Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-08-18
[coMMuNIcATioN'l
ouA PIER ON GAGGlNG

-hf a l a
.., and conduct Of their rulers. :
- the New York Convention 70 amend T,
- co.etitu,ion Of that State 10 1891, y
y. ...oln,ion was introduced by Mr. Duer
.,1,tia as follows:
eT,., right Of the citizens 70 assemble 4
i. peaccable. manner TO petition for the .
y lS,ess of grievances, TO discuss the mea- 3
Ie. ..s anil conduct Of their ralers, shall not )
SUI. arv prctext be infringed nor shall i
on citizen be held TO answer criminally or a
alyalv for any opiHiOn SO expressed /
81 S him at said meeting resolu-
-. ooposed by Col. Young and mr.. Van
T Raren. and to the remarks Of these gen.
,lemen Mr. Duer replied
ole could not consent TO withdraw or
.i,or his amendment. He conceived it
a'' saotial that the citizen should have u,l-
funded latitude in spea ing Of the nsea-
.'res and conduct Of his rulsrs, being res
oorsiblc, as elsewhere, for any facts he
roov arege. Sir, there has not been
solution passed a. any Of your political
,,ceiings for gears Tast, lchich may moi be |
~,ade fte subject Of aHbet suit as the laio
ro,, stands. This question was once tried
by Governor Lewis, in a suit against
Co Few, and am not aware that the
Snpreme Court decided, that the citizen
bod The right, which it is the object Of
,b,q provsiony 10 guarantee to him, Of
freely canvassing the motives and conduct
oCtbc nublc Sc wants. ! m DESTROYS, said
mr.. Duer, 10 have this principle incorpor-
aed in your bill Of rights, for II is proper
that he right ot'the people 10 assemble pub
EckV and canUaSS The motives and conduct
ofIcir rulers should be acknowledged, or
the law Of libel so modified, as it should
not be openly violated, as It now is, ] again
repeat, in the resolution Of almost every
political meeting. | must therefore per-
sist in the clause.
Mr.. IAN Buren, and Mr.. Williams OBJ
iected to the clause and Mr.. Duer again
spoke in its favor" See Report of the
proceedings Of he ConUention 10 amend
Me Constitution of NeD York, page ITO.
Here we seean official onnuacation Of
Mr.. Van Buren's opinion as to the right
OF the people 10 discuss the measures
aud conduct Of their rulers" Turn to
the Constitution of Mississippi, and you
will find different doctiine proclaimed
mo law shall ever be passed to curioi Of
restrain the liberty Of speech, or of tht
press, and in all prosecutions or indict
ments for lbels the truth may be girsn ii
srideaee, end the jury shall have the RICH
10 determine the la,c, and the facts, unde
the direction ofthe Court" But accord
ing to the notions of our Northern MAJ
vitt Soathera principles" We the PEG
pie are not permitted to plead the trath il
Justification, whenever in our primary as
s.n5Ecs we shaH have the audacuy, AFRO
eanco and presumption to "discuss III
measures and conduct of our rulers" |
Ba strange republican or demoer 'tic doc
tdne, lhat the iTdh, shall not be given i
evidence, or that the"citzen shall be bel
toanswer ciyaIly and criminaly for opr
ions expressed by him in public discus
ion. From such democracy we seek DE-
liyerance.
Let us now inquire into the "sober Sc
cond thoughts" from the flights beloi
HIM" in 1910.
In his last annual message Mr.. Va
Buren, used the following language:
"Ths present condition OF the defenc
ofour principal seapous and navy yard
as represented by the. accompanying I
port Of the Secretary of War, calls f
the early and serious attention of 20
gress and as connecting itself lutmai
" with this subject, cannot recopamei
too strongly 10 your consideration the Pl
submitted by that officer, for The organ'z
ton orthe Militia Of The United States.
In the "details" ofthe "PLAN" for
organization of the militia is the followi
section:
o2Oth. That the Militia Of the Unit
States, or any portion thereof when G.
ploved in the service ofthe U. States, sh
10 Subjsei TO The same rules and articles
mar as The troops of he u, States.
What are the rules and articles of Y
10 which Mr.. Nan Buren, would SUBJ
the Militia ofthe United States Her
one Of tho "rules and articles"
"Art. 5ta. Any officer or soldier,
shall use contemptuouS or disrcspee!
qsords against the President Of the I'm
States, against the Vice President thel
against the Congress oil the United Sta
or against the Chief Magistrate ofanl
The u. States5n which they may be qu
tered; If a commissioned of6cer,he shal
cashiered or otherwise punished, as C
Martial shall direct; fla -commlsslo
officer or soldier, he shall suffer such
ishmcnt as shall be inflicted on him by
sentence of a court martial"
And how many citizens Of the On
States does the Executive purpose TO
in this way, besides the standing arr
Read the following paragraph:
sit is proposed to divide the U. st
into eigitmilitary districts, and to or
lze the militia Of each district, SO a
have body Of twelve thousand i've
drcd menin active service, and anotht
equal number as reserve. IhIs "
give an armed militia force OF 4
HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN
drilled aad stationed as to be ready to
their places In tae ranks 10 defence o