Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-04
Freedom OF Speech.-A BOLTON Devices
TO suppress it.

We take the following from the Metropolitan
Record. Archbishop HUGHEs' organ:
1t is favorte dodge of some people now "A
days 10 endeayOr TO shut up man who disagrees
with them by accusing him of Secessionism. 1t
is an easy way OF getting rid of an argument that
one can not answer; il is far easier than convinc
ing opponent-in fact il is 'as easy as lying
But is man a SecessOnist because he desires
peace. or deprecates subjugation, or intmates a
wish that personal liberty less restricted? Is
he SecessiOnist because he is not blind To the
discrepancies in official reports or the short
comings OF Government, the idcompetency of a
General, or the blunders of statesman! Is he
Secessionst because he abhors the idea of con
querors and conquered taking the place of fellow
citizens in this republic, because he wishes for no
such Union as that of Ireland with England, or
Poland with Russia. on this broad continentl Is
he a SecessiODst because he is alive to the wick
edness and absurdity of enslaving white men to
set negroes freeT Is man Secessonist who
does hot believe our Government intalllble, our
army invincible and our resources illimitable7
Is il Secessionism to hint that our Southern
brethren are human beings still, that they have
rights which it would be dangerous to disregard,
and feelings it would be wise to take into &C
count! Is it SecesSionism 10 admit that they are
brave and wary, or to doubt that they are SO des-
resent themg Is it Secessonism to shrink
from taxation, to wish that our Government was
more frank in dealing with the people, more de
slrous in relieving them from the horrors of sus-
pense more chary OF interfering with the liberty
OF the press and freedom OF speech, more econOm-
ical OF public money! Is it Secessonism to long
with longing OF which these people have no con-
cepton, for the reconstruction of the Union ON
the basis of the Constitution. on the good old
guarantees that satisfied the men of '76?
What better are We than they. or what better
is the negro now than he was in their day. that he
should be made bone of contention between
the sections, wedge to split up the republic?
Our Revolutionary Fathers never thought of leg
islating negroes into equality with white men;
their sense OF right was no more shocked by their
exclusion from political privileges than il was by
the exclusion of the ldiotic and they were right,
tor if, in the of the latter, nferiOrity of in
tellect is judged sufficient to place the individual
below the level OF the race, why is not the same
cause sufficient To place inferior race below
the level OF a superorl
Is belief in this, secessionism2 We think not,
but we have heard men accused Of sece sonism
for less. 1t would be well, therefore, to know
what constitutes secessionlsm. Ii would be well
TO know If men are TO be Dubbed secessiOnists
because they cannot think Government thinks,
or as every individual officer of the Government,
from the Secretary of State down TO the lowest
patrolman in n police district, thinks. For this
is what We are coming to. Meet abolitionists, or
as they prefer to be called just now, emancipa-
tionists where you will, and presume TO assert
your right to think for yourself, to crilcise with
your lips what YOU condemn in your heart; pro
coed on the assumption that your right 10 differ
from them is as clear as their right is to differ
from you; refuse to accept their say-so
ticle of your political creed. and they discern at
once that you are a secessiOnist.
In our opinion, it is not wise to handy about
such matters reeklessly. Dsloyalty to the Gov
eminent should never be assumed, for in a land
like ours, under Government elected like ours,
to say that the people disoyal is to say that
the Government Is unworthy.