Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-13

iNAot ~ NAIAA hhNAb (og NlAiii "a 0AlODs ~
Great Britain. from the battle of Lexington and
ConcorG, April 10, IT'S, to July a. l776, nearly
a year and "A quarter, before they separated from
the parent nation, and with this Union they con-
tinued the war Of tie Revolution till the appear-
ance of the Union of the second stage, in 1878.
The Union of this, the first stage, then, was
formed, not as an end. but as a means Of obtain
ing for THE people personal liberty. The end was
accomplisheffat that time. -
q. The Union Of the second stage was formed
by the Articles of Confederation, July, 177S.
This was a voluntary Union, with specified terms,
and for a declared end, viz: Art. 8, "their COM
mon defense, TIE SECURITY OF THEIR LIBERTY
and their MUTUAL and general welfare" Tbs
Union of the second stage, then. was formed not
as an end but as a means of securing the con-
tinued enjoyment of the popular liberties which
had been gained under the Union of the first
gstae.
The Union of the second stage lacked the
power OF self preservation = 49,
3. The Union of the third stage succeeded the
Union of the, second. and was formed by our
present Constitution. 1t was voluntary, but upon
specified terms and with power Of self perpeiua
ton.
What was the purpose of this Union of the
third staged ItEwas not wholly an end, but
mainly a means. am instrumentality, for what?
Let il answer for itself. The preamble to the
Constitution declares that the end for which it
was adopted is to make the Union more perfect,
&c, land secure fe blessings Of liberty to our
selues and our p0sterity."
This short review Of the history of our indie.
p~eDdence and Union, shows that the great end
for which they were accomplished was the per-
petuaI liberty ofthe people, aud instructs US that as
the Union was made to secure our liberties, we
must never allow it, tor the sake of itself, to be
diverted from its original purpose, to be made the
| ipcfrtt rnohf n tho nrotoxf for tho doofrnofto, IF
those very liberties IL was mainly designed TO
guard.
This review also points to the duties which we,
as citizens. have to perform.
Fellow citizens: Time and events have de-
volved upon us the solemn duties, viz:
or preserving the Liberties of this people by
v~igilantly guarding them against attacks of arbi-
trary power.
OF preserving the Union of these States, fear
fully endangered by the unconstitutional acis of
extremists and fanatics i'm all sections of the com.
mon country. OF preserving our National indie
pendencer put in hazard. to some extent. by our
domestic quarrels. History teaches that all Gov
ernments are prone to usurp arbitrary, tyrannical
powers over the citizens, TO Justify such usurpa
ton by the plea of necessity, known as the ty-
rants plea, and TO remain short sighted enough
to continue TO exercise such powers after the
people have become sufficiently enlightened to
KNOW Jnelf fl1LIS. Sucu lOlly mas caused the
overthrow of most of the fallen dynasties. Take
the example of Charles the First, of England.
For what was he dethroned? What were the
complaints of the people against him? | take
this case, because it so clearly shows US that the
ideas of to dav passed through the minds of our
ancestors and were decided upon by them. The
complaints against King Charles are clearly set
forth in charges against his Ministers, one of
whom was the great Lord S%trafford, who, as Mr..
Thomas Wentworth had been an ardent Demo
GRAFT, but who, us Lord Stanford with place, pow
er and money, went over TO administration to the
side ofdespotic power, and became the most ''thor-
Ough" prosecutor of his former political associ-
ateS; also they appear in accusations against
King Charles himself on his trial. Against him
it WAS charged chat the said Charles Stuart, be-
ing admitted King of England, and therein trust
ed with a limited power to govern 10y, and accor-
ding to the laws of the land and not otherwise;
and, by his trust, oath and Office. being obliged
to use the power committed to him for the good
and benefit of the people, and for the preservation
of their rights and liberties; yet, nevertheless.
out of "A wicked design to erect and uphold in
himself an unlimited and tyrannical power, TO
rule according To his will, and to overthrow the
rights and liberties OF the people-yea, TO take
away and make void the foundations thereof, and
of all redress and remedy of misgovernment,
which, Oy the fundamental constitutions of this
Kingdom. were reserved on the peoples behalf,
in the rights and privileges of frequent and sue
cessive meeting of Parliaments, or national
meetings in council, &c"
The charges against STAFFORD. the most infu-
entail and confidential Minister of Charles, and
Ola which charges he lost his head, were that he
obtained authority from the King to exercise pow
ers subversive of all laws. and whereby he made
arbitrary a%rrefts, and declared /" that the people
should find the Kings little finger heavier ;han
the loins Of the law" In short, that he was aid
ing the King in an attempt 10 subuert the 1unda
mental Inlcs of the country. and TO gOUerH by eE-
ecUtiUe pOtcer.
Andt he plea of necessity and good intention
was put in by Charles and his Cabinet Ministers
to Justify heir arbitrary acts; but that illustrious
patriot and strict cOnstructionist, John Pym,
could not see the p%rOpriety of allowing such a
plea, and the people of his day agreed with him.
He insisted that good Intentions could not Justify
a thing wrong in its very self. and that the plea
of necessity, as u justification for the exercise of
arbitrary, illegal power upon the citizen. by the
Government, was utterly destructive of all liber-
" in the people, and subversivs of all security.
The doctrine, said Pym, in a speech in Par
lament, more than two hundred years ago, that
lin case of danger the King may impose upon his
subjects, and that he is the sole Judge of the dan
ger. necessity and proportion, is, in brief, to
enable him to take what, when and where he
will, which doctrine, though delivered in the time
of n gracious and merciful prince. who. we hope,
will not wrest it beyond our abilities, vet, when
left to the Interpretation of a succeeding tyrant,
If ever this nation be so unfortunate as To fall
into the hands of such. it is a record wherein
every man might read himself a slave that reads
it, having nothing he can call bis own, but all
prostitute to the will Of another. II -lNH
he proceeds:
THE law is the boundary, the measure be-
twixt the Kings prerogative and the peoples
liberty; but If these bounds be so removed that
they enter into contestation and conflict, one of
these mischiefs must ensue: if the prerogatlve of
the King overwhelm the liberty of the people, il
will be turned into tyranny; if liberty under
mineth prerogative, it will grow into AN anarchy.
The law hath a power to prevent, to restrain,
to repair evils. Without this, all kinds of mis-
chief and distempers will break in upon a State.
1t is the law that doth entitIe the King to the
allegiance and service of his people.
'If you take away the law. all things will fall
into a confusion. Every man will become a law
to himself, which, in the depraved conCition of
human nature. must needs produce macy great
enormities Lust will become a law. and envy
will become a law; covetousness and ambition
will become laws; and what dictates, what decis.
ions such laws will produce, may easily be dis
cerned in the late government of Ireland.
And, he contended thatif there was a neces
sity then existing for going beyond the law. and
exercising arbitrary power, that very necessity
had beer created by tue illegal. arbitrary acts oil
the Executive and military officers, provoking
the people into acts of violent resistance. See
I Life Ut lPym in Forster, British Statesman.
Thus thought and thus acted our patriot ances
tiers, before the middle of the 18th century. as
: to arbitrary governments. 1t is earnestly to bC
3 hoped that ours. the wisest and best in structureo OF
earth. will not, ia administration, commit th,
fstd tHiistakee of the past. VIII not split upon such
[ a rock. 1t is the great trust of the people to sc,
, that IN does NOT The neoDle must comnel AL