Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-21

In the preamble to the Constitution, in declar
ing the objects of its formation the first spe-
CITED is ITO Form More Perfect Union" This
of course means, i more perfect Union than the
one under the Articles of Confederation. The
Union was no new thing. 1t had already existed
many years But it had been found Inadequate
to the purposes of permanent government, and
therefore required making over again.
1t was declared in the Convention which form
Ell the Constitution that one of the radical de-
fec.s of the Confederation was, that its authority
needed to be enforced by "the coercion OF arms.
II had no direct power over individuals or their
property; and consequently if it exercised any
coercion at ALL il must be by the military coer-
con Of States If States failed to conform
themselves TO, or CO operate with, the action OF
the Federal Government within its legitimate
sphere, the only way of inducing concurring ac-
ton on their part was to make war upon them,
and thus compel them to conform to the DEGREES
OF the Congress of the Confederation.
But the more perfect Union" formed by the
Constitution dispensed with the military
coercion of States, and depended only upon
the coercion of individuals through the authority
OF law, or what WAS called in the Constitution
'the coercion of law" The power of Congress
was not to be brought TO bear upon the States in
their political capacity, but upon all the individ
ual inhabitants of the United States. This is
what our fathers called "a more perfect Union"
Though the States still remained independent of
each other and of the common Government in
very many things, vet in all things that were
within the constitutional sphere of that common
Government all the inhabitants of all the States
we're completely subject 10 It's authority and we're
implicitly bound by its legislation.
The practical consequence is, if present
military operations are really of the nature OF the
coercion of States. they not congehial with the
more perfect Union" which the Constitution
formed; but are return to the principles of the
Old Confederation retrograde step. Whether
they are of that nature depends, as we have here
toore said, upon the question of fact, whether
secession is really the action of the various peo-
Piles of the so called secedng States, or whether
ii is the lawleSs and violent offactiOns in each
of them? If it is the act of the peoples in their
political capacity. our war upon them
is an unconstitutional war. war of
subiugation, and against the right of self
government IL secession is the act of factions
in each State, our military operations for the
suppression of instruction are legitimate and
constitutional IL will soon be known with Ger
tainty what Is the fact, and then il will be known
what is the character of the
There is wide difference between assailing
the Confederate States with arms and attacking
them with criticisms censures. arguments.
The latter class of weapons are lawful and IN
Objectionable, matter whether secession is the
act of the sovereign people or not. The S0ver-
eign people are of course intellectually and NOR
ally imperfect and their acts and institutions
may be unwise and unjust. The same Is true of
the proceedings of the Governments they have
formed Such mode of dealing with the Con
iederate States IS not only lawful, but, If con
Quoted in the right spirit. it may be highly use
ful; tor II may show the people that the old
Union Is better than the new and may contribute
10 tie practical restoration of the old Union by
the free act and choice of the Southern people
themselves IL NAV be that such means are
more likely TO succeed than violence and blood
shell
Ii was said in the Convention that though the
coercion OF arms was the only means possessed
by the Union under the Confederation of enforc
Ing It's authority, vet it that means had actually
been used. i; would have dissolved the COnfeder
acy-that war would have dissolved all special
political bonds Thus the verv means of life
would be suicidal 1t this was true Of that 20
litIcal system much more must it he tie case uu-
der the Constitution. where the principle of the
coercion OF States J. utterly excluded.
In conclusion. the grand characteristic of the
more perfect Union established by the sage, of
the Revolution, i THE DIFFUSION OF POLITICAL
POWER, 80 that the concurrence and co opera
tuil oi TIE parts i necessary 10 the eUectuti dul
useful working OF the machine OF Gov
eminent The friendship OF the States is, in
the essential nature OF the system, a grand de>d
eratum. But the present political dynasty are
not satisfied with the more perfect Union. lie
vised by these wise men and they have entered
upon the work Of forming n more perfect Union"
still. namely a Union founded mon the prnci
pie 81 the GENERALIZATION OF the political power
Trey want a Union that will eNist without the
concurrence and co operation OF All the Tart>--a
Union that can lie carried on by the energy Of
one or more powerful States or some great
city "a Consolidation OF financial. military and
political power iE one center. This Is what the
present dynasty is doing with IT. army and navy.
It's treasury AMI IT, political authority Shall the
heliish conspiracy succeed.
MN HAWKS. Feb. -. l-62 \ h. j.
CA,sI ~ THS REBELLIoN.-Ihe Abolitionisfs.
whose organ IN this city the 1ri6HHt r held TO
be. are not treated with much consideration by
Secretary Stanton. The admirable aud timely
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