Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-29
From the Richmond Enquirer, 18th.
Getting ON "A War Footing.


FAULT FOUND WITH THE LADIES FOR WEARING SILK
AND LAcEs-AND WITH THE MEN FOR WEARING
cLorH.-rHE wAR TO co on FOR TWO YEARS
LONGER, At LEAST.
1t may be doubted whether our people are vet
fully alive 20 the ardnous character of the task
they have undertaken, in vindicating the sover-
eighty of their States against SO powerful an
enemy. If they truly appreciated it, we believe
that there would not be such a sumptuous dress
in our streets; nor such a demand for costly fab
rics not produced at home, which must be pur-
chased in the enemy's country and smuggled
across the line. We should not have heard so
much lately of constitutional opposition 10 i'm.
pressment for the subsistence Of our forces: nor
would Congress be spending its time in discus
sing abstract propositions concerning the uncon-
stitutiOnality of martial law, and defining the
differences between martial and military law.
Jealousy of executive usurpations. and of all
approaches to the consolidated government, is to
be highly approved, not only in peaceful times,
but even in the case of any ordinary kind of war.
For example, in the Federal States, our enemies,
there was no excuse for the slavish subservience
which has so basely yielded all State rights. and
rights of individual citizens, 20 the tyranny of a
dictatorship, for their war is of an ordinary kind:
they are not fighting for their existence, but for
the subjugation Of their neighbors: they are not
invaded by hostile armies laying waste their soil,
conhscating their property, and menacing the
destruction of their Institutions.
There was no better reason for Welding up
their liberties for the prosecution of this war than
there would have been in the Mexican war. And
we trust that the record of the COnfederates may
always present the illustrious contrast, which it
does up to this time of guarding the sovereignty
of States. and individual liberties even in the very
agony of war waged for our entire destruction.
Here. up to the present moment, we haven no press
censorship, no postofice, especially no arbitrary
im-prisonments, no universal suspension of the
habeas corpus by military authority, afterwards
Unidentified by acts of a servile and cowardly
Congress. Our Congress and our State Legisla-
ture still govern the country, each within its own
sphere and Jurisdiction, and any power of military
arrests has been carefully limited bv previous
laws and confined within the narrowest limits of
necessity by the moderation of the Executive.
This state Of things IS a source OF just pride. and
must be maintained to the end of the war, if
possible.
1t will be also very well, very comfortable and
gratifying. if we car see out this war without re
nounclng any Of the luxuries of refined life; if
we all can continue TO wear fine cloth, without
injury done to the cause or wrong to the soldiers,
or to the Door; if the ladies can continue TO be
radiant in silk and lace without paving the enemy
a premium for continuing the war; if they can
ride sleek horses without damaging our artillery
service; if, in short, this giant struggle for the life
and honor OF our people, and our children, can,
in some miraculous manner, be brought TO a
speedy end. and not entail on us privatiOns; not
stint us in an. Injuries: not call for even a tempo
rary concentration of all the powers of the ma
ton in the hands of the military chief. This
would be highly agreeable, but, we fear, unpre-
cedented in the history of mankind.
Most persons, however, are lazily inclined to
put off the hour of painful effort. privati0n, self
denial, by 4 sort of vague idea that the difficulty
will be over soon. They say still-as they have
been saying steadily for a year and 4 half-that
three months. or six, will see an end of the war:
that it will be time enough to do without accus-
toned luxuries when we can no longer procure
them; that the country is incurring a debt at any
rate: and a few scores of millions, more or less,
matters little; further, than home manufactures
are coarse and plebian looking; especially. that
women in homespun are frights.
The fact is admitted that rich dresses are much
more becoming to that amiable sex. and we
should always desire to see them resplendent in
all the rareSt tissues of al the looms of France,
or at least elegantly neat in the fabrics of Lowell.
Yet they, and all Of us, had better consider at
what cost this sort of style is kept up; not pres
ent cost in money alone-though that is much,
while our soldiees dine on a quarter ola pound of
bacon-but a future possible cost in freedom and
glory to our country.
In the first place, the war may very probably.
we think certainly, last two years more at least.
In the next place, every dollar we pay for even
the most necessary artic|es-to say nothing of
Injuries, brought through the lines, is a dollar
paid into the Yankee purse. The Yankees would
lose that trade il the war was at an end and our
ports open so that all the large sums expended
for smuegled articles are a direct bribe to our
] anappios q coptinna tho A. for tho DOnavS
given in payment of English and French fabrics,
which come 10 Us direct through the blockade,
ard which are not furnished to our market by
Yankee merchants, land it is the smallest por-
tom those moneys are not indeed gained by the
enemy, but thew are lost to us, and in this way,
a gain to the enemy. They add to the load OF
our debt, which is hereafter TO be paid by a great
sacrifice Of our staples.
\ certain amount of that ruinous trade with
foreign nations is ueedful for the supply of our
armies with arms, ammunition and shoes; any
thing beyond that. for the indulgence of private
luxury and extravaganza, il is a waste of our life
and blood If the women would but Law this to
heart! If they once could fully comprehend
that in buving articles that come from abroad
they help 10 take bread out of the soldiers
mouths, to make the arms fall from their hands
finally, perhaps. TO defeat all their gallant efforts
(which the Yankees cannot do without our help)
perhaps 10 mig Us ri ltSb unuef ne eAeCTdDie
domination OF the vilest of all white races OF
this world; to make our place a blot on the map,
and our name . an kissing IF they once laid
all this to heart. they would make haste TO re-
nOuHce the pomps AMI vanities. and by the mere
act of refusing to wear foreign garments, they
would DO more Tor their country than if they
built a dozen iron clad irigatesl
In truth. we shall soon be forced 10 put our
selves on "a war footing in all things. Our tables,
our clothes, our very liberties must be put on a
war footing. The Presiden is not of opinion
that we shall see u speedy end OF it; and has in a
lerter lately published, indicated the nature and
extent of the effort yet to be made.
We are asking the %planters and farmers to dis
courage the planting of cotton and tobacco, for
patriotism: to form county committees and col
lect supplies for patriotism We expect the sol
diers To endure their hard life and scanty %rations,
and take all cheerfully for patriotism. Can we
; do nothing for patriotism ourselvesf
i, For the Sentinel.
knights of the Golden Circle.
In the Sentinel of to-day Cor yesterday it was