Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-20
The Convention-r Issue.

sion 30 eminently demands.
The Convention-rhe Issue
The city was full of people last night from va
rious portions of the State Never before was
indianapolis so crowded in advance Of any Con
vention ever held here And the character. OF
those who nave come to attend n convention Of
the pc ppe-the only soveregns OF the country
ia the beat evidence of the deep feeling which per
vades. the public mind In regard to the condition
of our public affairs Never before did The rep
resentatives, the agents. the public servants OF
the people-the men who assume to be their
rulers because clothed with little brief authori
tv-in A more unmisttkable manner misapprehend
the sentiment of the country. The great body
Of the people feel that two wars are
bling prosecuted by the Administration in power.
A warifor the suppression of the rebellion against
the Government and the restoration of the Union
under the Constitution. has the approval of every
Democrat ss II must have that Of every good
citizen. No people ever nude such sacrifices to
preserve and miintain free institutions-the free
dog, Of speech. of the press and the ballot-as
have the conservative citizens of Indiana But
II is for the liberty and the rights of the citizen
that thev are contendiug and not his enslavement
Blu. evidently there Is another war being prose
cuted by the party in power. 1t is not war for
the maintenance of the Government. but for
the overthrow of the liberties OF the people
and to perpetuate partisan and party
rule The evidence that such is the
case is overwhelming Democrats. for criticising
the acts and policy OF the Administration. not the
Government have been arrested and tried bv tri-
bunrls unknown to the Constitution. and pun
ished not for expressed or implied acts of treason.
but only for difference of opinion to the policy
or sentiments of the ruling party.
What is our theory of Government? The
Declaration Of Independence briefly and compre
hensivelv states it. 1t says that "all men are
endowed BY their Creator with certain inaienable
rights; that among these are liie liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. that to secure these rights
Governments are instituted among men. deririna
fheir Just poircrs from the Of the qorerned
And 10 secure a free expression of the sentiments
and wishes of the people. the Constitution pro-
vides and declares that Congress shall make no
press: or the right of the people peaceably TO
assemble and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances"
The people in numbers greater than ever he
fore have convened in Indiana assemble. pence.
ably 10 obtain redress OF grievances from a
Government. or an Administration. which de-
rives it, just powers from the consent of the gov
ernei. The liberties of the citizen. the fseelom
OF speech and of the press have been assaulted and
stricken down by those who were placed in power
to maintlin these rights of the people There
has been no necessitv no justification, no apology
the Srues faithful to the Government. vet we
daily witness and read of usurpations of power
and acts of despotism which are UNPARALLELED in
the most srbitrsry Governments upon the face Of
Gods footstool
We are among those who firmly believe tia,
these usurpa,ions of power cannot long continue
We have grea; confidence in the sober. second
thought of the people The seeds of liberty have
been too firmly planted in American soil not to
spring forth md bear fruit such "a was develoned
in the revolutionary era
gentleman occupying high puhllc position.
in alluing tn the attemp, 10 crush out the liber
tie, Of the people for opinions sake. rem,rks:
The mi'sms OF the present must pass awav he
fore the storm OF the future and that storm j.
assuredlv gathering " There j. NJ doub, Of
this The people have only to hide their time
4 rs,c'ion will srrt 'inlv teke place II Is tia
duty Of the Democracy - be c,lm 10 be na,;err
70 I've determined. They should he united %
s,irution wherever Il nav raise i,s head. and tie
blessings Of pe-cr. of union aud constitutional
liberty will he their reward. -