Indiana State sentinel., 1863-05-18

0i0O0l 0ayS oil the repuOlC tude teoeou tue Sd-
pacity of men Of this generation to govern them
selves. and determined the destiny OF great
people.
Reply of Hon. Joseph X. Edgerton TO
Gen. HascaIl's Public Letter Ad-
dressed TO Him in the indianapolis
Journal.
NEW YoRK, May ~, 1863.
SIR: | have read, in the Evening Express of this
city of Saturday last, vOur public letter addressed
70 me, under date of 5th inst, through the lndi
annapolis Journal, in reply to nv private letter to
you of the 2d of Nav. inst, asking explanation
Of your Order No 9, of the 25th ut.
Your letter. which you seem TO intend
explanatory Supplement TO Order No. 8. is sufi
centy explicit, think, to enable any intelligent
citizen of Indiana TO understand that freedom OF
speech and OF the press far at least as relates
to the war policy and measures of the present
Federal Administration, are to the extent of 1.-THE
force placed your disposal, to to be suppressed
in Indiana.
In thus drawing you to clear definition of
your object in Order No 6. have accomplished
the main purpose of my letter to you, but much
regret that have neither time nor opportunity to
comment as would like to do, aud as it deserves.
on your extraordinary Communication. In pur-
suance of plan formed months ago, am now
here on nv way to Boston to take the steamer of
the 18th inst for Liverpool, intending TO spend
the summer in Europe / can therefore do no
more at present than, very generally, to notice
your letter.
Ny first impulse on reading your letter. was to
postpone my intended journey, and return to In
diana to await the sequel of the new regime Of
military despotism under which you have placed
the State, aad it is not without feeling of re-
gret that shall continue nv journey eastward.
When Constitutional Government is to be de-
Tended in Indiana against yourself, or any other
person OF power, who may assail it, you may con
slider me among the number of its defenders. But
am free TO say. have no fear in leaving your
self and your order No. 9 in the keeping of the
people of Indiana You have voluntarily made
record that will enable them to fully under
stand both YOU and your order The National
Democracy of Indiana viii meet in convention at
Indianapolis on the 9th of Nav, instant, to coun
sci together for the public good Thev will have
your order before them. and have no doubt they
will deal with it as becomes therights and dignity
of freemen. determined to maintain in their in
tegrity, the Constitution of the United States,
and of the State of Indiana.
Whatever NAV be my opinion of the boldness
of the position YOU have taken, cannot commend
its wisdom. and it seems to me strangely incon-
sistent with the desire professed in YOUR order
No. g. TO restore harmony and good feeling in the
State. As you have done me the honor "to con-
fer" with me, my advice 10 YOU is. that you re-
cede as soon, and ms gracefully as you can from
the arbitrary purpose you have indicated. There
will be no danger of serious disturbance of the
peace in Indiana, so long as no attempt is made
by yourself or any other person in the State to
invade constitutional rights. When thev are in
vaded, they will be defended. peaceably If they
can be, and as long as they can be- and forcibly
If necessary.
Order No. 9. as interpreted 10y you will not be
respected nor obeyed by the people of Indiana.
for the plain. substantial reason that however
patriotic may have been your motive in issuing it.
it is not entitled to respect and obedience 1t is
not the law OF the people of Indiana. They have
not made it. nor assented to il. anG you are not
their rightfu Governor, nor Legislator. Indi-
ana is not province. nor territory hut STATE.
free sovereign State of the Federal Union-One
of the United States of America. II e not in re-
bellion, nor in a state of war. nor 'disioyaL" 1t
has constitution and laws of its own. all accor
dant with the constitution of the United States
1t has constitutional Governor and Legislature
and Judiciary, To whom belongs, Of right. the
control and conduct of the civil affairs of the
State-the making, administering and execution
of its laws. and the conservation Of the political
rights of its citizens. The whole machinery of
civil government in Indiana. is ready to work.
Government of the United States if you will let
the machinery alone and recognize the fact that
the military should be subordinate to the civil
power. Among the civil rights of the people OF
Indiana are the rights of free speech free press
and free courts. These rights are dear and est
mable to freemen-fOrmdable to tvrants only.
The people of Indiana have done nothing to for
felt these rights They cannot forfeit them, for
they are inherent and inaenable. They cannot
with safety permit them to be violated in the
person Of one of the humblest of the citizens of
the State Your order No. 9, therefore, which
palpably assumes an authority in yourself, as
Military Governor of Indiana. to abrogate or
suspend the constitutional rights of free speech
and free press in Indiana, cannot stand the
ordeal of discussion judicial investigation or at
tempted execution. The merest tyro in the knowl
edge OF constitutional law, knows this. The peo.
pie Of Indiana are not slaves-thev are freemen.
They will read and think-they will assemble
and make and hear speeches; they will freely
discuss public affairs and freely resolve and vote
upon them-and they will organize political par
ties. some opposed to, some favoring the Ad
ministraton, and you cannot prevent it 1t is
the constitutional nature of the people of Indiana
to do these things, as much as it was in the ma
ture of the sea 20 roll in its tide upon the beach
where Canute stood vainly commanding the
waves roll back. And the man who spends
his time in issuing proclamations to the American
people to stop free thinking. and free talking. and
free printing and free holding of public meetings.
and free voting, and doing other like things
which freemen are wont 10 do, and can't help
d0ing, might as well spend his time in baying the
moon or beating the air.
Itis not in the power of the Federal Admins
tration, of which you are military officer, nor
in the power of the political party OF which you
are active Instrument, TO Subvert freedom of
speech and of the press in Indiana elsewhere
in lhe United States. You may attack il and
temporarily abrdge or Iramme il, but you can
not subvert IT, On TIE contrary. it you and the
Administration and the party YOU serve persist in
your attacks upon them, free speech and free
press will certainly in the end smbvert you You
may arrest and lrv by court martial and sen
tence To death. Imprisonment or punishment,
"pubIic speakers" or Others "who actively op
pose the war policy of the Government" as de
fined nv ynn but hye AMI bye even the deluded
people ho may nov approve and applaud your
de<potic acts will awake a. from the sleep of
morbid brain. aud look back in memory upon
these da,s of national madness and humiliation,
as upon horrd vision. Then will come an
overwhelming demonstration of the public will
re enthrnnns law, and constitutional right and
order n their majesty. Then will come the day
of justice and retribution, and it may be that
kidnapping, imprisonment and murder done by
military men under usurped and void authority,
may be forced to bear the penalties of the law
upon kidnapping, murder and false Imprisonment,
and their kindred crimes. IL is perhaps well for
the men. Jealous 10 put their heels upon
''copperheads and traitors" as they shbly call
Northern Democrats who will not ignore their
manhood and constitutional rights. to bear in
mind that justice, though sometimes slow, is
generally sure, and that il may at no distant day
-, 49,. ..f
pressed and prosecuted, to administer ''the Gov
eri.ment'' In all lis functions and 70 dispense JUS