Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-23

are among the most alarming Dortents OF the times.
But. remember that while along with the great
Hampden the name of the honest and fearless
Croke, and of his noble Wifs. will survive in
honor, the time-serving and unjust Judges who
eat with him, and yielded to political expediency
and military necessity }" have persisted from bis
tory, or are remembered only to be execrated.
The blessed memory of Lord Hale IS still fra
grant; while the name of the bloody Jeffries. who
escaped death upon the felon's scaffold only by
dying miserably in felon's cell, is the opprobri
um of the English bench Algernon Sydney died
a convicted traitor; but in little while his ex-
ecution was sdjudged judicial murder; and pos
terity, for six generations, has held him in rever
ence patriot Finch, King James the Sec
ond's Attorney General, procured the conviction
and death of the pure and virtuous Lord Russell,
as conspirator against the Government: but
eight wears Afterwards, when he would have
ieved himself in Parliament from the odium of
the act, the indignant clamor of the whole House
forced him, in shame and confusion. 10 resume
bis seat; and Russell still lives in England and
America as martyr to liberty.
Yoar courage, your fortitude, your manhood,
will also some day be severely tried. But then
remember Curran, whose tame brightens Just as
the memory of the venal placemen and barristers
around him rots, with each revolving wear, and
who, when menaced in court by file of soldiers
gathering their muskets as he addressed the jury
in defense Of one charged with treason. exclaimed
in manly defence: you may assassinate, but
you cannot intimdate me-" Read, too the
speeches and admire aud initiate the heroic Frs
kline the greatest OF English bartisters, who,
against the whole power of the executive in time
of both foreign war and rebellion, maintained
for years the rights and liberties of
Englishmen With undaunted intrepedity
Prepare yourselves, by continued study of the
characters and noble emulation of the example of
these and other great and good men of the past,
for like scenes in your own day. Nerve your
hearts now for the struggle. But, remember
that ability, however eminent, aud intellectual
discipline, however exact, are not enough. With
out pure morals, correct habits and liked ntegri-
ty you cannot endure the trial. Be virtuous
Be pious. | use the word in no narrow, sectari-
an, or theological sense: but in that which Virgil
means when he calls Eneas plus piety
which belongs to no one sect, nor cline, nor
time, nor country, but which, everywhere and at
all times, renders to God and self and man what
ever is due, and does it in the very spirit Of the
Sermon on the Mount
But, young gentlemen, while have thus adj
dressed you as students preparing yourselves for
the ordinary branches and professions of life,
well know that at any time many OF you would
be, and i'll times of such tremendous import
| Just now ere upon Us in our own country, all of
you are profoundly interested in politics. Prob
ably you give to them more of your thoughts
than 10 any of your collegiate or professional
studies. | know. too, that many of you, even
now. look eagerly forward to the time when you
will PISS from your professions into political life.
That is the goal of your ambitious longings.
Your hearts are fixed upon it. 1t is an honor
able, holy ambition-an ambition not to be
extngushed, but to be regulated. He is false
teacher who would tell the ingenious, virtuous
and public spirited youth of the country
that the political service of the country
is fit only for the vulgar, the impure,
the corrupt. As there are hypocrtes in the pull
pit, empires in medicine, pettifoggers at the bar,
and pretenders everywhere, 50 there are dema-
gogues in political life. But there is as well
morality philosophy, science in politics, far
above the circle of these reptiles. Unhappily the
low standard of capacity and morals set up and
| denounced by those who decline public life, and
practically but too often acknowledged by poll
ticians. is another of the evil portents which i'm
pend our country OF the corruptiDg influences
of avarice at all times, | need not speak. But
more deodsng and dangerous STILL in seasons of
great public connection, is the execrable vice OF
fear. ALI these combined make up that most
loaihsome of all the objects of reproach and
scorn-"a scurvy politician" He has borne the
same odious character in every country and age.
Among the Greeks. he once courted popularity,
or place. by pointing out the smugglers of
figs, and was cursed as both spy aud informer and
thence gave name to the whole class of dema-
gogues. In Rome, he headed every petty popu-
lar tumult. hnd clamored fercely for division of
lands and goods Curraa described him in his
day, in lelicitous phrase, rs. lone who. buoyant
by putreiactiOn, rises as he r0ts." He is the
yermin, the insect of politics, and amid the heats
of civil war and CONFUSION, teens into life thick
as gnats in the summer evening air If any one
among you-and | speak those who would
aspire to be lenders among their countrymen-
have neither the capacity nor the ambition TO be
a statesman, let him at least not stoop to become
a demagogue. Preach, heal, try causes. work,
but scorn to be one of that number. who knows
nothing of politics except the passions aud per-
sOnaties which they excite. Ii not able to argue
upon principles, measures, policies, debate not at
all Ii YOU cannot soar do not creep. Whoever
discusses only men in politics, Is always largely a
slanderer. Principles, not men. is not, indeed,
altoe ether "A sound maxim; though little liable TO
be abused-since personalities always make mp SO
large and controlling an element in mere partisan
politics Better say, principles and men. 1t is
easy to 6e a politician or demagogue-sail with
the wind; float with the current; look not to the
compass, neither lift up your eyes to the heavens
where the CONSULTATIONS and the pole star-bright
glorious emblems of God aud Truth and the
Right-siill shine, steadfast, immovsble, just nc
they shone ia the beginning Of time. POetd
nascitur So it i, with the demagogue But the
voyage is through mid ocean and in s;yrm. He
sails under orders. His port is ascertained and
prescribed before he out. and it is his duty to
reach it; and so. like the majestic ocean steamer
be sails on. and
against the wind. against the tide,
Still stea les with an upright keel"
Demosthenes, more than two thousand years
ago. in his great Grafton for the crown, well dis
.inguished between these two characters. declar
l,,ln hoy
differed chiefly in this: that the statesman boldly
and honestly proclaimed his opinion before the
event, ami thus m,de himself responsible to for
tune, to the times. u his countrymen, to the
world; while the Sycophant or demagogue
was Silent Till the event bad happened, aDd
then governed his speech anu his conduct ac
cordngly
And now allow me to- adj. that though you
may be patriots and vet not statesmen, the
great statesman is always "A patriot His love
of country is as well principle emotion
Duty enters largely into it; hence it is stable
enduring Ii IS not sensatonal-certainly not
mere feely of gratitude; least of all, in the
meaning OF that word as defined by Dr. John
son: "A lively sense of favors yet to be recev-
ed" He loves his country both wisely and
we'll He never sacrifices her real though more
remote interests, to popular camor; and still les:
at the demand of those who hold the power
Neither will he corrupt the virtue nor tarnish the
honor of his country, tn serve her mere sordd in
/, terests. Rather viii he initiate the example OF
Aristides, who, reporting to the Athenians that a
certain proposition was indeed for their immed
a e advantage but would bring dishonor upon the
State, counseled that they reject it.
have said nothing about loyalty 1t is a
word which belongs, justly, hut only to kingl,
governments. | can comprehend loyalty to a
king. and especially to queen, but. as an Amer