Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-24

Congress. fallen 50 low eat dirt the feet OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN. and 10 take up with greed the
crumbs th,t may fal from the table of the pres
ent Abolition Administration. Sach is the con-
dition Of Ex-Governor JosEPH A. WRIeHr'
Without political inauenee-wi'bOut genuine
self respeet-covered with the contempt of every
true Democrat in his own State-this time serv-
ing old politician Is using the brief, remaining
hours of his political existence. in the Senatorial
position for which he sold his honor aud manhood,
in showing how effectually a demagogue can
Crook The pregnant hinges Of the knee,
Where thrift may follow fawning.''
In debate in the Senate on the llth inst. on
a resolution Of Mr. SArLsBuRY, of Delaware,
calling Mr.. STANTON. vae Secretary of War,
for information as to the causes and circumstances
OF the arrest of two citizens OF that State. Mr..
joseph A. Wright. hopeful OF the portfolio of the
Department OF the Interior soon TO be surrendered
/ by Mr.. Caleb b. Smith. waited perfume the
despotc pride OF Lincoln and Stanton, in the fol-
lowing language. better suited To nm Asiatic des-
potsn than 10 tire presence CT the AmeFican Sea-
ate or ~ ears OF the American people:
The President Is the representative of the
unity, the power and the strength of this Repub
/ lie. hold him responsible, aud wash nv hands
!
here, that ia such time this there is such u
thing rs loyalty 10 the Government and dsl0yalty
10 those ia power. Sir there Is but one true
loyalty, and that is unconditional adherence TO
aud support of those who stand at the helm of the
Government, placed there by the people TO direct.
whether in calm or storm, the great affairs OF
State"
! Unconditional adherence TO, and support Of
! mot the Constitution. not the laws made in ac-
coriance with the Constitution, not the rights
aud honor aud welfare Of the people. who are the
nation and the Government but of "those who
stand at the helm of the Government" is, ac-
cording to ex Governor Wright, 1.-The Que true
! loyalty" and 10 hold otherwise is miserable
doctrine"
Carry out this position to it, logical results.
and there is not right OF citizens or States but
what may be trampled upon aud set at defiance by
"those in power, and the man who questions
opposes their acts is dsloyal, traitor, whom
those in power may with impunity order to be ar
rested and shot or hung.
Is it true, as taught by this renegade Demo
crat, that there can be no LOYALTY To the Govern
ment without unconditional adherence to, and
support OF, those in pOwerl" Every man of
sense knows better l. it true that 1.-THE Presi
dent Is The representative OF the unity, the power
and the strength of this Republicl" Has the Con
gress part in the Government? Has the Su-
preme Court no part in ~ Are the Federal
icr III the President usurps the legislative or
the judicial power OF the Governmental he
! wantonly or ignorantly violates or wantOnly sub
yerts State constitutions and Governments-are
we dislOya TO denOunce ard oppose himf Ii the
| Supreme Court, within their proper sphere, com
mand one thing, and the President commands the
contrary it the Congress. in their proper sphere.
| by law command one thing. and the President
commands the contrary, am dsloyal TO disobey
himY Ii he aims the usurper's dagger ut the
sovereignty of my State, am disloyal if | stay
his hand. or refuse 10 give him unconditional adj
herence and support" Has the division of our
| Government into ordinate branches, legisa
tive. judicial and executive, ceased To be sub
staniia constitutional entity. and become n mere
fctioni
The folly of Gov Wright's doctrine is only
excelled by its impudence, and both he anu il
deserve the Reproduction of every law abiding
citizen.
Ii is time for the people to understand. if they
do not already understand, that the President of
the United States is an executive, not legisla
tive, nor "A judicial officer. Except in his consti-
tutional power to disapprove by veto, or to ap.
prove aud sign, Congressional acts, he has no
more power To make or prevent law than the
humblest citizen. His duty is to preserve, pro.
tect and defend the Constitution. and TO see that
the laws faithfully executed: and this he
clearly cannot do, unless he himself Obeys them
clamaton or otherwise, is not a law. and it has
no vitality, except as it is based on the Consttu-
| ton. or on existing law.
Every citizen has right to Judge of every
! command OF the President but that Judgment
must be at the citizens own risk, AS the Pres
dents command aud It's execution must be al his
| risk. II he transcend his powers he is RESPONSE
Bile to the law; it citizen transcend his, he is
Improbable t. the law. Every disobedience of
| law, much less of executive command is not
dlsl0yalty. Want0n disobedience of law is n
moral otfense; with disobedence ba ed on
mist ken opinions, or erroneous convictions OF
duty. Ii the President commands me to do an
unlawful act and 1 disobey him, / am justified
before the law. Ii he lawfully commands me to
do lawful act. or iorbear an unlawful one. and
disooey him. am liable TO the penalty of disc
bedlence defined by the law and no other: and
this whether l disobeyed wantonly or through
| ignorance; for where legal accountability exists
at all. the law cannot determine the question OF
| gull or innocence, by the Of a mans ca
| pacity or intelligence
| There is no such legal fact or offense in our
system of government disloyalty to "those in
power" Disoyalty is inidelity to the Constitu
ti0n--the State-the body potic-the Govern
ment-not 10 its temporary rulers On the con
trary, cases may arise in which hostility aud even
armed opposition 20 usurpers .'in power NAV be
the highest expression of loyalty to the Go. ern.
uitut he>i>ttilCt 10 uSurpD1 tNrantS i ODeui-
ence. not alone to God, bat to the Constitution
aud laws
Why DO we applaud the Union men of the
South, who, on peril of life, liberty and estate.
have resisted the disloval State Governments.
and the usurpng Gov eminent of Jefferson Davis?
Because these Union men are LOYAL To Abraham
Lincoln! MOTOR many OF them have little
respect for the man, aud less for his policy and
mode of admnistratiOn-but because they are
faithful to the Constitution and laws of the
United States. That is the test and touchstone
OF loyalty. and there is no other.
Ii. therefore. "those who stand ut the helm of
the Government" desire the adherence and sup
port of the people, let them see to il that thew.
rulers. heed aud obey the Constitution and laws
of the land.
History teaches that usurpaton and oppression /
are more often the proyoeatives OF dsobedience |
disloyslty and revolution than disloyalty the pro-
vocative of oppression. 1t has ever been more |
important to guard the people from usurping |
rulers than rulers from disloyal people The /
tendency of power is from the many to the few 1
lot from the few 10 the many. Ii is quite as
proper to speak Of the Presidents disloyalty To 1
the Constitution and 70 the citizen, in whom in 4
part Is the nations sovereignty. as To speak of i
citizens dsloyaty to the President whose
sphere is that of agent and representative not /
master of the people or of the law.
Very loose ideas prevail of the relative duties
and obligations OF rulers and people Many /
good men deferred by the cry and threatened |
of,u Of ~.