Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-22


tho estimation ola majority Of the heart-devoted
lovers of the Union, of whom the writer claims to
be one, his loyalty stands pure and unsoiled: he
Is not merely the equal in point of loyalty of Mr.
Lincoln, or any member of his Cabinet, but in
all the higher attributes of an enlightened patriot.
he is decidedly their superior According to re
membrauce, he has never, in his many speeches.
given utterance to a single disloyal sentiment
But, to his eternal honor, he has signalized his
patriotism by a chivalric defense Of the Constitn
ton against Congressional and Presidential usurp-
aiions. For long be stood manfully forth like
another Bayard, although single handed, doing
battle against a host in defense of civil liberty.
There are few true patriots who, whilst they may
forbear to envy, cannot forbear. to admire the
proud position he has so well earned for himself
in history
In his reference to the case of Gen Jackson at
Orleans, Mr.. Lincoln says Congress thirty years
after approved his martial law aud proceedings
under il. This is a mistake. The fine was re
funded no. in consideration of such approval. but
in despite disapproyal and in consideration Of his
great public services and his alleged then need of
money. His friends in preparing the refunding
bill, 10 secure its passage took special pains not
to say one word in the preamble in his approval,
or ia disapproraI OF the Judge who inflicted the
fine. But, on the contrary, the Judiciary Com
mittees of both the House and Senate made re
ports in strong commentator of the pretended
power to declare martial law. Mr.. Lincoln
ought to have remembered TO State, that in add
ton to the contemporaneous decisions to. tue
same effect of the District Court of the United
States and Of the Appellate Court of Louisiana,
the very court martial that Jackson selected to
try Louallier, unanimously decided in the, same
way, and that they had no jurisdiction to try a
person not engaged in. military service.
Mr.. Lincoln says, "nor does any one question
that the constitutional safeguards will after the
rebellion stand the test" for much longer than
they have vet done. This is a terrible mistake.
The very reverse of the proposition is nearer the
truth. There are very few men of historical in
formation and intelligence who do not SO ques-
ton, who do not live in awful apprehension of
the hour when our enormous army shall be called
sou than the advice to let the Constitution sleep
during the war. under the chimerical belief that
it will awake in full vigor after peace. Such a
sleep is one that "will know no waking" All
history affords no example of the resurrection to
new life Of the constitution of a republic, after
il has once been rampled out by military power.
The fathers warned u that military despotism
was the probable II not necessary result of inst
such Il war a. is now gong on. II seems from
the action of the recent greet mass meeting in
Illinois that the people have taken the alarm
and are urging a speedy peace from fear of and
in avoidance OF tliis and other dangers to our
liberties IL is much to be feared that the split
in the North, caused by Mr.. Lincoln's improper
measures, will precipitate us into an improvident
and improper peace.