Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-19
Some Reasons why Mr.. Lincoln
Should not be elected President.
speech Of Jouathsn w. Gordon, at
Masonic wan, on Thursday,
september Ia, 1864.
fCOneiuded !


THE RIGHT or rBk PEOPLK To BEsR ARMS
Much has beea said in relStion to the right Of
the people to keep aud bear arms The party in
power declsim with great earnestness upon thu
question. aud denouuce With more than usual
bitterness the conduct of their opponents. be-
cause some men have shipped arms into the Stale
ar ia alleged under false lsbes. Now, | sm
willing TO grant that this fact slone-ihe false
labels-is sufficient 70 raise presumption sgsrs,
the legality of the intentions OF those misguided
men But does not the fact admit OF another
aud q different explanation. entirely consistent
With their innocencef La the presence OF pow
er busy and meddlesome about other mems busi-
tess, anu reckless, too, IN two many instances OF
other mens rights, Il is tut natural for the weak
and deienseess to seek 10 AVOID a collision With
force against which they know It is useless and
mad TO contend. Instances sre not wanting in
judicial history. where in order 20 avoid the con-
-eQuences OF criminal prosecution. innocent
men have been led to invent false facts and cir
cumstances. These inv yenrOns have sometimes
been detected and exposed; and the authors have
suffered the extreme penalty of the Law, before
still further developments established their nno-
eence. We should be careful. therefore. bo~ We
nier guilt from equvocal facts.
IL has been sad. know. thss in the case OF
Dodd & Company. there cx;srs in addition to the
and treAsonable purposes II that ia the case. il
changes the complexion of the whole affair.
Whether it be So or not. Am entirely Ignorant:
and must wait for further Developments One
hing, however, is clear. Ii the Government
have evidence of a reasonable association, and
arming in pursuance thereof, tbs civil courts
are open. and all the means requisite at hand. to
bring the guilty parties 10 speedy trial. and con-
dign punishment tor their offences Why should
they tie denied fair open trial. by jury of the
country The judges of the court are high
minded honorable. loyal men. They we're ap.
pointed by Mr. Lincoln. and hold opinions on
the great political issues of the day, in harmony
with his own. The Marshal and his deputies are
devoted TO The President. They hold by virtue
of his appointment aud the tenure may at any
moment cease. as it depends entirely upon his
will. The District Attorney bears the same re-
lation to the Administration; and seems willing
enough tO ill the vacant cells in the jails and
penitentiaries of the State What then prevents
public trial and the just punishment OF the of
tenders! They surely have not offended so far
: 10 have lost their right to be arrested, tried
aud. if found guilty, hung according to the Con-
sttution and laws of their country. The vilest
offender in all the land has right to he sent 10
the scatfold. and from the scaffold in conformity
to the law; and he who sends him 10 or from it
"
usurper and murderer.
but | beg pardon for this digression was
discussing the right of the citizens TO bear arms
This right was conceded by The disIing guished
gentlemen whose Opulon in relation tO the effect
OF ballots against Mr. Lincoln | have aliesdy
considered He informed his hearers of what
most probably they very we'll knew before. that
the right was un9ueslionsble- But he said the
right was an Individual right. In that view of
II ne has armed himself, and in the same wsy
any other citizen had An undoubted right to do
the same thing Of course il is lawful for men
thus to arm But the same learned gentleman
denied the right Of several or many citizens to
associate for the purpose of arming themselves.
Now, confess il is difficult to perceive whv or
nov "A clear right vested ia each of number OF
men can, If peacesbly exercised. become wrong
by being pursued and exercised by them oil to-
sether The truth is. il il be lawful for one in
ivdual to arm himself, thousand, posses ling
the same right. may undoubtedly unite in it's
exercise II considerations Of an economical
nature should IN Ike association for such pur-
pose desirable, the law would, beyohd all Ques.
non, recognize aud sanction il II this principle,
as stated by General Hughes s sound. then the
question would naturally arise Hor many rights
united uW make one ,orons' Suchi. the end OF
the Generals logic.
The right OF the citizen to bear arms has an
ancient pedigree. Ike manv other rights, il;
born OF duty. In the days Of the Anglo
SiXons the freeholders Of England were com
lelled 10y Law To provide themselves with suitable
ar.ns and armor as we'll for defense against for
eign AS domestic enemies In the reign OF Henry
the Second this duty Was defied by statute
From that time forward it WAS made the sub
lect OF frequent legislation. but was always pre-
-erved ~ 4 defensive regulation of the kingdom
,,.t,l Hrst ,f eas. al nf ho
First. when these ancient provisions we're abro-
lated !" The reason "f heir repeal was derived
rom the union between England and Scotland
under the same King. Border defeuse Was no
longer necess try. The duty. however. had al
ready given birth to the right. aud in the sue
ceeding reign il enabled the Parliament success.
tuly 10 resist the violent stretches of prerog
by which Charles the First undertook TO subvert
the liberties of the people Our colonial snces-
tors brought il over to America with them, and
even a cursory review of our history will satsf,
my one that it has bren, AT all times since. an
object of the utmost popular solicituie. Hence.
the Federal Constil ution provides that 1.-The
right of the people TO keep aud bear arms shall not
be infrnge ed " OF Course they must procure before
Ihey can bear them. An act Oi Congress denying
this right OF the people would be null and void
Tor the right is placed by the Constitution shove
he power OF Congress; above the power OF the
President. aud, indeed. above the power OF the
whole Federal Government What authority
thern exists in those who derive their whole
power from the executive, TO deprive the people
ui their Oira armsI What right have they, or
can they have. 10 say 'h-t one cit z shall not
-el arms 10 another. unless it he where violence
has already subverted the Government and torce
succeeded TO Law! Ia The 80. ence OF declAra.
li0n of martial law. founded on circum stances
which render it absolutely necessary. there can
exist no such rightiui power IL i force, naked
force. and not law.
tiauders, in his treatise on the Constitution
employs the following language upon this sub.
ject:
With arms in their hands. the people will not
likely permit the overthrow of their institutions
by the unscrupulJus ambition Of a civil magis-
trate or military chieftain. The very fact of their
being armed will serve "a cheek 70 any arbitra
~ or iorcible invasion OF their con-titutousl
rights =" Flanders on the C0nst.. 3 430
Another writer. whose opiuions seem nov
be overlooked and forgotten by himself. emplo, :
the following language Oh this subject:
''lI IL scarcely necessary to SAY that the rigii
of the people thus 10 bear arms ia the foundation
of their liberties: for. without it, ibey would he
without any power of resistance against the ex
isting government" M,us6eld's Political Gram-
mar. 427.
cne these authors because they wrote for the