Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-05
An "OrdeaI of Patriotism

The New York Tribune admits that it avowed
its W. willingness to let the cotton States when no
others had seceeed) go in peace rather than have
the country plunged into this terrible war" We
recoIlect that it based its argument upon the
Declaration of independence, which it interpre
ted to mean that a people dissatisfied with an
existing Government, or when they regard it as
oppressive, had the right to separate from it and
set up one of their own. To deny them this right
it declared would be to violate the principles upon
which the Revolution was fought and our Gov
eminent was based. The Tribune. in an article
last Saturday, attem. ting to reconcile its present
position, with the expression we have quoted, re-
marks:
From the beginning we have asked no thing
but that the rebels should be compelled to lay
dOwn their arms and return to loyalty and the
fulhllment of their constitutional obligations.
We propose to think our own
thoughts and express them after the rebellion
is suppressed as we did before it broke out.
1t the rebellion can only be put down BY com
polling the loyal to profess what they do not be
lieve, and promise what they can not c~onscien-
tiously perform in order to conciliate traitors then
we should prefer it should go on; but we claim no
rights that we do not freely concede to all men,
aud whenever the rebels shall be ready to make
peace on-this bass, we are ready"
These declarations, or the views expressed by
the Tribune in the foregoing extract. cannot be
reconciled with its first concession that the peo-
pie of the rebel States had the right of revolu-
ton. the sundering of their connection with tn
General Government, when in their opinion i
subverted their rights, or their best interests de-
handed it. If the latter assumption is correct,
and so far as the Tribune is concerned it admits
that it is, its present advocacy of force to COM
pei the States that have cast off their allegiance
to "return TO loyalty and the fulflment of their
constitutional obligations" in the light that that
paper presents il, is but an act of despotism-an
attempt to force an unwilling obedience to an al
legiance which they have pronounced to be OPP
~pressiye, unjust, and destructive of those inter-
ests which it is the object of government to
protect and promote. TIL Tribune af-
irmed that the rebels had the right to dissolve
their connection with the Union, and set up a
Government of their own. In the article we
have quoted, it SAYS: ave claim no rights that
we do not freely concede to all men," What are
those ''rights?" According to the Tribune, they
are these: Whenever any form Of government
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right
Of the people to alter or abolish it, and to insti
tute a new government. laying its foundation on
such principles, and organizing its powers in
such a form as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness"
This is the right which the Tribune comedies
to the, as Mr.. SEWARD termed them, "revolu-
tionary States" According to the Tribune's
logic those States have the right to do what they
did, in the words of the Declaration of indie
pendence, "~institute a new Government, LAYING
its foundations on such principles, and organ
izing its powers in such form, as to them shall
seem most likely to effect their safety and hap
piness." And as we read its declarations, the
Tribune is ready, whenever the rebels shall be
ready, TO make peace on this basis" If such are
it, honest convictions, we can not fathom its cor
deal of patriotism" which demands that the coun-
try shall be plunged into this terrible war" to
compel a people to return to 'Ioyalty" and the
"fulhllment of constitutional obligations" which
they have repudiated, as the Tribune said they
had the right to do.
We have referred to the position and logic of
the Tribune. and that school of politicians, to
show thIt they lead right square into secession
and that, too, upon the principle conceded by
them that the people have the right to alter or
abolish a Government whenever it becomes, in
their opinion, oppressive. and institute a new one,
on such principles and in such a form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
happiness II there are any secessionists upon
principle. il cannOt he denied that the Tribune
and those who follow it. may safely be set down
among them without doing them any injustice.