Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-01
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 1862.

not be otherwise than accompanied by vehe-
ment willingness to do it themselves 1t does not
seem morally possible that men so anxious for
the shedding of copous blood can have any ser;-
Gus objections 10 taking part in the process.
On the contrary, there are good grounds for the
opinion that the practice of excusing ministers of
the Gospel from active participation in war, is
not only mistaken, but the very reverse of
the true policy We arrive at this opinion
from two points of view, either of which
would seem to be conclusive: First in the
talents for which our clergymen evince,
as exhibited in their intense desire for its vigorous
prosecution, their diligent attention to its events
and their bold and startling criticisms of the policy
OF the Government, the character and conduct of
the Generals, and the errors and mistakes of the
campaigns and, secondly from the fact, not long
since disclosed by the report of a committee of
the General Assembly at Chicago that when
employed chapains, not one in ten of them
were of any account 1t was good rule, which
used to be observed in the conduct of the educa-
tional system of New England that when a man
was good for nothing else, it was proof that he
would make an excellent schoOlmaster; and if
our clergymen so inefficient they are rep
resented, by a body of their own profession, in
the work of peace, is it not good ground for the
belief that their talents lie in the direction of
warg'
Governor Morton has, however, as it would
seem, taken different view of the subject from
that of Governor Tod. Assuming that there
may be men of such extraordinary pety, iaity as
well as clergy, to be conscientiously opposed to
the war, he has opened way for their escape
from its perils and its temptations. No person,
cOnscentously opposed to bearing arms shall be
compelled to do militia duty but such person
shall pay an equivalent for exemption" This is
excellent We hope Governor Morton, for whom
rtair, Of ord
fall into danger OF prosecution for discOuraging
enlistments but certainly this idea that the more
pious and good is the more reluctant he
will be to fight for his country, is capable of
very unpleasant Interpretation.
We have been told all along that the rule was
quite the reverse and that in this work, the
cause being so indisputably good, the strongest
call was to the best men. This is the view taken
of it by the American Peace Society," which, on
the breaking of the rebellion, at puts its
principles into the hands of receiver and
although it admitted that it was opposed to the
war, declared that mo act of civil government
in furnishing its own subjects for the transgres-
sion of its laws ought ever to be deemed war,
and can Only be called so by figure of speech"
The members of the Peace Society, therefore,
although they do not propose to aid in carrying
on the war, are ready to give their arms to 'the
civil government in Furnishing its own subjects
Morton, before he issues another order would
do well to take a lesson in figures of speech"
from the American Peace Society, in which case
he may escape the difficulty into which he has
fallen. through a want OF full understanding
of the power of language.
But the order of Gov. Morton is curious from
another point of view. Although he is willing
to admit that truly pious and conscientious
man may have scruples about going to war and
killing his fellow creatures, it did not seen to
strike him that the same piety and conscientious
ness might render him scruplulOus about paying
others for doing what he was unwilling to do
himself In short, there is in it that which looks
like general invitation to hagellate the arch
enemy in a circuitOUs manner which il may be
doubted whether any of those who are really
tender of conscience may be inclined to accept.
Its effect will be. however, TO produce some
tenderness of conscience where tenderness of
conscience never felt before Men will sud
denly fall under conviction, and grow spiritually,
as many are growing physically, soft in spots
where soitness was never before suspected. In
this way Governor Morton, by his order, if it
does not help forward the work of aiding the
''civil Government in furnishing its own subjects
for the tranSgreSSion of its laws, will do some
thing in aid of the religious status of the people
OF Indiana, and perhaps prepare the way for a
moral reformation, after the subjects now in "A
state of transgression have returned to the path
of obedience.
Upon the whole, we like the course of Cover
nor Tod the best There should be no exemp-
ton on the score of professions-pr professions of
business or professions of principles. If "A mans
principles opposed to doing other people
are required to do, let him change them. Our
neighbor of the Commercial can change his prin-
ciples in twenty-f -four hours, without order of
the Government. Power has done stranger things
than that. Napoleon, by simple order, liqui
fed the blood of St. Janaurus, who had been
dead twenty thousand years, and shall it be
said that Governor has no power to quicken the
ruby current of men who are still nearly half
alive?-CiR. Enquirer.