Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-23
ga Plain spoken word 20 the People
OF Indiana,

danger 20 our country, as the present. GOd
knows that, with all our zeal in the advancement
OF the Republican party, founded upon our sober
convictions that its principles are in keeping with
the spirit of the age, haze denied our
Opponents their rights and Independent judgment.
We have assumed that, with honest differences
to questions of national policy they had the
same patriotic impulses lcith ourselves.
These sentiments could not have been written
by the editor n that print. They in direct
conflict with the utteranceS which have appeared
in the Journal day after day for the past years
and the spirit which it has manifested toward its
political opponents during that period 1t says.
Eve have never denied our opponents
their rights and independent Judgment
What are the rights of the citizen? Free
speech free press, freedom from arbitrary ar
rests, the writ of habeas corpus, and to assemble
in meetings for the redress of political grievances
are among the rights guaranteed to the citizen by
the Constitution. Will the Journal pretend,
even, that it has not over and over justified the
assaults which have been made upon these rights
of its opponents2 From the beginning of the
war it has hardly ever alluded to the Democrats.
but in terms of reproach. "Dsloyal." TRAITORS
"treason." and similnr terms have been its com
mon expression toward those whom it now says
it has never denied independent judgment"
Since the war was inaugurated the Democracy Of
Indiana have held two large State conventions
which were composed of the representative men
Of the party.
Did the Journal conceie to the members of
either of those conventions independent jadg
ment" and ''the same patriotic impulses with
themselves" (the members of the Republican
parity upon questions of national policy? The
9Th OF January Convention has ever been alluded
to bv it as a reasonable body and the 30th of
July Convention pronounced by it, the day
after it assembled. as TRAITORS in council" Has
that print protested against the thousands of
arbitrary arrests which have been made in the
loyal States tor the exercise of independent
Judgment" HAS ir ever manfully condemned
the destruction OF presses in Indiana or elsewhere
destroyed for no other crime than ian honest diff
ference as to questions of national policy" with
the dominant party? The writ of habeas corpus
is one of the dearest rights of freemen, but has
the Journal ever condemned its suspension by
one man in power, even in the States where the
Jurisdiction of the civil courts had never been in
terrupted? Public meetings, assembled to dis
cuss and express opinions upon questions of ma
tionaI policy, have been disturbed and broken up
but the Journal had no word of rebuke for these
violations of the rights of citizens and indepen
dent judgment. The columns of the Journal
will show a fearful record against the declara-
tons of liberation which it now says it has ever
manifested toward its opponents, and its con-
cessOn that they have ever been actua-
ted by the same honest impulses that has in
iuenced it and the Republican party. At the
commencement of the extract which we quote
from the Journal, will be found the following
sentiment 1--WE write with no hostile feeling
toward men or party" If that spirit animates
it, conduct hereafter and if it will concede to its
political opponents their rights, their independ-
ent judgment and the same patriotic impulses it
claims for itself. We can hope that the questions
of national policy which deeply affect the eoun-
try, will be discussed in spirit which may re-
store union and harmony among the people of
the loyal States.
The Journal gives assurances in regard to the
honestly differ with it which are worthy of con
sideratiOn and trust in that egard it speaks by
authority. 1t says:
The people are i'm no danger in their quiet
homes The Government knows no enemies but
those who assail the Union No plot or trap is
laid for any citizen, but every true man can serve
his party and country as untrammeled "a ever.
All tales 60 the contrary are false and mischiev-
rlaf lie dic
tributed by the authorities of the State nation
for domestic violence, or to Overawe the legiti-
mate action of the people, ridiculOusy false.
All such assertions are wickedly designed, be
cause the facts within the reach of every cit-
zen who will make inquiry.
''Can serve his party and country as untram-
meled as ever" This is indeed concession to
the people-to the people who are the Govern
ment-the Government which derives its Just
powers from the consent of the people. But who
are true" men2 That is qualification to the
expressed liberality of the Government. "The
people are in danger in their quiet homes,
but how macy have been dragged from them by
persons not known to the law, confined IN bas-
tiles for weeks and months and then released
wi bout charges being preferred against them or
any reparation for the indignites they thus
sufferedl
All assertions that public arms are distributed
by the authorities of the State or nation for do
nestle violence, or to overthrow the Iegiti-
mate action of the public, are ridculously
false" We put this declaration upon record
and trust it will not be forgotten. But
arms have been distributed They have been
put in the hands of violent political partisans
They are kept in'the lodge rooms OF secret Re
publican political societies. Why have arms been
thus distributed at the cost of the whole people ?
Not for " domestic violence says the Journal
but can they be used in any other way? Not
to overawe the legitimate action of the people,
says the same authority, but who are to be the
Judges G. the legitimate action af che people %
The violent partisans into whose hands the arms
have been placed? Reverse the state of affairs.
Suppose Indiana bad Democratic Governor, and
he should distribute the arms of the State or
nation among his party adherents. would Repub-
icans regard il as just or right Would they
not protest against such exercise of power :?
And can Republicans COMPLAIN if Democrats
look with suspicion and condemn distribution of
OF the State to party friends and secret Re
publican political organizations 1t will be no
ticed that the Journal does not deny that public
arms are distributed by the authorities"
What is the object, just at this time. of this