Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29
WHOLE NO. 1925.
A PItifuI spectacle.

A PItiful Spectacle.
Its truly pitful TO see man who has had the
ability to reach the positions of Representative in
Congress. Governor Of the State Of Indiana.
United States Minister to Prussia and Senator in
Congress, fallen low to eat dirt the feet Of
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, and to take up with greed the
crumbs that may fall from the table of the pres
ent Abolition Administration. Such is the con-
dtion OF ex-Governor JosEPH A. WRIoHr.
Without political inhuence-wi.hout genuine
selfrespect-covered with the contempt Of every
true Democrat in his own State-this time-se
ing old politician is using the brief, remaining
hours of his political existence in the Senatorial
position for which he sold his honor and manhood,
in showing how effectually demagogue can
"Crook the pregnant hinges Of the knee,
Where thrift may follow fawning.'
In debate in the Senate on the 1lth inst, On
resolution of Mr.. SAuLsBuRY, of Delaware.
calling on Mr.. STANTON, the Secretary of War,
for information as to the causes and circumstances
of the arrest of two citizens of that State. Mr..
Joseph A. Wright hopeful of the portfolio of the
Department of the Interior soon TO be surrendered
by Mr.. Caleb B. Smith, waited perfume to the
despotic pride OF Lincoln and Stanton, In the fol-
lowing language, better suited to an Asiatic des-
potism than TO the presence Of the American SER
ate or the ears OF the American people:
"The President is the representative of the
unity, the power and the strength of this Repab-
lie. hold him responsible. and wash my hands
Of the miserable doctrine too often inculcated
here that in such time this there is such
thing as loyalty 20 the Government and disoyalty
to those in power. Sir, there is but one true
loyalty. and that Is unconditional adherence 70
and support Of those who stand at the helm Of the
Government, placed there by the people to direct,
whether in calm or storm, the great affairs Of
State"
Unconditional adherence TO. and support Of
mot the Constitution, not the laws made in ac-
cordance with the Constitution, not the rights
and honor and welfare Of the people. who are the
nation and the Government,) but OF chose who
stand at the helm Of the Government" is ac-
cordng TO Ex-Governor Wright, 1.-The one true
loyalty" and TO hold otherwise is miserable
doctrine"
Garry out this position 10 il logical results,
and there is not right of citizens or States but
what may be trampled upon and set at defiance by
''those in power" and the man who questions or
opposes their acts is disloyal. traitor. whom
those in power may with impunity order TO be ar
rested and shot or hung.
Is it true, as taught by this renegade Demo
crat, that there can be no loyalty 10 the Govern
ment without unconditional adherence 10, and
support of, those in powerl" Every man of
sense knows better. Is it true that 1.-THE Presi-
dent is The representative of the unity, the power
and the strength Of this Republic7" Has the Con-
gress no part in the Government Has the Su-
preme Court no part in NJ Are the Federal
State Governments no longer facts in the repub
licf If the President usurps the legislative or
the judicial power of the GoveEnment--if he
wantonly or ignoranuy violates or wantonly sub
verts State constitutions and Govenments-are
we disloyal to den0unce and oppose himf If the
Supreme Court, within their proper sphere, com
mand one thing, and the President commands the
contrary; if the Congress, in theig proper sphere
by ID" command one tnng. and the President
commands the contrary, am dsloya to disobey
hm9 liz he aims the usurper's dagger at the
sovereignty of my State, am | disloyal if / stay
his hand. refuse to give him unconditional ad-
herence and support" Has the division of our
Government into ordinate branches, legisla-
tive judicial and executive, ceased 70 be a sub
stantial constitutional entity, and become a mere
fctionf
The folly Of Gov. Wright's doctrine is only
excelled by its impudence, and both he and Il
deserve the reprobation Of every law-sbiding
citizen
1t is time for the people to understand, if they
do not already understand, that the President of
the United States is executive, not legisla-
tive, nor judicial officer Except in his consti-
tutional power to disapprove by veto, or to ap-
prove and sign, Congressional acts he has no
more power to make or prevent law, than the
humbest citizen. His duty is to preserve, pro-
tect and defend the Constitution, and to see that
the laws are faithfully executed; and this be
clearly cannot do, unless he himself obeys them.
He is not above the law. His command by pro-
clamaton OF otherwise, is not law, and it has
no vitality, except it is based on the COnstitu
ton. on existing law.
Every citizen has n right to Judge of every
command of the President. but that judgment
must be at the citizens own risk, as the Presi-
dents command and lis execution must be at his
risk If he transcend his powers. be is response
Bile to the law; il citizen transcend his, lie is
impeachable II the law. Every dsobedience Of
law, much less of executive command, is not
disoyalty. Wanton disobedience of law is
moral offense: not so with disobedience based on
mist ken opinions, erroneous convictions of
duty. If the President commands me 10 do an
unlawful act, and disobey him, / am justified
before the law. Ii be lawfully commands me 10
do a lawful act, or forbear unlawful one, and
disobey him. am liable to the penalty OF DISC
bedence defined 10y the law, and other; and
this whether | disobeyed wantonly, through
ignorance; for where legal accountability exists
at all, the law cannot determine the question OF
gull, or innocence, by the sum of mans ca
pacty or intelligence.
There is no such legal fact or offense in our
system of government disloyalty TO ''those IN
power Disloyalty is infdelity to the Constitu-
tion--the State-the body politic-the Govern
ment--not to its temporary rulers. On the con-
trary, cases may arise in which hostility and even
armed opposition to usurpers "in power" may be
the highest expression of loyalty to the Govern
ment Resistance to usurping tyrants is obedi-
ence not alone to God, but TO the Constitution
and laws.
Why do We applaud the Union men of the
South, who. on peril of life, liberty and estate,
have resisted the disloyal State Governments.
and the usurp ne Government of Jefferson Davisi
Lincoln? No!--for many OF them have little
respect for the man, and less for his policy and
mode of Observation-Disclosures because they are
faithful to the Constitution and laws of the
United States That is the test and tOuchstone
of loyalty, and there is no other.
IT, therefore. "those who stand at the helm OF
the Government" desire the adherence and sup
port of the people. let them see to il that they,
as rulers, heed and obey the Constitution and laws
of the land
History teaches that usurpation and oppression
are more often the proyocatves OF disobediences
disloyalty and revolution than disloyalty the pro-
vocative of oppression. Ii has ever been more
important to guard the people from usurping
rulers than rulers from disloyal people. The
tendency of power-;s from the many to the few,
not from the few 10 the many. Il is quite as
proper 10 speak of the Presidents disloyalty TO
the Constitution and 70 the citizen, in whom in
part is the nations sovereignty. as to speak Of
a citizens disloyalty to the President. whose
sphere is that of agent and representative, not
amaster of the people or of the law.
Very loose ideas prevail of the relative duties