Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-18

can partisans who have given them prominence.
importance and character. ~
TO give a clear idea of the position occupied
by the Republican members Of Congress in their
controversy with Mr. Lose TO advance partisan
interests, we copy the following comments ofthe
New York World of Monday last:
Mr.. Colfax-aiways demAgogue-has over
shot the mark in his attempt to catch little
cheap popularity. "Vaulting ambition has Der
leaped itself and fallen on t'other side f"
Three of the Republican journals of this city
that is to say, all of them, except the Tribune,
have expressed their disapproval OF this attempt
to expel Mr.. Long for words spoken IN debate.
The Evening Post. in particular, has declared its
sentiments ia way which we trust may prove
instructive to the popularity-huntng busy body
who has prostituted the dignity of his office.
Says the Post:
But there is more than question Of mere party ex-
pedieDcy in this Mr.. Longs speech per.
fectly legitimate expression of opinion He thinks that
the rebels must be allowed to go in peace or be extpa-
in proper words We do concur with him. do not
think cOncede the independence of the
Coufederscy (which is impossbty in our view nor
to extirpate the people Of the South. 81 r...-
'we are not however unwilling that those who have
other conclusions should have the full liberty TO
express them whether in the newspapers or on the nors
Of Congress- u they carry that liberty to the extent Of
overt acts Of treason they can be arrest and punished
but 10 they remain within the limits Of fair debate IL
they conrovert argument by argument If they present
only logic eOquence appeal, in favor Of their views,
they but exercizng the rights which belong to all
freemen."
That the description here given of the temper
and manner of Mr. Longs speech is true should
be evident, even 10 those who have not read it,
from the fact that he was not called to order,
either by Speaker Cofax or any member, during
its delivery. When his hour was up. he requested
an extension Of time to conclude his speech, a
request which was granted with alrcrity by lead
ing Republican members. III the speech was
reekiug with treason why was not Mr.. Long
called to orderG BY one Of the rules of the
House, in cases requiring it, "the Speaker shall.
and any member may, call to order" To judge
of one part of Mr. Colfax's conduct by the
other, be sat a passive listener to higrant trea-
son, without calling the traitor to order; and it
took him till the next day to fiud out that treason
was an affront TO the dignity of the Housed BY
another rule OF the House, mo member shall be
held to answer be subject to the censure of the
House for words spoken in debate. if any .Ither
member has spoken, or other business interviewed,
after the words spoken and before exception to
them SHALL have been taken" One might cup
pose that the Speaker. at least, would know the
rules whose observance to his Office to enforce.
Other business was transacted, other members did
r..
Long, in the very teeth of this rule, "held to
answer for words spoken in debate" model
Speaker. this Mr.. Colfax who thus conspicu ously
violates rule of the House of nearly thirty years
standing
On the merits of the question, il it were prop
erly before the House, we have little to add to
what we said yesterday lu the language of
Justice Story, the freedom Of Congressional
speech and debate is "great and vital privilege
al fhar,
paratively unimpOrtant or Intellectual" We can
not approve even OF the vote Of censure passed
upon Mr.. Harris, on Saturday, although such n
vote is technically within the power of the House.
When bis language began to be improper he
should have been called TO ORDER and made 10
take his seat. Mr. Quincy in the last war with
Great Britain, expressed wish identical TO that
for which Mr. Harris was censured-namely, a
wish that our arms might not succeed without
even being called To order Ia our opinion. Mr.
Quincys speech was unpItriotic and scandalous
las il certainly scurrilous) but the Demo-
cratic party preferred deal with it only by ar
gumentatiye retOrt. The light in which the
supporters of the war looked upon such attacks is
illustrated by this political quotations, made on
the occasion by one of them:
when satire few abroad on factions wing
Short was her life aud impotent her sting"
We altogether repudiate and reject the senti-
inconsistent with our ideas of patriotism and
| public duty. The patriotic course for a member
of Congress who disapproves OF an existing war
was well expressed by Me-. Calhoun, in describing
his own course Ia reference to the Mexican war.
Every Senator" he remarked, "knows that
was opposed to the war; but none knows but
myself the depth OF that opposition" 81 adopt
ed the only course" he said (which, ACCORDING
to my opinion, could with propriety-to take no
active or lessdng parL In reference to the
intended for carrying on the war, but to give a
quiet and silent vote in favor OF all which did
not seem to me decidedly Objectionable; but, in
the meantime, to look out for the first favorable
opportunity of presenting nv views bow the war
should be conducted TO bring it most advantage
ously TO a successful termination Ii Mr. Long
and Mr. Harris had pursued a similar course it
would have corresponded better with our ideas OF
an honest and patriotic opposition to the present
war; but they have done nothing TO justify the
display OF intolerance and demagogism of which
the House has been the scene for the last two
DAYS.