Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-24


in the united mass Of means and efforts, greater
strength greater resource, proportionably greater
security from external danger, less frequent in
tefFuption of their peace by sforeign tons and.
what is of inestimable value, they must derive
from Union exemption from those bros and
wars between themselves, which SO frequently
affict neighboring countries not tied together by
the same government, which their own rival
ships alone would be sufficient to produce, but
which opposite foreign alliances, attachments
and intrigues would stimulate and embitter. -
Hence, likewise, they will avoid the necessity of
those overgrown military establishments, which,
under any form of government, are inauspicous
\ to liberty and which are to be regarded par
tcularly hostile to Republican Liberty In this
sense il is, that your Union ought TO be consid-
cred a main prop of your liberty and that the
love of the one ought to endear TO you the preSer-
walton OF the other. F-l- ist
These considerations speak a persuasive Ian
1 guage to every rejecting and virtuous mind and
exhibit the continuance Of the Union as a primary
object Of patriotic desire. Is there doubt
| whether common government embrace
/ large sphere? Let experience solve il. To
| listen to mere speculation in such case were
4 criminal We are authorized 20 hope that a
proper organization of the whole, with the aux
Hilary agency of governments for the respective
Subdivisions will afford happy issue TO the ex-
/ pertinent 1t is well worth a fair and fun ex-
pertinent With such powerful and Obvious mo-
tives to Union. affecting all parts of our country
| while experience shall not have demonstrated its
impractcability, there will always be reason to
distrust the patriotism of those who in any quar-
ter may endeavor to weaken its bands.
In contemplating the causes, which may disturb
our Union, IL oeca.s as matter Of serious coreern,
that any ground should have been furnished for
characterizing parties by Geographical discrimina
4 TONS Northern and Southern, Atlantic and West
ern, whence designing men may endeavorto ex-
cite belief, that there is real dierenceof local
interests and views one of the expedents of party
to acquire influence. within particular districts, is
to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other
districts. You can not shield yourselves too
much against the jealousies and heart burnings,
i which spring from these Misrepresentation; they
tend to render alien to each other those who
ought to be bound together by fraternal affection
l The inhabitants of Western country have
: lately had useful lesson on this head; they
have seen, in the negotiation by the Executive
and in the unanimous ratification by the Senate,
OF the treaty with Spain, and in the universal sat
isfacton at that event, throughout the United
States, a decisive proof how unfounded were the
suspicious propagated among them of policy i'm
the General Government and in the Atlantic
States unfriendly to their interests in regard to
the Mississippi; they have been witnesses to the
formation of two treaties. that with Great Britain
and that with SPAIN which secure To them every
thing they could desire, in respect to our foreign
relations, towards confirming their prosperity.
Will it not be their wisdom 70 rely for the preser-
walton of these advantages on the Union by which
they were procured? viii they not henceforth
be deaf to those advisers, if such there are, who
would sever them from their brethren. and con-
meet them with alensI
To the efficacy and permanency of your Union,
Government for the whole is Indispensable No
alliance, however strict between the parts can
be an adequate substitute; they must inevitably
experience the infractions and Interruptions, which
all alliances in all times have experienced. Sen
sible OF this monlentOus truth, yOuhave improved
upon your first essay, by the adoption of Con-
stituton of Government better calculated than
your former for an intimate Union, and for the
eilicacious management of your common, con-
Germs. This government, the offspring of our own
choice, uninfuenced and unawed, adopted upon
full investigation and mature delberation.- com
pletely free in its principles, in the distri
button OF its powers, uniting security with
energy, and containing within itself a pro-
vision for its own amendment, has a just
claim to your confidence and your support.
Respect for its authority, compliance with its
laws acquiescence IN its measures, are duties
Joined by the fundamental maxims of true liberty.
The basis of our political systems is the right of
the people to make and to alter their Constitn-
tons of Government. But the Constitution
which at any time exists, till changed by an ex-
plcit and authentic act of the whole people, is
sacredly obligatory upon ALL The very idea of
the power and the right ofthe people to establish
Government pre-suppOses the duty of every indi-
vidual to obey the established Government.
All Instructions TO the execution of the
laws all combinations and associations under
whatever plausible character, with the real de-
sign TO direct, control, counteract, or awe the
regular deliberation and action OF the constituted
|, authorities, destructive of this fundamental
principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to
organize faction, to give it an artificial and ex
traordinary force; to put, in the place of the del
egated will of the nation, tine will of party,
i often small but artiu and enterprisng minority
of the community; and, according to the alter
nate triumPhs of different parties, to make the
public administration the mirror of the i'll con
certed and incongruous projects of faction rather
than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans
| digested by common c0unsels, and modified by
mutual interests. af al izsr'a. II ~
However combinations or associations of the
above description may now and then answe. pop
uar ends, they are likely, in the course of time
and things, to become potent engines. by which
cunning, ambitious and unprncipled men will be
enabled to subvert the power of the people, and
to Iisurpf for themselves the reins of government;
: destroying, Afterwards, the very engines which
have lifted them to unjust dominion,
Toward the preservation of your Government,
and the permanency of your present happy state,
tenance irregular opPositions to its acknowledged
authority, but also that you resist with care the
spirit of innovation upon its principles, however
specious the pretexts. One method of assault
may be to effect, in the forms of the Consti-
tuition, alterations, which will impair the energy
of the system, and thus to undermine what can
not be directly overthrown. In all the changes
to which you may be invited, remember that time
and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true
character of governments, of other human in
stitutons; that experience is the surest standard
by which TO test the real tendency of the existing
constitution of country; that facility in changes
upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion,
exposes to perpetual change from the endless
variety Of hypothesis and opinion; and remem-
Der, especially, that, for the efficient management
of your common interests, in country 50 extern
sive as ours, a government of as much vigor as
is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is
indispensable Liberty itself will find in such a
government, with pow ers properly distributed and
adjusted, its surest guardian 1t is indeed, little
else than name, where the government is too
feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction to
confine each member of the society within the
limits prescribed by the laws, and TO maintain all
in the secure and tranquil enjoyment of rights
of person and property. - =. .s ~ IL ~
/ have already intmsted to you the danger of
parties in the State, with particular reference to
the founding of them on geographical discrimi-
nations Let me now take more comprehen-
sive view, and warn you in the most solemn man
ner against the baneful effects of the spirit of
party, generally. fi.,.s - 49,. ~. --,...,..
The spirit, unfortunately, is inseparabe from
our nature having its root in the strongest pas
sions of the human mind. 1t exists under differ
ent shapes in all governments, more or less sti-
fed, controlled, or repressed but, in those of the
popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness
and is truly their worst enemy. $500. 49,,
| The alfarnatQ dOmfilati0n If 0na fapti0n over