The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-05-20


one Of their unques,ioLable and mos, sacred rights
In The Ihlrd section, the mere assembling for
the purpose of exercising the official functions
therein named, isis declared to be treason against
the state, and shall be punished by Imprisonment
during lile'''
The words Of our statute ale, f." Treason against
this state shall consist only in evying war against
the same, or in adhering to The enemies thereof,
giving them aid and comfort:
II has been decided by the highest authority,
that lerying war here means - raising, creating or
carrying on war, by overt acts of war;" and that
the enemies of the state here means " foreigners
with whom we are ut open war" Why then en-
large the statute definition Of treason' Why stretch
ITO an expected case, unless TO prepare the way
Tor the exercise OF arbitrary power in that case
Constructive neasonsare admitted in England to
be directly hostile 10 English liberty. Defining
treason within narrow limits has been one of the
greatest achievements and surest safeguards of
freedom
Sec. 4, makes b" all offenders under this act tri-
able before" that cour! only which has taken n
warm and decided part in favor of one Of The par
Ties to this contest, and has publicly and repeated
Id suggested probable application of the law of
treason against The other party.
Our bill OF rights says " In all criminal prose-
b., ,n ;u,,r,;aJ ;,,',, Wv w ","'
;n,n,,,;'I r'Ja. ' ~ Jy INV .d" ", ,'"'" w
,hiD ann,ndad ,h ,"m' mi'o ""n. no",u "" p'oD
,hs Ch;sr Ins,i,s IL; c,I o,no,' % ,sa,' "
It's anticipated application to such men as the ac-
cused Trial by jury Is called ",he great bull
wark Of liberty
This section also leaves it discretionary with
no,,on .hnII ha ,s;al Il y; IN W. t
bsrs ,bn a ;n NJ" r;a N ,bo ,u,sir. ~ '1a'E
Gnce ia ,legpi n hoye hnen co,,n;,,ad J., hoIJ =,
be nnorher 6nl,vark If liber,v an",her si"nu,rJ
no,ins, onnrress, ann rro, ,be r,,;n, no,,or rh;'
law ia obieclionuble in other n,,rr,cnl,rs and
,hrouohon, ,rhi,,nry ,nI;-rsnnLI;n'n nnJ hos,;,e
n nnnul,r r;b,s ~ srch dnrroa w. 70 soo'.o g,
il the urnronri,te unnen,;nS NJ ,hs :, AIma,;,,o
Actn
Resolu,;ons ,ccom,,,v;,, Ria ~, ,,oro l,o
n,ssod cnnC,rr;n,, nm ,ha' cH,or,o, n,G',;,aI M'
rrs,on,rv no',ore 9. ~, Inn, '"oI s ,."'a' US
h;s on;n;1, nnv bo nooa.r, % o'"'n ',,a "' ~
md n,s.or,e ,bo s,a,a cra,n ,n"s,i'' ,,o
md n dr,,v on ,ho C.nDra, rran"n,, ''G W.
aims IA m,v no raon;red C,r ,bese nn,no.s, - an
nnlim;,ed ,wount
Rn, ,ba ,re,, onss,;o, hor,ro N. r,,l, = mn,
,bis law he ;ns,ifsJ m anv nronnd If tina r Wv"
Mas Cons,;,n,,on ~ ,he n,r,nnomn, l',, If ,h;,
State i, certainly canno,Lil i, m yioh,ion If Thar
nd iIprn
Tb,, ,ha oeonle's Cons,;,n,;nn !, tina ,,,,,,,,,,,
law WE do nos, s,nrersIy hsl;eve ,nd ros, Jso;'
daddy maintain In .nnnnr, NJ ,his nns;,;on ~.
nsl he CANDID o,,en,jon or ,be nuhl;c r. ha n,ooo
dino statement of facts. in ccnner,ion with tho
oreS, nrinc;nlc ,hn, :. the peonle ,re sovoro; -
Ss maintained in the annexed 4" s,n,emen, ol Ron.
xons - siyned Nv members IF ,ho le,,l ,r,Io,
.;rn % rN'
n, up,o,,, orpbod, ,s,,n,n :, ,,L,,, ,io
.overe;on,v md cnnsnonen,Iy ,ho sal. no,'o, ~
ndon, and r,,Iy cons,;,n,ic, cor ,he S,,,o !,
yeS,aI wa mann all ,ho A,a,;,", ,,,, ';,i,
oc ,ho ,ro or,w,or,v-nn, ra,r, h" I,o I';s
nermonen, rasdence or hone m ,bo S,,,o i, "n
pos;,ion IN the ,Gni,inp nf ,bsss ,yorJ. ,dno,dpd
nv ,he Cenernl Assemble md tho srnr,a '' Cpnr,
of ,his State rhsv hath nJ,,;, IN ,.r,' ,ho 1'I,'
soycrs;rn nn,yor IN ,Jo,, md r,,c, o",,,;,u , '
h.lony. +, ,he noonle nnly. Inn, ;ha, J'G"" ,,'
word neonle to mean I" leuI oeonls p" ,Ln, is
,hose anil If ,he nh,vs dnscrihnd c;,;,ens ,,hn
h,ve s;,bsr rae or r,nehoiJ ;n,ore., ,nr,b .,"I
i, land n, tho s,des, snns oc ,hns, ,,ho h.".,,,
m interest. ,hose i,yo classes nuy h";, ,n,h"r
;ysd nv m, Stats eIoc,on lac ~ vo,e Anc"rd
inc n ,bi, definition M, n lense holdor in ,Lo
Sat evo, FIR n ,erm If GA ye,,s M, , n,;,n,,
e,cent in ,hnse t,yo classes whn,rver ,monn, IF
nor.nn,l nroner,v he NAV nossess vh',ovor
smour, Of ,,yes ia may NV ,hn,.yer n,nonn, If
p,;li.arv mr. fire duv he mav II. comnoIIeJ IA mar.
T,,,n !, one or ,he sovere,a, nennl, w r''
Thon,h ,hs Csuer,, .sso,hly rcIa;m ,ho Do,.r
- JaJ III ,ho.s c,,;,sns an,n" ,ns ," ppmr
nsonIe md onaI;cv ,bsm =" n " ' n ho
peoi'o' ""u I'a"y .''.' ~ Pu'"o,!''u 4" "o u
ao", vi" ,ns, Mas. h " ov,lJ ~ "",
,", Affair." r to do 90 cI. ,, :" ,"' ~
; ;ha'. no,;,an, ,isav s,;,, %"e' ~
:" ipo ,S,, ,,hsr" ', ,u h,J !" 'o'us W
:" wi. y"".' $500; m".o Jo! '' W" ','uG"ou "''s
49, 49, oA''"''U" US "I'"ou "cy'! W