Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-04
rhc asse os the constitution.

The Union lives only in the c. nsttGtion.- Times.
As this seutimenthas been the keynote TO all
the utterances OF The World since il assumed TO
speak for the Democratic party, it must be diff
cult ior the leaders of the Times 10 determine
whether That Journal has become COpperhead or
whether The World has never been disloyal, as il
has - frequently and falsely charged
The. Republican theory of Constitution re
calls The answer OF the Eaglish bishop TO an anx
ious seeker of religious truths Pray, my ioid.
Is 1t rot diHeulst 10 trace the exact line between
orthodoxy and heterodoxyT' Not At all.
nothing can be mare simple Orthodoxy i nv
doxy aud heterodoxy i any other mans doxy.'
What is the Constitution asks the citizen.
70 hates er We wish IL to be. Is the of the
Republican party- Upon AL questions OF doubt.
.sful constitutional rights, saws the President We
divide into majorites and muvrties. But what
constitutional rights are doubtful, asks the in.
quircreftef truth Pslpably the answer must b.
whatever party chooses IN doubt Then prac
tically, as the law OF England ls in the conclu-
sons OF the judges, the Consultation lies in the
will OF the majority. In other words, a written
cons Tuition is no constitution at all. This mon
srous falacs ruling these United States at this
moment, as il has ruled them for nearly three
years. and the people seem incapable of being
awakened TO the inevitable results of lis contin.
ued rule Every now and then, sick sleeper
opens his ewes for a moment and then reapses
into his feserish slumber. some Republican paper
leaving the beaten way OF vituperaton, attempts
argument, and for . moment Is alive 70 the great
blessing il had once and has rejected but il dares
not pursue its own train of thought to a conclu
sion, and abruptly turps off with an alluson to
!. war powers which supersede alrigh,s of all sorts
A man may be yery good man, and very
sincere self sacrificing patriot, and very bad
reascner. The British statesmen who undertook
10 tar the colonies believed in the right 10 tax,
in the expediency of taxing in the justice of tax
alton. They meant well for England, but they
saddled her with a debt OF four hundred millions
of dollars, they sundered the colonies from her
and caused great suffering and loss of life Their
motives pure but their logic bad. and
political communities always suffer more from
the stupidity of good men than from the wicked
ness OF bad men. The reason is clear. Wicked
ness l. soon seen and guarded against; but stu
pidity, like = malarlous atmosphere, poisons
goodness itself.
The faliacy which lies in the principle of the
Republican party not only dangerous in the
beginning. Is dangerous now. but must lie danger
ou- IN all time. IL - Tar more fatal than the
ps.nciple OF secession. just absolute enact
ing power Is lar more hostile to liberty than an
absolute veto power
Tie path To peace h-s been distinct ard clear
from The beginning of this war, bnt il canno, lie
tsod BIZ the Republican party. Into il a Repab-
iican cannot enter. he NAV attain it the Ro
mans did. make solitude AID cali 4. peace,
= bat en- no other manner. 81 long "a that party
insists upon DOT merely administering the GOV
eminent. but upon determining The riShfs OF an
; oSner section 80 long must 20 on 20 the sub
legation OF the one cot oNtant the exhaustion
OF both Ii cannot be avoided nor sverted All
tie dreams Of pesce which men have cherished.
hoging against hope, for month after month, will
vanish As DO other visions. From the three wears
past Qaestons present themseses to the people
Of the United States which sill be answered aud
cannot De lodged VIII sou have government
IN which minortie- have no rights. one in
which they hassg II you prefer the latter. how
MI yea sscuo those rIghssl-I N y World.
~ gentleman who recently returned from
Washington made the remark that he was sur
prissd - Ind out how little brains took 10 carry
on gossrnosps