a. Gov. 6snmond's purpose was To put
minority Of the State 10 absolute command
II the military power of the State, with
put regard to law.
In exa mining the commissions it was
ouud that in great many cases the Law
lad not been complied with, and the COM
MISSIONS Were stopped. In one case it was
ound that an iii,gai commission as Colonel
,sd been issued 10 Ballard Smith. nsfoyS-
ss secsssionisi, who is sn open advocate,
md We believe the author Of the Canntlton
treason. which aims to divide Iudi.pa,
md attach part OF it to the South. Tni.
was granted pahemt the recon-
nendstion Of the Brigadier General, re-
,uired by law. Smiths letter asking the
shows this fact Consequently
be Governor disrsgarded the Law to give
10 important military post to an avowed
Ibettor Of treason. We desire the Sentinel
o give this unpleasant fact q good hard
hewisg. for il contains nutrimeuL Tor prof
table reflection, A commission Of like
sDk vas gwen to ID. W. VOORHEES,, who
las repeatedly expressed hrs sympathy
With South Carolina, aud his contempt FOR
lis own State. Such men have no business
n that of The State to which We ma,
DON be compelled to look for the preservs-
100 Of the government. We say ewphat-
cally that Gov. Morton has dsne RICH
I'D he will be sustained To the last by tn.
'eople ip bis efforts 10 keep the militia Of
he State from bring nonopolixed, in dis-
s9aSd Of the .ap. by q minority party. ana
y mrp in notorious sympathy with trai
,s.-Iad. Journal.