Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-31

per's Ferry and Winchester They will be used
on the Southern railroads in the transportation of
troops. They were drawn by teams Of horses
and oxen over the gaps in the railroad between
Winchester and Stanton. General jackson has
%, 900 troops, and be expects TO get 5000 new
recruits in the region where he is now to be To-
Gated. e pa
Daniel webster ON Republicanism.
What wise man was Mr. Webster on many
subjects He was even prophet without know
ing it, and used words, intended to apply 20 his
own times, which have marvellous truth now,
when the words are used with somewhet different
signi6cations. Note the distinction which he
draws between the two kinds of Republicans in
his day, in speech which he delivered at Rich
mond twenty two years ago, October 5, ls4O.
He said:
Gentlemen, there are two sorts eff Republi-
cans in the world; Laughter One very good
sort, and the other a very different sort, cheers
and laughter. And this last sort it is, that cares
not how much power the Government gets, If
they get the benefit of it. They are quit willing
to give unlimited power into the hands of any one
man, if they may have the privilege of choosing
the desPot. Loud cheers This is one sort of
Republicans. Laughter. This blythe by,
though, is what call the Indifferent Sort Loud
laughter
Ii Mr.. Webster were in the United States Sen
ate to-day, his sonorous voice would ring with
the same words. They outline, with startling
truth, the political character of his successor,
who proposes to erase stars from the flag of the
country, and erect despotism in the conquered
territories of the Union. They characterize
with the felicity and accuracy of the photograph,
those men who initiated and supported the acts of
the Government against the liberty of the press
and of the citizen, which are now calling down
the calm judgment OF the people of America.
Had the great sage of Marshfeld been spec
tator of the scenes of the last year he would not,
with all his ability. have drawn more perfect por-
traits OF the two styles Of modern Republicans
than he has in this passage. which we have quoted
and in the following which is the continuation of
the same picture. The entire extract is of the
highest value in our present circumstances Des-
cribing the other class of Republicans, Mr.. Web
ster said
THAT class are quite different sort of men.
[Cheers. That class are so jealous of authori
ity and of the encroachments of power. that they
hedge in authority all round as firmly as they
would an enemy. That's the true and only class
of Republican Americans Loud cheers
"Why, my friends, what did Mr.. jefferson say
on this subject, ON question which he put with
so much emphasisl Are you arguing for lin
itation of power? Have We found angels in the
form OF men TO govern us? lCheers. i don't
know how it may have been in his time, but |
know that we have not found any such charac-
tiers in our time Loud laughter and cheering ]
mol mol no. they're little lower than angels.
Loud and continued cheering. And | enter
tain the same spirit which Mr. jefferson did,
when he said IAN elective despotism is not the
Government we fought for [Cheers.l Nol but
our fathers fought to create and maintain a Gov
ernment which should be hedged in all round so
tight and so closely that it couldn't make any en-
l In a., 4
think have heard some of you Virginians say,
fenced out all round with FIVE rails and top
riderp Loud and continued roars of laughter,
and tremendous cheering. si
"Why, gentlemen, there is q good axiom ex-
tant, that the quantity of liberty we possess is
precisely equal to the quantity Of restraint which
we put upon the Government. And this is true.
If the Government is restrained from putting its
hand in certain particulars upon you, to that ex-
tent you are free, and no more. And if indi-
viduals are restrained from putting their hands
upon you, you have more freedom All liberty,
therefore, consists in putting such restraint up
on your Governments, and upon individuals, that
they can not touch your rights or your liberties.
Loud cheering. /" irf
This is beyond cavil the true doctrine of lib
erty. And the distinction which the great ex-
FOUNDER of the Constitution laid down, has been
the distinction between the radical and the con-
servative men for the past year. OF the Repub-
lican party large numbers have been on the right
side throughout, while the Democrats have very
generally opposed unjust and unconstitutional as
sumptions of power, by Departments of the Gov
ernment, or by the Government itself 1t is not
so necessary now to refer to the past as it is to
beware of the future. To a calm observer, it
begins to be apparent that the course pursued for
a year bv the powers at Washington has begotten
a peculiar notion of absolutism il Congress and
elsewhere. 1t shows itself in the tax bill, in the
financial measures, in the style of orders issued to
newspapers and the peremptory threats of suspen-
sion which adeed to orders, as If the power to
execute attended the power to complain. 1t APP
pears in the speeches of Senators and Represent
atives, in the tone of debate. in the attempt TO
exclude Senators offering to take the oath Of al
legiance and presenting their credentials from
sovereign State authority. No one can look at
the tone of feeling which pervades the halls of
Congress and animates the action of some Cabinet
officers, without conviction that many of our
temporary rulers have derived an idea from the
absolute dominion of the past year, either that
they above the people, that the day of
popular ballot and voice is passed. We have no
great apprehension for the far future but we have
serious fears of the immediate act of these sin
different Republicans" Bills are before both
Houses which propose to take into the hands of
Congress absolute powers, reserved by the Con-
stituton from their reach. Bills of attainder are
freely advocated, and wholesale legislation against
States and communities is proposed Ii is time
that such words as those of Mr.. Webster were
uttered on the floor of Congress by some worthy
successor of the great dead The coming Au-
tumn will afford the opportunity to the people of
turning radicalism out of the House of Represent
atives, but the present House remains through
next winter. and the disposition of certain gen.
tlemen, to make the most despotic use of their
short lease of power grows more violent as their
condemnation at the polls becomes moreS and
more evident. We look to conservative Repub-
licans and Democrats for the influence to check
this growing opposition to Republican liberty
N. Y. JourncI Of Commerce.