The national Republican., 1866-04-12
sERENADE sTATEsmANsHIP.

evening.
sERENADE sTATESMANSHIP.
1t is some time since we have had an out
and-out old-fashioned town meeting glorih-
cation, when the eagle is permitted to soar
without limit, and the "bird of freedom" to
flap its wings without let or hindrance; and
It's recurrence not intellectually beneficial, is
tleast refreshing. Indiana indulged Tuesday
night in symposium Of music and eloqence.
With q brass band, one Senator, and three or
four Congressman, she laid herself out in
mutual admiration Of each other and the
distinguished bodies to which the orators
belonged, and in unrestrained condemnation
Of the "man at the other end Of the avenue"
The palmiest days Of parliamentary great
ness and virtue could not compare with the
exalted merits Of the Thirty-Ninth Congress;
and the darkest hours Of despotic tyranny
was more than paralleled by the Sixteenth
President The one was characterized by
more than Ciceronic intellect and Fabian
wisdom; the other was stepped in such un-
mitigated perfdy that in comparison CALL
GULA was respectable and DoNrTIAN humane.
During the rebellion the chronic disease Of
the American people for vehement elocution
and top-lofty oratory was somewhat abated
by the overshadowing terrors, and the over
whelming realities Of civil war. Men could
scarcely overstate the tremendous issues which
involved the country. To alude to danger
then, was to speak of great nation in n
stern grapple for life and death; to allude to
the flag, was to refer to the glorious banner
which waved over million of armed men I;
to allude to duty, was to speak Of the strongest
feelings Of patriotism enlisted for most
sacred cause Then words meant something,
and eloquence did not depend upon worn-out
metaphors, stale commonplace, or impro-
yised perils.
But this onslaught upon an enemy that no
longer exists; this routing rebels who are
quietly engaged in the peaceful duties of cit
izenship; this fighting imaginary battles
from the front steps Of Washington board
ing-house, is very safe, but we must insist that
it is very senseless. The carnival of "bun-
combe" which was held Tuesday night was in
celebration of the passage of the Civil Rights
bill. That bill, as we have demonstrated,
under guise Of devotion to human rights, in
suits the dignity, tampers with the time-hon-
cred immunities, and blasts the inherent
rights Of the States Of this Union. Nowhere
will this truth be sooner discovered than in
Indiana. The Hoosiers will learn before the
summer ends that On American Congress, in
order to bestow an equivocal benefit on the
black men Of this country, have frustrated
the dear-bought privileges which from the
days of the Revolution have been their pre-
cious inheritance 1t is not the first time that
liberty has been used in the service of en-
croachment and usurpation. The excesses
of power always precede its downfall. We
do not think there will be quite as much sere,
nading in Indiana over this bill in October us
there was in Washington in April.
The great card Of the evening, the feature
of the whole performance, eclipsing even the
whole energies Of the brass and wind instru-
ments was the humiliation Of the President
by the last speaker. There has not been such
pitching in" since the British lion" used
to be challenged by the earlier orators of the
country. Says the YOUNG COLUMBIAN in
MARTIN CHUzzLEwrT: 81 dare that lion;
taunt that lion; tell that lion that freedoms
hand once twisted in his name he lies a corpse
before me-" Says the irate member from
Indiana "He would say here, in the hearing
of the seat of power, that the men of Indiana
will stand firm. We have told the man at
the White House we will not go with him in
his reasonable acts. As an old Hoosier
said, the other day, 1--WE have him on the
ground and are rolling over him." The
M. G. waxed warmer and more fervent;
he tells us that the President is to be
mashed" that 1.-The dog days may come, the
hot weather may come, the cholera may
come" but Congress wont go, and he winds
up in an original burst Of the loftiest inspi-
ration by saying, "The American people will
de over and crush out any man who stood
n the way of freedom" Against such tor,
rents of eloquence we are powerless. To
such lucid and convincing arguments reply
impossible. We might urge something OBJ
ectionable on the score Of taste, but we recall
he scorching rebuke Of ELIJAH PoGRAM, in
defence of q hoosier Demosthcncs years ago.
Rough he may be so. So air our Bars.
Wild he may be so. So air our BuiIalers.
But he is a child of Natur end child Of
freedom; and his boastful answer to the
Tyrant and Despot is, that his bright home
is in the Settn Sun" Remembering this
we are silent.