Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-09-08
For the Herald Of the Times
Letters Of GOvS. Cleaveland and Hubbard.

Letters Of Cows. Cleaveand and Hubbard.
These letters are Of importance only
from the position Of the writer's; one
the Governor Of Connecticut, and the
other of New Hampshire. The letters
in themselves, as to matter, are unwor-
thy of notice; for they are but tran
scri pts, as it were, Of the hacknied slang
of the loco-foco Press upon the same
subject. Throughout, from beginning
to end, they contain not single topic of
argument that has not become stale by
repetition in the numerous presses
abroad that sympa,hize with the crime
Of rebellion in Rhode Island, and de-
vote their columns to that cause as if
Il was their only vocation. 1t is the
theme Of their Dailes, daiIy,-of their
Weeklies, weekly. 1t is, indeed, won
derful to see how much they have that
cause at heart. They seemed to grieve
at the discontinue of the Rebels, not
less than the Rebels themselves. Al
first, indeed, they were indignant at the
little show Of fight the Rebels made !;
and to see them scatter as they did,
like flock Of wild pigeons on the re-
port Of gun; but this Indignation was
bu, momcn'ary; their sympathy quick
ly returned, and is now again in full
operation. Even an Ex-Governor Of
Massac chusctts, attends clam-bakcs to
express it.
There is, indeed, one idea in both
letters which their Excellencies may
claim as original; and to which they
attach great Importance. This idea
seems never to have occurred TO any Of
their sympa,hizing Presses it also
escaped the attention Of the President
and his Cabinet; the Eagle eye 6fWeb-
s,cr was purblind to it.-It is this; that
a distinction is TO be taken between po-
liticai crimes and civil crimes; that the
Constitution, in the article relative to
criminal fugi,ives, applies only to crimes
affecting individuals, such as murder,
arson, burglary, &c, and TO fugtives
guilty Of these civil crimes; and does
not apply to political crimes affecting
the State, such as rebellion, insurrcc-
ton, sedition and conspiracy, and to
fucitivcs guilty Of these political crimes.
On this distinction, both their Excellcn-
cies deny that they have disobeycd the
Constitutions; and on it rest their vindi-
cation. This distinction is indeed new
discovery, and the honor OF it belongs,
cxclusively,to their Excellencies. 1t is
singular, but Il is so, it is original with
both; both hit upon it, and without in
accommodation. There is only one
little difficulty in their way; that is, to
show that that distinction has some
foundation TO rest upon, or some color
at least to show that this Interpretation
OF the Constitution is the true interpre-
tation, or at least that this interprcta-
tion may be tortured from it. or this
difficulty, however, their Excellcncies
have not taken the least notice; and
prudently, very prudently; for the at
attempt to grapple with it would have
made them appear supremely ridicu-
lous, as we shall presently see. The
words Of the Constitution are thesc:-
"A person charged in any State with
treason, felony, or other crime, who
shall flee from justice, and be found in
another State, shall on demand Of the
Executive authority Of the State from
which he fed, be delivered up to be re-
moved to the State having jurisdiction
Of the crime"
Then their Excellencies to maintain
their distinction, would have to prove
that a political crimc-ihat is a crime
against n State, such as rebellion, IN
.urrcction, sedi,ion, conspiracy--is
neither treason nor felony nor other
crime; to prove that treason is not a
crime against the State, which IT is; but
a crime against individuals, which II is
not; again to prove that rebellion, in
surreciion, sediiion, conspiracy, are no
crimes at all. II is not surprizing, that
their Excollcncies have stated this
distinction, and left il to shit for itself
for the proof; but it is surprizing that
lawyers. by profession, claiming rePu-
''on ~ such, and invested with high
magistrates. should seriously put forth
q statement, involving such prcposter-
Gus absurditics. And what would
they make Of the trainers Of the Con-
s,itutiop' Did il not occur TO these sa-