Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-13

Political Arrests
In the Federal Government building IN this
CITY are eonfsed several citizens Of the State.
who were arrested during the past week for al
legged disloyal practices. All were arrested upon
the. afidavits of political opponents. of bitter
partisans. and they are here restrained of their
liberty without the opportunity of answering the
complaints male against them. They are all
good citizens, the advocates Of law and order.
staunch friends Of the Constitution and the
Union. and gpltIess they believe Of any crime
against the Government, or intention TO disobey
or defeat any of its acquisitions upon them They
have no redress for the charges brought against
them in the courts Of the country. bat are at the
disposal Of the Secretary OF War. The Provost
Marshal of the State sends to Washington
a statement of the charges against the
accused and upon that depends their future dis
posal. The charges may be dismissed: the pris
oners may be tried by court martial or they may
be continued m confinement indefinitely Thus
innocent citizens. upon the afidavits of irrespon-
sible parties and to crafty partisan prejudces or
personal malice, may be dragged from their
homes and business, deprived OF liberty, suffer
under trumped up charges OF disloyalty. without
the redress granted the meanest criminal in the
land. If Indiana was in an nsurrectionary state,
If il was impossible to serve the process of civil
courts, then there might be some good reason for
the suspension of the civil law aud the rights of
the citizen under it. But no such necessity ex-
lists. II any citizen OF Indiana was guilty of
crime against the Government through the courts
and under the laws and the Constitution the of
tense could be punished.
What necessity, then, for these extraordinary
and arbitrary measeresg Are they calculated to
inspire a respect for and confidence in the Gov
eminent, ard TO soften party asperitesy Will a
person arrested without cause and degraded
by an unjust Imprisonment, forget or forgive
the parties who occasioned liz Will not such
acts stir up neighborbood strife, and lead to
those very violations of law and order which it
should be the object OF every good government
to PREVENT We have no excuse apology for
any who fails in the duties which citizenship
requires. We would not palliate any niraction
thereof. But no should be deprived of his
constitutional rights. If we are to have law
higher than the Constitutional the will of one
man is To rise above it. when Presidents, and
Cabinets, and Congresses are a. much subject
to it as the humblest citizen. longer have
constitutional Government. Our boosted free
Government then becomes but a name-a sound
inn opda tt,Ll lin, Il 4
Administration this exercise OF arbitrary power
Is tolerated and justified it may be in another
of different political sympathies The man who
feels safe and secure to-day, to morrow may not
be in favor with the powers that be- Then may
come retaliation. The accuser now may then
become the victim. Ii is not safe to leave the
moorings of the Constitution. IL has been the
ark of safety TO each citizen 1t is our only
security Ia the language or WEBSTER, lit is a
bond. the only bond Of the Union of these
States; il is al that gives national character -
If we disregard it, trample il under foot, life,
liberty, property will be endangered. Anarchy
will ensue, until any despotism will be welcomed
that will give order and protection
A Cabinet officer is now in the city and we trust
he will investigate the operation OF martial law
its practical workings. We believe that the
ioundatiOn-the sole reason for the arrest of
each OF the citizens in custody is political or
party luminosity. They were arrested at the in
stigation and upon the affidavit of partisan enc
mics. And the motive which prompted the ar
rest punishment for political offenses No
unprejudiced or impartial person in the State will
believe that DIR. Horror. OF Welles county, its
representative in the Legislature; HARRIS REY
NoLDs, OF Fountain, or the citizens of Backford,
whose names are enumerated elsewhere all now
in confinement under martial law, are less loyal.
less anxious To preserve and maintain the Gov
eminent than their accuseis We believe that
each and all would make infinitely greater sac
rihces to save the Union. and the Constitution
which is the only bond OF the Union of these
States, than those who have dragged them from
their homes because they had the power and the
malice 10 do so and attempted their degradation.
The race is not always TO the swift or the battle
to the strong