Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-24


New York World and Journal Of Commerce
The charge against those papers vas thA, thew
bad published bogus procla nation Of the Presi-
dent, bs, no sane and honest man believes thev
had any completely with the fraud. They were
imposed upon. and every circumstances attending
the affair demonstrates most conclusvely that
such the case.
The strange Inconsistencies OF the Admins
ustion aud the no less singular proclamations.
addresses and messages Of the President would
have vide margin for not very credulous
person to believe that the bogus proclamation in
question a genuine article. In fact such
has been the course Of the Administration for
the past three wears that the people would be
willing 10 credit even the genuinness Of procla
nation ackno~ Lodging the Independence of the
Svathern Confederscy. and they would accept IL
upon the ground that the party in power are
prepared 70 adopt any policy that will perpetuate
political supremacy in its hands. In proof Of
this look at the condition Of our foreign rela
tons. Every demand Of England has been com
piled with And the interference Of France in
Mexican affairs and the establishment OF mon
archy by that power over sister Republic
in direct violation Of the policy Of our govern
ment from the beginning-have received the
sanction Of this Republican administration.
We allDde to these facts to illustrate the ne
eessity Of indicating and preserving the freedom
of the press, To maintain individual liberty and
free institutions. Ii the freedom of the press.
involving the right OF discussing aud criticsing
the measures and policy OF the representatives
OF the Government for the time being Is stricken
down with the consent of the people. then we
may say that the end Of free government and
popular institutions have been reached. The
government OF France has been regarded as
despotism. but we venture the assertion that even
Louis NAPOLEON would not have attempted the
suppression Of two leading journals in Paris un.
der circumstances similar to those attending the
suppression OF the two papers in New York.
We do not believe that population much ac-
customed to edict- of tyranny that Of France.
governed It il by an iron rule. would have
quietly and tamely submitted TO such an act of
arbitrary power No crime was proven against
Commerce They published an ingenious hoax
innocently. aud as soon "a they we're advised OF
the fact they did all in their power to expose the
fraud But the government officials, without
ever inquring into the circumstances Of the case.
took military possession OF those offices and ar.
rested the editors and proprietors. Vet the same
officials permitted the hoax to be published to the
country over telegraphic wires under government
censorship. without rebuke, even after its agents
were advised that the proclamation was fraud
Under these circumstances We hope that Gov.
SEYMOUR has ordered the arrest OF the persons
who Sere engaged in the Infamous outrage OF
suppressng thuse papers IL was blow against
the rights aud liberty of the citizen. which should
be redressed. There must be some barrier in
terposed against the exercise of arbitrary power
or else what the American people have been
taught TO believe. in fact have believed, were the
inslienable rights of man-Iife, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. aud that TO secure those
rights. governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of
the governed, will cease TO have any force or
vitality
No necessity existed for this summary exer-
else of military despotism If the fraud was
calculated to do sny public injury. il Was cor
rected long before any evil consequences could
have enSued IL il therefore without apology or
justification and has the appearance of being the
wsnton exercise OF power by weak men because
thes had the power 10 exert IT, And not only 20
vindicate popular rights. but the people owe il to
their manhood to rebuke This act of despotsm
In this connection append the following
comments of the New York Daily News upon
the outrage. which are euinentlv worthy of con-
-ideratiou:
The military proceedings against The World
and journal OF Commerce no less than acts
ct sheer despotisIn. without even the plea at ne
cc~-ity 10 give The shadow of J, pretexi While
such things possible. are all the very
slaves To every caprice. To every passing within or
impulse OF spleen yndictiveness that NAV i'm.
fuence those in power. Gen Dix had no more
right Ia take possession of private property in this
ciiy than any other citizen nor Is the Admins
tration vested with authority 20 give him that
right Surprising that the prosecuted journals
were a. guilty a. they are innocent. the military
seizure would be no less an outrage
This city i not under marital law: whence
then. comes the power 10 interrupt the vocation
OF the citizen: to crowd his place of business
with armed soldiers: 10 Law violent hands upon
his property; to subject him to nconv enience
and loss without judicial process. and at the mere
dictation Of Federal officials Who so far as the
sovereignty of this State Is concerned are no
better and no higher than the humblest within
the city limits! IL Federal soldier should
snatch citizens watch from his pocket, the in
fraction of the law would not be greater than in
this of fOrcbe entry and false imp ison ment
The citizen would be privileged in the first case
70 protect himself against the violence: he is
equally privileged in the second case II the
proprietor of the World had armed his employees
aud resisted the assault upon his property by
physical force until the constituted guardians of
the public peice should have interviewed 10
his projections. the laws OF the state If rightly
administered would have held him justif IDLE.
The time has come when our State Govern. .
msnt must protect its people from these lswiess
doings the people will assume the re-ponsi
bilIty Of their own protection IL our form Of
government has been changed from republican
ism To military desooti>m. let il be - stated by
proclaim tiOn. aud not be gradually announced
bv successive assaults upon our rights and liber-
ues. We are aware that ambitious men who
premeditate the euthraltnent of a people have
found i prudent 10 slip on the letters by degrees
creeping ~ first towards absulu,isrn and taking
giants strides ss they approach their goal But
this sttempt IN obtain a complete control over the