Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-29
The Battle for ,he constitution.

Hon. W. A Richardson, than whom truer
patriot does not exist on the subject of his decli-
nation of the Office Of Brigader General. tender
ed him by the President. says: "Ihe greatest
battle for constitutional liberty is to be fought in
Congress. and before the people" The rebel.
lion can be crushed by the strong power of the
people sustaining the arm OF the Government.
There Is greater battle than that 10 be fought.
The hosts of the enemy are collecting in force 10
assault the strongholds OF the Constitution. Even
now the attack j. made. The Summers, the Love
Joys, the Chambers. are marshalling their troops
and the van guard has already opened fire upon
the constitutional bulwarks.
Richardson right when he said the great
est battle to be fought in Congress aud be-
fore tie people" The party in power, exercising
that power TO consummate long cherished plan
for a war upon Southern institutions, like the
British government, seize upon this season of the
nations great calamity. as the time when it can
be accomplished and trampling upon legal aud
constitutional right, and treating the Constitution
itself as can agreement with death aud a cove
nant with hell" propose 10 prosecute their
schemes to a bad success. at whatever hazard.
Congressional enactments are To be the method
proposed as the groundwork OF the movement.
This will give them color of law foI future pro
ceedngs 1t their views in this matter can be
carried out in Congress. it gives this clan OF
COnspratOrs the command of the army and navy.
and who doubts that the whole immense power
which they thus could WELD, would be exerted TO
crush out, not the rebellion, but the institutions
of the South. Toey value the liberty of the
slave above the rights of freemen. They value
the success of their own plans more than they
value the Union and to-day the leaders of that
INSCRIPTIONS faction would rather that the Union
should be blown to thousand disintegrated
atoms and slavery destroyed than that the coun-
try should be restored TO its orr sinal condition
under the old Constitution
Such men are earnestly laboring to get pos.
session of the Government. No means will be
LETT untried To accomplish this end Threats
deception and chcanery will not be too low in the
scale of corruption To escape their notice. This
Is that greater battle for constitutional liberty
in Congress" to which Mr.. Richardson aludes
He is right in supposing that he is needed there
more than lie is in Virginia in Tennessee
Hundreds of thousands of brave and patriotic
men are there to drive rebellion into the Gulf
But in CongresS-where the hosts to defend
the Constitution But there are few gallant
hearts that will battle to the last, and if corrup
ton and fraud shall prevail, if sectional tanat
cism shall rule there, and the battle there be los
TO the supporters of the Constitution. then N
appeal to the people will be made by those val
liant and patriotic souls, and the great battle Their,
must be finally fought
PrOphetically true were the words We hav,
quoted from Mr. Richardson, and wise and pat
rotc was he to forego the honors offered that h'
might fight the battles of his country in n posi-
ton where he was most needed.-Peoria Union