Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-30

Our regular dispatches show that the guerrillas
who invaded Indiana have been captured. Their
defeat IS due 10 the home guards who have been
denounced BY the Sentinel Of late, and who would
have been disarmed could the Butternut Legisla-
tors have secured H. The 9th cavalry, which
was raised for border defense. was sent out of the
Stale at the solicitation Of the Democratic men,
bers of the LIST and 81 Congressional Districts.
Had they succeeded in disarming and disbandibg
the Legion. guerrilla raids could have been made
unopposed in the southern and central parts of
the State, except by the United States troops sta
TONED here. The presence OF the latter has been
SO nn~elcome that their party presses have more
than once demandefthat they be sent into the
eld.-llndianapolis Journal.
We have seldom seen more disingenuOus. not
20 say contemplate. attempt TO make Political
capital for a sinking party than the above ex-
hibits. While the men comprising the Legion"
are as good as any in the State, il is notorious
that that organization amounts 10 little or moth
ing for defensive operations fault not of the
people, but of the law. There is now scarcely u
full company of the Legion in existence, and GER
tainly not a full regiment. Doubtless citizens
who are or have been attached 10 the Legion
joined in the late pursuit Of the Rebels; but il
would be gross injustice to the people of Orange,
Crawford and Harrison counties TO say that none
but members Of that organization did 80. The
truth d, that almost every one, Young and old,
who could do so, lent his efforts to rid the State
Of this band of g~uerrillas and horse thieves. And
among those who were foremost in this work of
driving out Of the State this Rebel band were
those "Butternuts" whom the Journals party
endeavored TO prevent from purchasing or Dos
sessing arms for their own defense, against these
and similar bands Of raiders. Could the journal
have had its way, three fourths of the people of
the region OF country through which Kinds gang
passed would have been utterly defenseless
against these invaders. Fortunately, however,
they had arms and ammunition, aud put them TO
a good use.
To show that the present militia system Of the
State is utterly worthless and inefficient, il is only
necessary to refer to the recently published report
OF Gen. Lowe 10 Governor Morton. Gen. Lowe
devoted his whole time in an endeavor to give eE
6ciency 60 the "LesiOn;'' vet he consesses that
outside OF the Congressional Districts bordering
on the river, it amounts to nothing at all Why
has not Governor Morton insisted on his own DO.
litical friends in Northern and Central Indiana
organizing under his pet military scheme, in order
that they may. in case OF necessity, assist in de
tending the State against inrasiODf Why is the
who'd burden of watching the border and driving
out bands of gnerrillas thrown upon the people
OF a lev counties who have already semitic the
army far more than their just proportion of able
bodied mcnf When gangs of Rebels cross the
Ohio river. it is for the purpose OF making raids
upon the soil oil Indiana. and IL is as much the
duty OF The citizens OF Marion. Lsporte and st.
Jose h to Keep up AN organization for the de-
Tense of that soil rs il j. the duty Of the citizens
of the counties upon the river. The members of
the Legislature from the bordC- districts, aware Of
the utter worthIessness OF the system. or of tie
inehiciency with which It was administered, en-
d~eavored TO secure the passage Of a better and
more , ficient law But this was resisted by the
Governor aud his friends. and the result is that
there is a very poor militia organization in the
border counties. and none at all in the balance of
the State.
The people, however, are not defenss less.
Despite the utterly ~valueless character of the
law. the men of Southern Indiana are ready to
rush to the defense Of their beloved State against
the prowliAg bands of g~uerrillas which infest our
sister State Of Kentucky. This. they have
proven to the satisfaction. we hope, even of Gov.
Morton and his organ; and we hope that in fu-
ture these ''powers Of the State" will endeavor TO
rise above the contemplate party prgudices by
which their whole action appears to be governed.
Such a course would be better for Indiana, better
for the Union cause. and possibly better for
themselves-lNew Albany Ledger.