Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-23
WEEKLY SENTINEL.
MONDAY. MARCH b.
The Defense II n Democratic Mem
bers of the House."

The Defense ofthe Democratic Mem
bers Of the House,"
The able and triumphant vindicahon of the
Democratic members of the House, which
appeared in the Sentinel. Of Wednesday, only
re-echoes the sentiment of an overwhelming
majority of the people of Indiana. The action
of the minority of the House was revolutionary,
wicked and without apology. The Republican
members have no justi6able excuse for defeating
the legislation necessary to carry ON the State
Governments lawfully, and they can make none
which will satisfy the common sense of the
people. The simple fact that the Democratic
members of the Legislature were in their seats to
the last hour OF the session and that they bad
prepared every bill which the public interests and
the public necessities demanded, is the best
evidence that they had discharged all the duties
required of them in their official capacity to
sustain the Government. What is the record of
the Republican members? They had the power
to defeat legislation according to the requirements
of,the Constitution, and they took advantage of
it. For ten days. the closing days of the session.
they bolted, violating thereby their official oaths,
and thus prevented the enactment of laws neces-
sary to carry on the State Government 10 continue
in operation her charitable Institutions and to pay
the interest upon the public debt-in a word, to
redeem the plighted faith of the State even in
not providing for the Indebtedness and obligations
due her own citizens
And what is the justification that the Governor
and his apOlogists offer for leaving the State in
this revolutionary condition. Tell it not in Gath.
publish it not in the streets of Askalon. A mill
tary bill was proposed in the House, not passed,
which provided that the militia of the State ''shall
be organized. differed. armed, equipped and
trained in such manner as may be provided by
law" It is not denied that the majority of the
members of the Legislature, representing a ma
jority of the people of Indiana, had the right to
enact such a law, but for the reason that il was not
agreeable to the views and wishes of a minority.
that minority determined to defeat all necessary
legislation upon the mere suspicion that a military
bill. obnoxious to Republicans. might be adopted
by the House, for be it remembered no action
had been taken upon the measure in the Senate.
The Republican members of the House did not
wait for its adoption in that branch of the
Legislatures; they did not wait for action
upon il in the Senate; they did not wait to
make use Of the constitutional and par
liamentary means which they could employ to
delay or defeat its passage, but before any occa-
sion had arisen to defeat its enactment by revo-
~lutionary action, like scared sheep they vacated
their seats and fed from the city. There can be
no valid defense or apology for such wicked con-
duct. The Republican minority had the power
to defeat the military bill and enact all necessary
legislation; and this fact, which cannot be sue
c~essfully controverted, makes their revolutionary
action the more -damning-leaves it without any
reasonable apology.
The Journal of yesterday, in a labored article
replying TO the address of the Democratic mem
bers of the House to the people, makes the fol-
lowing charge;
Among the most material omissions in the de-
Tense Is the total failure to state. or even allude
to the leading features of the military bill. The
suppression of these features become the declara-
ton Of an absolute falsehood in view OF the fact
that the defense assumes to state the true charac-
ter of the military bill, and enters into an argu-
ment for its justification.
Now, what is the fact in the case2 There has
been no attempt BY the Democratic members to
cOOcedl any OF the Iedl1re5 OF the military Oil,
or to suppress them. The bill. just as it was pro-
posed in the House, was published in full in the
Sentinel. Thus the true character of the bill
was known TO the people. But the Republican
minority have not been fair enough to give the
true character of the military bill by publishing it
complete. and the suppression and misrepresenta-
ton Of its features become the declaration of an
absolute falsehood in view of the fact that they
assume to state its true character and thus enter
int an argument to justify their opposition to it.
The facts in reference to the military bill show
most conclusively that there is no Justification
whatever for the bolt of the minority, aud that
the opposition to it was only a pretext for the
revolutionary action which was undoubtedly in
tended 10 precipitate upon Indiana civil war and
all the terrible evils which follow internecine
strife.