Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-27
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE!
BY
The Democracy Of Wisconsin.
ADOPTED In STATE CONVENTION, AT
MILWAUKEE, SEPT Sd, 1862.

We address you in time of great trial and
calamity. We address YOU in time Of ma
tional suffering and sorrowing. We address
YOU in a crisis of fearful peril to the Union,
and to the free institutions established by our
fathers in the several States. We do so with
a solemn sense of the responsibilities resting
upon us in common with the whole American
people. We do so with the single design of
contributing all our aid to the preservation of
the Union, the Constitution, and the liberties
of the States And we propose to do so, ac-
corGng to our lights, fearlessly aud openly,
let whatever new power frown upon the an
cient American birthright of freedom of
speech.
Our State Constitution, asserting the invio-
liable right of liberty of political discussion,
adopts an American maxim as old as Ameri-
can independence. when it declares that ''the
blessings of free government can only be
maintained by frequent recurrence 10 funda-
mental principles" And whoSoever, in what
soever position. asserts that there has come
time in American history, when freedom of
speech should be suppressed when the safe
guard of political opposition should be aban-
doned, and the voice of all parties, except
one. should be silenced, when the Admins
tration of the Government should pass un-
censured and unquestIoned; when LOYALTY to
the institutions of our country should give
way TO passive submission TO our rulers, has
little sympathy with the spirit of the liberty
won by the valor of our fathers, or of the free
institutions established by their wisdom. In
a free country, the freedom of the people
abides in peace and war, in domestic tran
guilty and civil discord. The Constitution
of the United States, and the Constitutions
of the several States, provide alike for all the
exigencies of peace at home and abroad, OF
foreign war. and of domestic insurrection
The Constitution of the United States, and
the laws enacted In pursuance of il, are the
supreme law of the land in all conditions of
the country. The Constitution is inviolate in
all circumstances of the people and the gov
ernment. State necessity has no power to
suspend the Constitution or abridge the free
dom of the people. State necessity, as an
excuse for invading popular liberty. has been
in all history the tyrants plea When popu-
lar iberty succumbs to the cry of State ne
cessity, the land has already ceased to be free.
Loyalty. in America. is the franchise OF no
office or officer. American loyalty is due to
the Constitution alone. Fidelity TO the Con-
stitution is loyalty TO the Union. There is no
Union outside the Constitution. The Consti-
tuition Is the Union. And whatever man, Off
Ger or party. assumes to be true 10 the Union.
and not TO the Constitution as our forefathers
made II, and our fathers enjoyed 1t, Is disloyal
to both. Blind submission 10 the Administra-
ton of the Government, Is not devotion To
the country or the Constitution. The Ad-
ministration is not the Government. The
Government is established by the Constitution,
and rests IN Its provisions. The AdIninistra-
ton Is a. subject 10 the Constitution, and a
responsible for Its observance, "a the people.
The Administration may err. but the Consti-
tuition does not change. And when the Adj
ministration violates the Constitution loyalty
10 the Administration NAV become disloyalty
10 the Union. Devotion TO the Constitution
Is the only American LOYALTY.
In times of peace and prosperity. there is
little danger OF the loyalty of the people for
saking the Constitution for the principles OF
a party. or the policy of an Administration.
But in days of civil discord and convulsion,
there Is danger of patriotism being blindfolded
mistaking the object of its faith, and trans
ferring to the servant of Its altar the devotion
due only 70 the altar itself. And in such
DAYS II is the duties of all parties to consider
well their position, and 20 determine how far
their loyalty TO the Constitution is consistent
with their support of the Administration OF
the Government.
Almost as old as the Union, founded in the
broad principles of the Constitution, identified
with all the prosperous history of the United