Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-04

Amsresn layslsy 9th aa ability. rlesrnss. and
force ~heh esnaes f.ll 60 ps,iure deep 10
pses.lpn upos the public miud Nc cenrm j.
the authof Of q wsFk sp the American con~silu
slaa. and hat lss mea have a better or clearer
sppreeis,iss Of "a. character. ia scope and IL
obligations than he. No one can pefu-e hi.
address upon the true condition Of Americans
lasaits Without more comprehensive and just
vie~ 81 the duties 81 the citizen b the Govern
men, aud the obliga ions ~ the Government To
the eitizen--in word. the mutual relations AMI
dulie, Of each 20 the o,her-,han he had before
ensssidaed AR. cusrrs speaks no, n par
tisan. but A. asAtesman. whose highest ambition
l. 10 maintain the Constitution. To preserve con
s,iiutional liberty, and 20 restore and perpetuaie
the Union Of the States:
Ma. PEfsGptsr, AND GrSrLEnrs on THE DEMO.
CRATIC ASSOCIATION: Nothing but the sense Of
duty which every man owes society, according
% the measure Of his ability to serve IL, would
have induced me TO address you in a time like
this IL - = time of strange excitements and
strange acts No man who does not Join in
Wild. undiscri mnstHS support OF the measures
and dogmss Of dominant party can hone 10 ca
cape iesrsetior aud obloquy. The utmost exer
tioa< are masis % suppress ordinary freedom Of
speech: every Gevice is employed To mslepresent.
and every eK,rt il made To misunderstand the
purposes OF those who are in political oppo-ition
to the party in power. The vocabulary of po-
litica slaag is exhausted 10 find terms OF reproach
anil inf NV with which TO stgmitze men whose
motives have in their ftsor NIL the ordinary pre-
-amption- at purity AMI who-e arguments and
opinion are ~ le tst entitled 10 respectful hear
ing THIS pruees-, which has been going ON for
many months with violence naeximplel even
AIN pug a pe,pe whose political discussions are
never marked bv temperance, has eliminated
from time % time IN oatrages upon the rights Of
persons and property. and my do again. IL
Il nitine when % " would rhpu~e 10 utter upin.
ion< without beisg impelled by a strong sense of
duty.
bat II We are not prepared 10 suffer for our
convictions. thcs mu-t be very feeble convictions
IL we de- not love our country and is institutions
vel enough to encounter MI the hazards that
my attend az honest effort Ia save them, our
love mast be cold indeed Such am sure, il
not YOUR es-e. or NV own. Applause Mean
Ing - utter here nuthng hut warls of truth aud
s,befness-thc truth rs | hold IT. IN the -oberncs.
that beeome~ mel accept all the responsibility
Ia pus.iic opinion which may iusls tall thereon
purpose % -pe,k To YOU To night upon a S1b
ject which seems 10 me- to he strangely misappre.
heuie.l by m,ny good men. and sirang ely per
subject ot "l.siv lily" The word itself. ut le,e,
In the IN which II y usod in those countrie.
from which We have lately borrowed IL. can
scarcely be rai tahsve appropriate place la our
p,llllcs and social syStem. but IL "a "A word ut
present IN great Use among "a. aud We must take
II We hnd u. AMI are bound Ia inquire what are
the mor, duties which IL. Just aud true rignihea
tioa embu'ees THIS inquiry. and the certain
consequences of accepting and following out the
the topic. 1T my discourse
The tfuo conditions of American LOYALTY are
not IA bs iound in the passionate exactlons OF
partisan lenders. In the frantic declarations OF
the pulpit. the ras,rum. or the press. fCheers !
People Who ia not like INV political opinions may
hurl ~ me the eaiihct "dsloyai." but when they
have thrown this missile they have not taken y
single step toward declining. "a nae others. what
the true conditions of loyalty are II N important
that Thu step should be taken; for whether We
% - on or 10 eease'in this course Of I'LL. and
unmetning abuse. 10 concerns M all a. know
Whit measure Of public duty may rghtfuly be
extcte u ot n. To know the hight and depth of
thnse sreu virtues which are comprehendcd in
the term '.ptuioti.m feel ~ once that they
are ,este ~ our affections ani euihrunei IN our
rctsoa--ls "a get VISION and Ia xet under
am.lng. Ia the largest of earthly concerns
[ x'pare
The true conditions of American loyalty are
to b. found in the law Of the land; in the iustiu
tions under which we live: In the duties flowing
from the Con ,titution of our country; applause;
In the polili nj system which we have inherited
from our fathers, with all its manifold relations,
through which we NAV trace the clear dividing
line thai separates perfect from imperfect obIiga-
tons. lChccrs.
The text of our fundamental law i the guide,
AMI the sole guiis In all ethical inquiries into the
duties of the CITIZEN. To that source all must
COM. rulers aud people alike; to that fountain
all must resort. TIL vague and shifting stand
ards thai are drawn from supposed dangers to
what Il callcl tho National life" or which
spring from the conflicting judgments of mon re-
specsing public necessities can determine moth
inc. These things can furnish no rule We
nut have a rule. for loyalty i n moral duty:
AMI Il mist therefore b. capable Of definition A
people whose National life" exists ONLY hy viz
tur Of n written constitution. and who can have
m necessities that lie out of or beyond that writ
ten necessity. can fnl no rule OF LOYALTY in any
of the necessities which their constitution of gov
ernmcnf docs not cover. They may find grounds
OF cxpcdiency. in one or another supposed ne
ccssify Tor DESTROYING their constitution: but il
would b. extremely absurd 10 say that this ex-
pediency could be made the object Of their 10y
atty" Let Us 20 then To the fountain head--thc
sourcc Of all our National obligations.
The Constitution of the United States itself
prcscribcs the full meaning of our loyalty in
these words:
'srhis Constitution and the laws of the United
States. wiscs shall ~ made IN pursuance thereof
and all treaties made or which shall be made
under the authority OF the United States, shall
he THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND"
Observe how precise rs well ~ comprehensive
this great rule of our duty l.. Ii expresses with
out ambiguity the whole of our obligation toward
the Federal Government. Il makes n SUPREME
LAW: law paramount TO all other human laws
an obligation transcendng all other political oh
legations Ii leaves NO room whatever for m,
Intrusion Of another or n rival claimant to on,
civil obedience. That claimant can neither be q
person invested or uninvested with Office. nor an
idea Of public necessity, nor m imaginary Ma
tional life beyond or apart from the life created
under the Constitution. The only possible claim
an of our obedience Is the LAW: or a that law
J. made supreme, all other demands or demand
ants mon our submission are Of necessity ex-
clul,d. Loud cheers
What then doe- thls supreme law embrace.
The text on which an commenting itself fur
nshes the answer This Constellation - II s,ys-
what this Constitution contains aud the laws
shalt be made N conformity with it-thes. shall
he ina supreme law. rising IN authority ,tc,. :,
other Laws. No public nece<siiics ave - tbev
are emboiiei in the Constitution. no sr.,,on.,
life" ssve - IL exists under the Constitution. -.
lc...'stion thst D not in accordance with The en-
stituiioli-is The supreme law ~, What the Con
ssir.fsob orIains AUTHORIZE that l. the publi.
ncres>itv. shr = the national life. because IL 1
The supreme civil Obligation Applause
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