New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-02-17
THE TRIBUNE.
Gen. Jnckson,s Fine.

PrAacE from the Committee of the Judiciary in
,be House of Representatives upon the proposition,
uoo aeitated with so much violence by the Van
Buren, division of the LocoFoco party. to refund
70 Gen. Jackson the hse OF q thousand dollars inn
,o,ed by Judge Hall at Newt Orleans. No one can
carefully read this very able document and exam
inc the authorities to which it refers in veri6cation
Of its STATEMENTS, without feeling thoroughly con-
yinced that the claim vocifereusly pressed in
behalf of Gen. Jackson is utterly without founda.
tion, and that its allowance would be productive Of
fatal injury to the supremacy of Law and subver-
aye Of the rights of those who loyal to it and
demand its protection. The Committee consider
the proposition in two aspects: first, reward
for the military services of the General, and, Sc
,condly, as q measure of justice. In the first re-
+ spect the recompense proposed is utterly and
manifesty inadequate as to forbid the thought that
i, was so intended. "For such services" says the
Report T" it would be disgraceful to Congress to
offer such testimony of National Gratitude as
that proposed; and its acceptance as such, by the
General could hardly fail to tarnsh the laurels so
sloriously won" Z" For him." moreover says the
Report, the measure Of National Gratitude has
s been filed to the brirn."
The Committee then proceed to examine the cir
cumstances attending the imposition of the fine, for
the purpose of deciding upon the justice of the
claim and though the facts it embodics have been
repeatedly spread before the public they are here
presented in clearer and more forcible form than
has been done before. In the face of these facts
subs,entiated BY official records and forever placed
beyond the reach of doubt, admitted indeed by the
friends of General Jackson himself the claim urged
is too absurd for serious argument. A high offence
against the Law and Constitution Of his Country
was clearly and boldly committed; the rights of
the citizen were wantonly outraged; and the will
Of temporary ,yrant was made by his act
the substitute for the acknowledged law of the
land. And for all this there was not the slightest
cause the alleged plea of necessity, provelbially
the plea of tyrants,' crumbes into nothing when
closely exapined. The Committee enter likewise
int an extended and most able and conclusive ar
ganent on the legal rights involved and arrive at
the following conclusions, with which they close
their report:
:" The conclusions to which the Committee have
come are, that Martial Law was declared at New
Orleans by General Jackson without law, and in
violation of the Constitution of the United States
that its continuance up to March Ii, 1915, was
only unsanctioned by law, but not excusable by
necessity; that the arrest aud imprisonment OF
Louallier for publishing an article in the louisiana
Courier, was violation of that right Of the citizen
to discuss withous fear the conduct of those ia pow
er, which is inseparable from the idea of free
people, and revival of the worst features of the
Sedi,ion law that his trial by Court Martial was
in violation of the laws of the United States, and
of the State of Louisiana, which exempted him
from all military .ervise that his trial by officers
of the regular army was in violation OF tho law OF
the United States, which required if tried at all
by Court Martial that it should be composed OF
militia officers that his detention after his acqui
tai by the Court Martial was dangerous and des-
potic exercise of power; that General Jackson's
refusal to obey the writ of habeas corpus, and his
imprisonment Of the judge, was a violation OF the
most sacred right of the citizen, of the express pro-
vision of the Constitution, and of the Judicial lnde-
pendence. and together with his seizure of an orr
ginal court paper, was contempt Of court for
which he was justly and legally fined.
"The Cosamittce regret that they have been
forced into This investigation. They would have
much preferred that the friends of General Jack
son had been contented with the impershable glory
won By his courage and military skill, and the re-
I peated proofs Of National Gratitude which he has
received. They were willing to bury in oblivion
the memory of those transactions on which they
have been compelled to animadvert. AT the last
session they consented that bill should be submit
ted, with such report from the minority OF the
Committee as they thought proper. But the claim
for remission of the fine has now been placed on
other grounds and the mos. unssund principles as
they think, have been invoked TO It's aid. The
House too, with the bill before mentioned on their
calendar, have again referred the subject to this
omni,tee, which they consider as instructions to
examine into the facts and principles OF the case.
Under such circumstances, they would have been
recrean, TO their duty if they had shrunk from the
performance of most dsagreeable task.
1oop-Dingler, of the perpeiraiosof the Outrage
on poor g al Bo~ery cottage, NewYorS has been
sentenced fifteen yeara Imprisonment In ,he ssae
priion. -
GJ Thus exults the Mobile Herald. But our
innocent contemporary is not yet half initiated into
the ways Of New-York justice. Dingler has been
sentenced sure enough, but the ezecution of that
sentence is quite another thing. We understand
thar he still remains in our County Jail, though
be ought long since to have been doing the State
service Sing-Sing; and it IS generally supposed
that some juggle is on foot by which he is to escape
the punishment Of his crime altogether!
Cur NAiLs-We und ersapd that in quence OF the
reeent inventions in the business OF making cut nsi o
American iron nails Of excellent quality are already SCI
ms al less than tonr cents pound. 8
Gy Thus says truly the Journal Of Commeree.
Win that paper be good enough to tell US bow
3 much the price Of Nails is enhanced by the heavy
duty imposed on their imPortationf '