Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-21
PersIsfens NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

The Administration papers seek every nppor-
tunity to misrepresent their partisan opponents
Failing to inspire the people with confidence in
the principles and policy they represent and adj
vocate. they hope to secure a success by a wicked
peryersiou of the motives and sentiments of the
Democracy The common charge of the Repub-
Iican press and Republican orators is that Demo
Gratis are d~isloyal, enemies to the Government
and 81 mpathizers with traitors. Who are they
that make these accusations7 Do they come
from a class who have any more
interest in maintaining good
government than the men whose integrity and
patriotism is thus impeachedl A distinguished
gentleman who occupies a high position in the
so called Union" party, a year or so ago, in a
public speech, defined loyalty to be fidelity to the
Consultation. IL then a strict adherence to con-
how can the party which openly and shameless'y
disregsrds the Constitution set up any claim to
loyalty, or with what right can they charge dis
Loyalty upon those who regard the Constitution
as a standard of political faith with the same
reverence that the Christian accepts the Bible as
his guide and rule in all that appertains to his re-
Iigious faith2 The Democracy have always made
fidelity to the Constitution the cornerstone of
their political faith, and to-day they believe
more firmly than ever that the only hope of
preserving civil and religious liberty is in main
tanning the Constitution as it is.
But we started out to say a few words about
the persistent Misrepresentation Of the Repubi
can press. What good can come from such q
coursef A party can not long triumph that is
based upon falsehood and error. Such agencies
may secure temporary success, but when the
exposure comes, as it surely will. the more over
whelming will be its defeat. The people can not
always be deceived. The scales will fall from
even those who are willing to be blind. And
we caution the men who are busy lying to con-
tinue political power in their hands, to remember
that the more they crowd the pendulum. to one
side the further it will 60 to the other when it
swings back.
We care but little what our political opponents
say of us, for we know that we are influenced by
no other motive or purpose than what we believe
to be the honor and welfare of the country. Blu
we have apprehensions for the future when we
read the willfuI and malicious Misrepresentation
which the Republican press charge upon the mo
tives, the sentiments and the action of their po-
litical opponents for the basest of partisan pur-
poses and regardless of the public interests. This
species of deDravity is an omen of evil. A Re-
publican Government cannot exist without tole-
ration: there cannot be liberty without charity.
While there has been a difference of opinion
Is to the policy OF the Government in dealing
with the rebellion, no Administrator has been
sustained with greater liberality than the present.
Every demand it has made upon the people has
been cheerfulIy and readily complied with. And
as Senator TRUMBULL, of Illinois, remarked, if
the rebellion is not overthrow and the national
authority is not restored over the rebel States,
the responsibility for the failure will rest upon
the party in power, for Congress, he said, had
placed all the resources of the Government at its
disposal. All the Democracy have asked is that
there should be free discussion upon the ques-
tons which affect the people alike. so that
public sentiment would be rightly directed and
the will of the people fairly expressed through the
ballot box
Is there any wrong in this7 Does such a
course Indicate Gisloyalty. or is it any evidence
that the Democracy are enemies to the Govern
ment-enemies to themselves. in fact, for the
people. according to the Constitution, constitute
the Government Does a good cause require
mi representation and lying to sustain it2 All
that the Democracy ask is open debate and q
pure. untrammeled ballot box. And they will
cheerfully submit to whatever may be the
verdict Of a free people But misrepresenta-
Z ms. deception and fraud will certainly return 10
plague the inventors