Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-01
NOW and Then.


Now anv one who dares % question the VIE
dom Of the policy OF the Executive. or to dh-
fer with the party in power. i denounced by the
psrtisans of the Administration and the higher
las" as dislosal. aud stigm7tizei as traitor.
II other means are suggested - adjuncts to be
usel IN aid OF the military force. the suggesior
- charged with being copperhead and syn
pathizer with rebellion. To such as indulge IN
this cheap slang. We commend the follo~ing ex
tract from speech made during the Mexic"n
var by Mr AsHxux Of Massachusetts, and who
was President OF the Chicago Convention In
1850. wLich nominated Mr.. LINCOLN for the Pres
iderfey Mr.. AsHxrS said:
shall not be deferred from n discussion OF the
subject here and ut this time. by the miserable
CIV of those whose duty and profit II i % Weld
ready subservience To power, that the present -
not the prc3er time 10 make this inquiry; that We
should wait until the IS over before We should
psesurne TO IN tigate the conduct OF the Execn
i've, Sr IL j. never too soon for people who
desire 10 remain free To scrutinize the conduct Of
those who are in power The time may come
when IL nav be tho late-fatalIy too late. But
IL can never De too soon Eternal vigilance. tire
less and sieeple-s. Is necessary TO watch and
guard against the insidious encroachment OF
with the reflection that men IN power are pre-
suned To do right, adopts the doctrine of a des
no.ism And he Who sees an Executive usurp
inc u himself unauthorized military power. and
fails 20 DrOcllim and drnOunce IL, u as false To
his duty. as much traitor to his country. as the
MN Who deserts To the enemy's standard OH the
field % battle
C,n il he possible that in government like
ours war my he waged. and the people may not
ask. shereforef That armies may be levied.
the heart Of neighboring Republic be invaded,
expeditions of foreign conquest under the lead OF
questionable Characters set on oOt-milllons OF
dollars exneuded the blood of our gallant SOL
diers poured out-and that mouths are to be
sealed a. % tlle causes or necessities which have
produced such results1 Sir | acknowledge no
such sIavi-h doctrine Scorn. contempt nnd ut
ter l5arhing are all they deserve Theft belong
rishtfulv to the lips Of those who live by the
thrift which follows fawnng-thoSe OF aur nun
her vino have been the humble applicant" Tor the
BrigadierShips the Psymasierships, aud othei
crumbs which fall from tie Executive table: and
whose plfrot-m is yaorOns ard loud mouthe'l IN
proportion To their chance for getting office am
emslumenr But hold that We should he false
To our trust representatives.. II We fail to hole
90 strict accountability those who are temporarily
administering the executive departments of the
government Those men are not the Govern
ment They not the country They are
for brief perio the instrume nts for cOnduc'in:
the ff,ir- OF fhe Government and the country
The power of The people Is only partially delega
tel for special purposes How absurd and pre-
po<terous then i the clamor that. when We ven
ture to cen-ure those agents of the people. We ar
arrsying ourselves against our country
Again Mr AsHMuS said:
IL il for such a war. leading 10 such conse
quenres, that we are now. in our character
representatives. called upon to vote supplies
treasure and human Ile millions OF dollars an
thousands of men are demlnded of "a to he ex
pended tn accomplish srch result And We ar
told that, without scruple. without complaint,
i our duty to grant this demand. We are toi
that now after me has been begun, the IL
ecutive il charged with full power over It's col
duet and en aud that duty. "a good patr
ots, - 20 Weld To his request. and keep silent =
10 hs nsurpations Sir. hold no such slavis
dnctrine | deem il duty to resist aud d'
nounce il. whenever and however attempted
be enforced.
Was Mr. AsHMcS CopPerhead or traitor Oh
ring the war with Mexicol We put the questIc
to the advocates of the 'higher law.