Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-05
WEEKLY SENTINEL
The Elections at Hand.

On the 18th inst, one week from tomorrow,
important State elections will be held in Penn
sylvania and Ohio. The Democracy Of both OF
those States, as the Democracy have ever been,
are for maintaining the Government as establish
ed by the fathers of the Republic and against the
separation of the States or a division of the
Union. If the ballot box is left free to express
the will of the people. without bias or intimida
ton. we have no doubt that The verdict will be
unmistakable against the political and partisan
measures and unconstitutiona usurpations o fpow-
err By the Administration Under the delusive
and hypocriticaI plea ofno partyism-the party in
power has succeeded in fastening upon the coun
try the most ultra party measures. which have
been condemned by the people when the issues
were fairly presented to them. But unscrupu-
lous party leaders. taking advantage of the patti
etic impulses of the people, have succeeded in
restoring a financial policy which the experience
Of the past demonstrated to be utterly fallacious.
The fictitious prosperity of the past two years
may continue for a while longer, which, with the
exercise of arbitrary power in controlling cleo
tons. may give the party that now controls the
Government a little longer lease of power. but a
moral revolution will certainly ere long take
the administration Of the Government. The
leaders of the Republican party may raise the
dam to hold back the food, but its only effect
will be to give increased volume and
force to the pent up stream which
will flow with r~esistless power over all obstruc
tons when ouce the breach Is made. An AID
ministration that is unwilling to submit its acts
to the criticism and judgment o. the people can
not have very strong claims 70 heir confidence
and respect. The Governmer ; not Mr.. LIN
coin and his Cabinet, but w me people of the
United States" and we ha, every confidence
that their sober second thought will set all things
right. 1t is idle to argue that the decision Of the
country against the policy of an administrator
will weaken the Government. or, as some think
destroy it. IL has never had that effect yet.
How often have the ministry in England been
beaten upon some great question of
public policy, yet a change of minis
tiers. and consequently its policy, often
radical. neither destroyed the Government or
even weakened it. A government is always
stronger when it is administered so as to have the
approval of its citizens, and an administration can
give no better evidence Of wisdom, sagacity and
patriotism than in ascertaining the public judg-
ment upon leading public measures. Let the
ballot-box, free and pure. record the honest con
victions of the people and the minority will gen.
erously yield to the verdict. And Mr.. LIscoLS,
if he desires to secure popular sympathy and af-
lection, can best attain il by determining there
shall be an honest and free expression of senti-
ment at the elections soon to be held.
In Indiana there is no general election. In
most of the counties, however, important county
officers are to be elected. 1t is needless for US to
suggest that local interests and offices are equally
worthy Of attention as those Off general charac
ter. jog WRIGHT used to say on the stump that
nc needed the very best and most talented man for \
Township ~rustree or County Commissioner while
the weak brethren would do for CongressmeI.
We trust that the conservative citizens of Indiana
will see to il that good and true men are selected
for the various county Offices to be filled at the
election which comes off on Tuesday, the 18th
inst, one week from to morrow. Nor should any
man stay away from the polls because "it is only
a county election" The county elections of
1856 had an important influence upon the general
election of 1856.