Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-23
ON the situation.

headism," and lying Is loyalty" Such must
be the honest impression Of all who read its edi
torial of yesterday. headed THE Sentinel on the
Situation" In our issue of Thursday morning,
in a few lines, We gave the substance Of the tele-
graphic dispatches con the situation" The tel
egraph is under government censorship, and its
employees are what are termed '~'loyal" men
which means. according to the modern interpret
alton Of the term, allegiance to the Administers
ton. This kind of fealty is now regarded as
the test of loyalty. Those who question the
wisdom and integrity Of the men in power are
pronounced "disloyal" by the adherents OF the
Administration To fact they boldly proclaim
that the citizen has no right to think, but that he
must blindly yield bis Judgment to those who
were elected by the people to administer the
government as the representatives Of the public
will.
But any reflection upon our course comes with
i'll grace from the Republican organ. Be
fore the commencement Of hostilities, in elab-
crate articles it pronounced a civil war a
worse evil than the loss of a dozen States
it favored separation rather than civil war,
and months after the capture of Fort Sum
ter it expressed It's willingness to let the rebel
States depart from the Union and establish a
separate coniederacY, upon the single condition
that they should lay down their arms and go in
peace. And the leading Republican prints ex-
pressed similar sentiments. They admitted that
secession was revolution; that our government
was based upon the right of revolution, and
that dissatisfied States had the right to dissolve
their connection with the Union whenever, in
their opinion, the Federal Government became
oppressive to them. Strange as it may appear,
the paper which held and advocated those views
is COW the 6ercest in charging that We are pur-
suing a "disloysl" course.
But what is our offense? The Journal says
that our comment Of Thursday upon the situa-
ton exhibits a disloyal heart. Did we not tell
the truth. and is the truth d~isloyal? We said
that gold was eighty three. the highest point it
had reached. That fact came through a loyal
telegraph. We also stated that SIGEL was met
and defeated with severe loss; that another draft
Of three hundred thousand men was to be ordered,
and that LEE was still holding his position
a. oDONtoNANunAN- ONa We w " Naah OffNh W
reproduce the that the telegraph,
under government censorship. published to the
worldl
But telling the truth WAS not our only ofense.
The journal sees treason in a declaration to
which no honest man can object. We inquired,
in view Of the incapacity of the men in power to
wisely and sue e~ssfull. administer 'he govern
ment, whether it was not tins that the people
should take charge of their own affairs? This
the Journal constructs TO mean "a call upon the
tens of thousands of sworn enemies to the
Union in tn North. . . to rise in all the
might thew possess and endeavor to overthrow
{ government"
In the language of the Journal we inquire,
doe this mean?" We know of no enc
mics to the Union in the North. unless it be
those who. under the sacred name of Union, are
undermining the principles upon which it was
founded, and which must result, if successful, in
a centralized despOtism. In this view of the case
We repeat the question, to which the Journal
takes exception, els it not time that the people
should take charge of their own affairs?" Not
BY the overthrow of the government" but
through that peaceful revolution which the Con-
sttutiOHa has prOvided-the ballot box. And
whyf Using again the language of the article
to which the Republican organ objects, because
"their agents have demonstrated most indisputa-
bly, their incapacity to administer the govern
ment." Self-gOverument is the cornerstone of
republican Institutions. The verdict of the bal
lot box is the only authorized expression of the
public will upon questions Of public policy. To
that srbiter We appeal, untrammeled and pure.
And to its verdict, when il records AN honest ex
preston of public sentiment, every good citizen
should submit. That is what we meant The
Journal knows that there was not a doubt but
such was our meaning.
But it il evident that the party in power are
afraid to submit to such an ordeal. They well
know that il would result in its overthrow, and the
restoration Of union and peace upon the basis of
the Constitutions All the Democracy ask is a
fair election. But il is evident that the party in
power. If the sentiments Of the Journal are a
criterion Of its intentions, do not intend that the
honest verdict Of the people shall be recorded
in the coming elections. and in advance they
construe such an impression Of public sentiment
as an intention to overthrow the Government"
The whole effort Of the Administration has been,
is. and will be, to perpetuateits control of the Gov
eminent, aud to that end the war has been. is now,
and will be. prosecuted Such is the situation as
viewed from a Republican standpoint. aud we
repeat that there is no hope Of a restoration of
liberty aud union. unless the people shall take
charge Of their own affairs and restore a conser-
Tative party TO power.