Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-04

The Test OF Repubiicanism IN.

Assuming " 20 be true that the war ID near
it, close. aud that all the states are about TO re
sumo their positions and function in the union. it
, NAV be concluded that vital experiment in the
character Of repubcsnism has been brought to
a successful issue.
Despite the existence OF the republic develop
ed az times in the progress of Greece and Italy,
and Of that OF Switzerland. the establishment of
: pure republic was 6sst ventured when. near the
close of the last century, the government Of the
United States was organized. IL is the nearest
approach to a system founded wholly upon the
will Of the people, system in which the gov
erning power originates in the governed. Being.
therefore. completely new, Il vas sn experiment:
and. - an experiment, its value in practice had
10 be established by some more decisive test
than could be applied in theory. A Dri0ri, q re
public - the nearst possible approach 10 perfec
ton: but, So . thousand thing which are fault
less in theory are defective in practice the same
might be true in the Of our sepublicsnisr
and hence We could'only ascertain It's true value
after il had been lsied pOsssriori
There have been times during the last four
years when thinking men have despsired OF the
existence o. the republic IL has seemed as il il
sere sboEt to fail undo. the application of the
FIRST severe test 10 which It hal been ssblectrd.
IL seemed st times that IL Vas en- unwieldy body
whose cohesive power was insufficient 10 give
compactness 20 the diverse masses which make
10 its aggregate. We appeared 20 be an enor-
nous body revolving swiftly and With .renen-
dous soser. but whose centripetsl force was in
sufficient 20 prevent the large MSS from break
ing iato fragments and flying 90 IN thousand
different tangents.
We think that even the present condition OF
the var will ALLOW the CONCLUSION that republican
sn. adopted in this country, has sufficient CO
hssive power to preserve itself unbroken Al
lowing the largest possible liberty ~ the indiVid
usl compatible with ths liberty os the whole, IL
has demonstrated that II possesses a unity, one
lsess of force sufficient TO preserve itself intact
II the present rebellion be completely qgashed
a. il aow seems likely il will be there 10 no doubt
that republication has stood the severest test 10
which IL is possible 20 subject 10.
We may regard our SoSernmen, success. for
IL has asserted lis vitality under Circumstances
that would break TO fragments any other cOsn-
Try. The fact that attempt 10 destroy II,
conceived UPON the most gigantic scale. snd co
tered upon with colossal proportions has sigusily
failed. viii serve nos merely to secure al
Judgement Of ous strength iron other PEG
piles. bus will also deter the inauguration OF SINH
lAr efforts in our midst The lessons Of the pas;
Tour wears will be read by fAcfiozs spirits IN sl
time. aud Their conclusions will be efscfive
against future attempts at rebellion
c do not think taAt. conclusive as has been
ne test OF the sbilitv OF republicsnism TO .us-
tain its existence. the full capacity OF the GOV
eminent IN this respect has been fairly develop
ed The power OF our institutions IA. been
welded by bsd men. who have used il to .ubserve
The purposes OF . ~icked paFtissuship. in place
Of directing IL wholly against ,hs enemies of The
nzIioG. IL has in consequences taken Is four
GEARS to DO What good and competent men would
have done in 40 many months
IL IL, therefore. additional evidence OF the CO.
herency and the tremendous powers OF re-
bubble, tia. after bad mer have wasted much of