Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-06
Gen. Hascau,s order.


An order just issued by Gen. Hascall. com.
manding in the District of Indiana, concerning
the enforcement of Gen. Burnside's recent order
respecting ~offenses under the CONSUMPTION law, at
tracts attention. We quote from it:
"All newspapers and public peakers that coun-
sci or encourage resistance to the Consumption
act. or any other law of Congress passed as a war
measure, or that endeavor to bring the war policy
of the Government into disrepute, will be con-
sidered as having violated the order above alluded
to, and treated accordingly. The country will
have to be saved or lost during the time this Ad-
ministration remains in power, and therefore he
who is factiously and actively opposed to the war
policy of the Administration is as much opposed
to his Government"
1t is certainly a moral. if not a legal offense in
a newspaper or public speaker, to counsel or en-
courage resistance to any law. That is doctrine
which we have preached for years. We presume,
though We have not investigated as to the fact,
that it lis a military offense under the CONSUMPTION
law in any newspaper or public speaker TO coun-
sci or encourage resistance to that law. So far
so good. No newspaper and no public speaker
of the Democratic party will counsel or encour-
age resistance to that law, "or any other law
passed BY Congress as a war measure"-violent
resistance, we mean. Whatever resistance Dem
ocrats may oppose to these laws viii be such lie
gal resistance as will test their constitutionality-
as will test whether they be laws or not. The
great glory of the Democratic party is in its ira
ditional doctrine of obedience to law, and il is not
now going to snuff out this glory by treachery
to its traditions. 1t will itself obey the law.
and compel every body else to obey the law.
Herein Is the forlorn hope of the safety of the
country.
But let US look a little further at this order of
Gen Hascall. "Ail newspapers and public
sneakers - L. the lanpuaUa Of tho ,,rlar - thar
counsel or encourage resistance to the conscrip-
ton act. or any other law of Congress passed as
a war measure, or that endeayor To bring the war
policy OF the Government into disrepute, will be
considered "etc. Gen. Hascall would have done
well to have been a little more explicit here.
hat does he mean by ''endervoring TO bring the
war policy of the Government into disrepute T.
Does he mean that candid discussion, BY which
that policy will be shown to be unwise. uncon-
stitutional and destructive to the very end pro-
fsssed to be sought by it, is to be deemed an of
tense? Does he mean that the war policy of the
Administration is not to be discussed at all ex
cept TO praise itg 1t his language means any
thing 1t means this, vet we do not credit that he
designed TO say this. because it does not strike us
that he would undertake to saw this without the
sanction Of his snperiors, and it is our opinion
that his superiOrs have not reached that stage in
the progress OF usurpation and despotiSm at which
tney WOuiu set out 10 strike down falr anu Tree
discussion of public measures. We thank Heav-
EN- that. as we believe, that point has not yet beer
reached.
We thank heaven, too, that il is not apparent
20 Us. as it i is to Gen. Hascall, that 1.-The countr,
VIII have To be lost OF saved during the time thal
this administration remains in power" If thai
was apparent IL US we should give the countr,
over as lost. We have not the remOtest expecta
ton that this Administration will save the coun
try. The only ground for hope for safety which
we can see is the brief duration of power re
manning TO this Administration, and this is tn,
only ground of hope with thousands of conserva
tive Republicans. The earnest and painful
solicitude of all conservative men. is tina
healthful public opinion may exercise such salu
tarv influence over the conduct of the Admins
tration that there will be a country to save afteI
the Administrator itself shall have gone out o.
existence.
We know nothing of the antecedeuts of Gen
Hascall, but we await further developments o.
his order with some curiosity, at least.-Chi
cago Times.