Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-06
a Dishouest oracle.

Dishonest Oracle.
The Journal attempts to read us a lecture up
on LOYALTY and devotion to the country. Ii
says:
Let every Democrat choose which he will fol
low-the old paths of loyalty and devotion to
country or the false lights of treason which will
lead to ruin.
Let us look a little at the record of this now
professedly "loyal" paper. In 1860 it was the
apologist and advocate of the so called BRECKIN
RIDGE Democracy. The Journal and the leaders
of the Republican party. in the canvass of that
year, declared that the adherents of BREcKIN
RIDGE were the true, and that the friends Of
DooGLAs were the spurious Democracy. The
representatives of Republicanism did all in their
power to encourage the division of the Democra-
CIV in the Charleston Convention, and supported
the men whom it now charges with having
broken up that Convention land began the war
against the Union" In 1860 it declared over
and over again that the Sentinel did not repre-
sent the ''true Democracy" because it did not
support the kind professed by BREoKINRIDGE and
DAVIS.
Let US look little further at the record of this
"loval" sheet After the Presidential election in
1860, it was in favor of dissolution of the
Union. Here is the proof In the issue of the
Journal November l3, 1860, referring to the
Cotton States, it says:
They know very well that, il thev are deter
mined to leave the Union, no Republican IoiH
care 70 haDe them stay A Union preserved only
by intimidation and force, is mOckery, and IL is
IL III al III. "A
her associates in folly really want to leave the
Union, they can 90 without a word of objection
from any man north of Mason and Dixon's line.
We do not believe in resisting any seces-
sion movement. in the least"
Strong language this, is il notl In another
article few days after. it remarked that .'coer-
cion regard out of the question in any
case" 1t was opposed to any form of compul-
sion to force the dissatisfied States to remain in
the Union. In discussing this point. the Journal
used the following forcible language:
Secession is reuolution and the first act of it
lifts the whole case above all questions of forms
and laws. We are to decide, then, not what is
legal and constitutional but what is best Ii
MAY be best to follow the COnsttu ion to the ast
and enforce il at all hazards But it NAV also
happen that this will not be best. In the present
case it seems clear to that if the enforcement
of the Constitution leads to civil war. we shall be
bloodshed. We can imagine evil equal
to an American civil war, The separation of the
whole confederacy into independent nations
would be harmless beside it. OF what value will
an Union be that needs links of bayonets and
bullets to hold it together II any STATE will go
from us let it go. The price of retaining it, if
is to be paid in blood. is far greater than the
worth of il when we have got il. We are, there
fore, clearly of the opinion that any attempt to
resist by force the secession Of any State, or
combination Of States, from the Union, wou ID be
unwise and calamtous IN the last degree.
Again. in commenting upon speech made by
ROBERT DALE OWEN, the Journal says:
"He (Owen) maintains that though secession
is unconstitutional, if it be deliberately and unit
edly resolved upon by State. the dictates Of
Christian kindness, no less than of political wis
dom, is to let her go in peace. So sag lce"
In subsequent articles. the Journal descanted
upon the folly of attempting subjugation; upon
the advantages of separation. and it declared
that the secession of South Carolina was virtual
dissolution of he Unicn The Montgomery
Constitution, it tpronounces' about as good char
ter of Government as could be desired"
We could fill our paper with extracts from the
Journal, forcibly advocating and illustrating the
positions have quoted from it. The Rebels
only desired what that loyal" paper was willing
to concede-a separation of the States, and an
Independent Confederacy. The Rebels asked to
be let alone. ana the Journal said "Go in peace I"
But the Journal went still farther in favor of dis
union. Months after the fall Of Sumter, and civil
war had commenced. it was still willing to con
cede separation. IL said:
"If they (the Rebes) will lay down their arms
and now come to the Nation for permission to
separate, we shall again say yes for we have
seen no reason to change the views we advocated
last winter"
These views we have given in brief, in the ex-
tracts we have quoted. And what is the offense
Of the Sentinel, in the estimation of the Journal?
1t has not as the Journal has done declared itself
for disunion. On the contrary il has advocated
restoration Of the Union, under the Constitution
as the supreme law of the land-a faithful ad-
herance to all obligations Of the Constitution.
Those are the old paths of loyalty and devotion
to the country, the following of which will lead
and would have lead to peace and union. The
Journal has done all in It's power to induce
people. North and South, to follow the false
lights Of treason. which not only lead, but we
fear have led TO ruin With such a record what
bonset man in all the land VIII pay a particle of
respect to the declarations, the insinuations or
the deuunciatiODs of the Journal--the central or
gan of the Republican party in Indiana 1t is
guilty Of the meanest treason by being false to
its own teachings. IL il was honest in the ex-
preston Of the sentiments we have quoted il must
be dishonest now. or if it has been guilty of false
teaching in the past no confidence should be
or can be placed in its present declarations.