Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-25

toUNeuIi0u.
On the lsih inst large number Of the eiiizen-
Of Kentucky assembled 10 representative COZ
veation at Frankfort 10 express their sentiments
upon he political Questions and public issues be
fore the country. aud % nominate candidates FOR
State Offices. 70 be voted for at the next election
In :sat Opmmonweal:h. Upon their assembling
AMI beiore they hid given any expression Of senti
meut. the convention ws dispersed by the order
Of the military commander Of that district. one
Colonel GILBERT. with large military force 10
sustain linn. who stated that In doing be acted
under the orders Of superior officers. The facts
in the case are stated in a communication from
an intelligent and responsible cisizen Of Ken
tucky. aud in an editorial of the Louisville Demo
Graf. both Of which will be found in to day's
Sentinel.
rtrfs not pretended that The members Of the
proposed Convention we're armed or that they
bad other than pescesble Intentions They were
known te be men of character, Of ability Of
property and As having a deep interest in the
preservation of order and the supremacy of law.
In advance Of any expression Of sentiment, or OF
even kno~leige of the character of the men
who might thus assemble, their motives and pnr
poses were pre- Judged by somebody clothed with
brief authority as reasonable and their rights
tramp'ed upon by those whose first duty IL was
70 protect them.
Ii the delegates 10 the proposed convention had
met for tessonable purposes, the same power
that dispersed the assembly could cave prosecuted
them for the crime The Governor Of the State
VA. at hand. the Legislature and State and Fed
esai Courts were in session. and large Federal
military force ready 10 enforce their DEGREES.
There was then no necessity for this arbitrary
proceedin:. There Il no apology for il. While
expressing sympathy whatever with the men
who had thus assembled. OF tine objects they bad
in view, We cannot but regard the proceeding as
blow at the rights of the citizen which should
not pass unnoticed by freemen. Ii constitutional
rights thus he overridden with IMMUNITY
such acts viii prove destructive OF liberty, of
order. and the government which We profess TO
be Struggling m ,intain a. the Rebellion itself
:. IL has affected to render the military indie
pendent of. aud superior TO. the civil power" is
OF the reasons forth in the Declaration of
Independence which justified separation from
the British Gov eriment. l. il any less potent or
applicable now than then? Congress shall
make ho law abridging the freedom OF speech. or
OF the press; or the right of the people peaceaby
to assemble ard petition the Government for a
redress of grievances. What Congress is re
strained from doing By the Constitution. is Ger
tanly forbidden to the servants OF the Govern
meat whether military or civil. When by a
simple hat of one or the other Of the latter the
right of the people to peaceably assemble can be
prevented. popular liberty exists only in name
IL has NO reality What was done in Frankfort,
ifjustifed, may be repeated elsewhere by similar
authority.
The greatest danger to free Government is
the tendency OF power to steal or pass Iron,
the many to the few Through this dan.
gerous ordeal our free institutions are now
passing. Ia is therefore the highest duty OF
every good citizen who desires to preserve the
blessings OF n free government to see to IL that
the personal rights guaranteed 10y the Cous,itu
ton are maintained in,iOlate The enly test of
LOYALTY Is fidelity to the Constitution. Faith.
lessness to the Constitution Ike ihit exhibited nj
Frankfort. mu.t be condemned IL We ever hope To
preserve constitutional liberty Il IL Tar better
% tolerate efror oi Opinion II reason Il leI Tree
10 vvmbat It, than Ia, violent hsn,ls upon the
Constitution Ia the attempt 10 eradicate II.