Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-11-05
Another Vsurpation

Another Csurpation.
Governor YATES, of Illinois, issued an order
the eve Of the election in that State for the
enrolment Of the militia upon the day of cleo
ton. There is no law for such order. nor any
necessity for il. An existing law in that State
provides that there shall be an annual return by
the assessors Of all persons tit for military DUTY
and that duty has been performed this year. ILL
nois has not only filled her quota under the two
calls OF the President for elk hundred thousand
men. but il Is ten thousand men more than filled
and without resort 10 n draft. Neither is there
need Tor raising more men. But few of The
States have filled the quotas required of them
Not one third of the six hundred Thousand men
under the two calls Of the President haze yet
been put in tire field. The Government cannot
equip and arm the number already raised and
called. and the winter will have passed before
they can be cot ready for service. There is no
necessity for .sfurther call of troops until those
already ordered put in the field, which il will
take months to do Ii il made the duty
Of the draft commissioners by the order of Gov
fATks 10 stand person at each poll TO take
the name. age. residence and nativity of each
voter, for the purpose OF military enrolment
What be the motive in this but to DELAY the
process of voting, and to interfere with the free
dom of ecctionss Some of the most eminen,
legal gentlemen in Chicago have given the opin-
ION that il, in the judgment of the inspectors,
the standing of person at the poll for the pur
poses named, binders. delays, or embarrasses any
al firm hal. 81.
d'date Of bis choice. il is the duty Of the Inspec
tors Of elections to exclude such persons from the
polls. They say:
&" The act OF exercising the elective franchise
~ the highest privilege and duty of citizen. for.
by this means, the measures and policy of the
government dersr mincd, according to the the
DRY OF q republican form Of government. The
constitution and laws guarantee perfect freedom
to the elector in depositing his ballot. without
hindrance or embarrassment, and he can only be
arrested on the election day for treason, felony
or breach of the peace. According the laws,
10 il the duty OF the Inspectors OF the Election
and the police force TO prevent any act that tends
To embirrsss the voter in the exercise OF his privi
lege, anu they are sworn 10 the performance of
this duty"
Now what can tie motive Of this order of Gov
YATES! The assessors have already made their
returns this year throughout Illinois of all per-
sons tit for military duty The enrolment or
dered not be complete, for it does en-
brace the persons subject to military duty between
the ages Of eighteen and twenty-one. There is
no probability that another draft will be neces
sary for months come, it ever; aid if so. n
enrolment should be made which would include
all persons subject To military duty Ii is plain
To every person of common sagacity that no good
purpose was intended by the order None can
be. Beyond any question il hoped and ex
pectei hy those who cause il 10 be issued that il
might intmidate voters. and delay and embarrass
the election. Ii is palpabIe interference ith
the freedom Of elections. Ii we hope to pre-
serve our form OF Government, the ballot
box must be kept pure. and with it
the free exercise OF the elective franchise In no
other way the voice of the people be faillv
expressed in determining the measures and policy
of the Government. Step by step popular rights
have been invaded. The other day the right OF petit
ton was assiied and for the past eighteen months
the freedom of speech ami the press has been re-
strained and in many places stricken down.
There is no longer security from arbitrary ar
rests; the right OF trial by jury and the writ OF IA
beas corpus is denied: and now in a sister State
the freedom of elections is invaded and il sub.
mitted to we not tell where il will end All
tlese privileges are guaranteed to the citizen un
der and by the Constitution. but if they are sue
cessfully assaulted and denied what hope for con
stitutional liberty What necessities Tor thee
usurpatIons in States loyal to the Government
where the functions and authority Of the Courts
have never been obstructed and obedience 10 the
laws and all the requirements of the constituted
authorities have been fully rendered. Think OF
these things.