Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-30
THE FENIAN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
aSsOCIA TIOyS.


The Journal gets spssmodid over : few re-
marks We made some days ago. 10 which we In
situated a comparison in regard TO the srosed
declarations Of the Republican press a. to what
constituted treason a year ago, and their silence
now in All analogous case The ground taken
by abe "Government" then Was. that the Sons of
Liberty WAS a secret military organization, not
recognized by the laws OF the State OF OF the
United States; hence il vas Illegal and treason
able" THIS position. If Insisted upon. will GER
tainly involve the Republican secret political or
ganiz.tion kao~n as the Loyal League in lille
gal and reasonable act. We only referred to
the matter. however. to show how easily the Re-
publican party can change its views A. 10 what
Constitutes a crime agains, the Government.
The J Journal insists that the Sons of Liberty
vas a reasonable organization, and intended TO
give aid and assistance to the enemy In time OF
war. Nothing OF that kind has been proven. or
can ii be. Wha! is loyalty to the Government
There can be bat one answer 70 this question.
and that is fidelity to the Constitution. Has i: yet
been sho xn that the Sons of Liberty, as an or
ganixation, We speak not Of the acts OF a fsv
men who acted upon theis owu responsibility
entirely, violated any OF their constitutional OBJ
legations or proposed 10 10 anything more than
70 sustain their constitutional rights7 Every
member of the organization was sworn 10 sup
port the Constitution OF the State OF Indiana and
the Constitution OF the Uaited States, and II
would have had no support upon any other basis.
The Journal charges that the Sons Of Liberty
organization "was purchasing arms to he used
against the Government Of the United States
and plotting to create an Instruction in favor of
its armed enemies" These allegations are IN
Nothing OF that kind was sho wn in the trials before
the Military Commission ia this city. In fact the
most rigid investigations into the whole affair
could not develop any evidence, 80 far as th;s
State was concerned. % dsloas,ratc ans com
plic;tg upon the part Of the organization Of the
Sons OF Liberty with any plots aud schemes
against the Governmeat OF the United States
all tbat could be shown was that a les, a rera
| teip men, no. over eight or Ten persons, had con-
cocted some visionary scheme 10 which shey re.
| ceivei no aid or ENCOURAGEMENT whatever or had
any power to carry out In fact, members Of
the organization. when they heard such scheme.
had existence. were the frat TO come forw ard Il
nip them in the bud. The members Of the Son:
of Liberty. as a body, understood il to be a Sc
cret political organization intended to Offset and
counterfeit the Loyal League and to aid the
triumph OF the Democratic party in the pending
| elections. No other purpose vas entertained by
the members generally. and certainly no treason.
able or insurrectiorary schemes we're or woul(
have been entertained by them.
We have said this much to vindicate the mem.
bers of the organization from the unjust charges
which have been arrayed agains. them. They
have it in their power to fully vindicate them
selves from the foul aspersions which have beer
made against them. and we presume they have
only waited until reason, the sober seconc
thought. had resumed it, sway over the public
mind.
The Journal says We made 8 slanderous con
| parison between the Sons of Liberty and th.
Fenians. Not SO. The Sentinel has given every
evidence of It's sympathy with the Ferisns II
their efforts 10 redeem their native land from
English thraldom. The telegraph says that tb,
Fenisn Senate, a; ia late session in New York
bad devised the way and means OF restoring Irish
nationality. If so, We bid them God speed il
the glorious work aud in the effort they will hay,
| eminent for its success.