The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-29
PreSentment.

Three daily papers in this city, and one in
Brooklyn, together with several weekies, have
been presented by the Grand Jury of the u S.
Circuit Court whereof Charles Gould is Foreman
We do not complain of this, but rather congratu-
late ourselves and the community, that legal and
constitutional course has been adopted to deter
mine whether in anything have transcribed our
rights as public ournalists-nstead of resortng to
mob violence, has been done in the case of sew
ersl journals elsewhere, in defiance OF law and the
Constitution If the presentment should lead to
an indictment and trial, it will then be seen
whether the allegations of the Grand Jury can be
sustained by fair construction of our language
orwhetherthe allegations themselves, il made by
an individual no: shielded by his official position
would not afford valid ground for action against
him in any Court of Justice. We shall be ready
to dispose of them eectually when the proper time
comes. We will only remark now. upon an ex-
preston which the Grand Jury quote as apparently
Gaping the climax of our offence, viz: .the pres
ent unholy war; Although the paragraph in
which the expression occurs, was copied from an
other paper, and by mere accident failed to be
credited to it, we do not wherein the expression
Is so Objectionable. 1t Will hardly be contended
that the war is holy one at least ON both sides;
and the more just it is on side, the more un
just apd wicked it must be on the other TIL,
paragraph did not attempt apportion the right
and wrong of the war between the parties, but in
general terms declared it to be an "unholv war :"
In our opinion it is even SO. Indeed 1t is difficult
10 imagine a where greater guilt must neces-
sariy be incurred on one side or the other or on
both, than the present one for the contendin-
parties were bound to each other by thousand
sacred ties, and all these ties they have broken
they owed each other a thousand obligations, and
all these have been discarded. Their plighted
faith TO each other they haze rcnounced Instead
of doing each other all the good they can, they
are trying to distress and destroy each other Al
ready thousands have fallen ON the field of battle:
and IL the war continues, the number will be in
creased to tens of thousands and then to hundreds
OF thousands, including those who will have per-
ished by disease and exhaustion. Each of these
victims viii represent desolated home: each will
have felt in his own person The pangs of death.
And how many of them will have been hurried
into eternity unprepared' Tell us that this is n
holy warl or that it is not an .unholv war;" No
authority short of the Almighty can convince u.s.
that it is not unholy war. But we have not
sad and do not believe, that t,e guilt of it is all
on one side. We far from believing that the
North is gutless in Ike 81, or that the South is
neither have we any disposition, if We had the
power, 10 measure the relative proportion of guilt
on each side Our opinion is, that it is sufficient
on both sides to provoke the wrath Of heaven, and
bring severe and terrible judgments upon both
unless they. repent When therefore we ask for
peace, simply ask that this nionstrous wicked
ness nay cease both sides; our appeal is to the
Sou III as well as to the North We ask tha. ra
tiona men will listen to reason; that christian men
will be guided by the principles of their religion
that this great disgrace to republicanism and to
civilization may be done away; and that the peace
full reign of justice. order, law, the Constitution
fraternity and Union may be restored. ''If this is
treason, make the most of it,"
In answer to an inquiry by Judge Shipmar
whether the Grand JurT now desired instructions
on the subject of their presentment or whether
they wished to have the Court call the attention
of their successors to the matter the Foreman re
tfl.
ccrdngiy Judge Shipman ounced that at the
next session Of the Court, in October, when Judge
Nelson would preside, copy of the presentmcn,
would be handed to hin for his consideration.
Great events my occur before October ,-bu
whatc.erthey are, we shall be found, as ever in
time past, battling for the best interests Of ou
country, whose independence most OF our ances
tors of the Revolutionary period aide d in achiev
ing, and for ehieh one of them gave his life. w,
shall do this, so long as Providence enables ne
even though our only reward (exccpt the con
seriousness of endeavorns to do our duty, is mis-
representation. reproach, pecuniary loss, per soma
inconvenience, the alienation of friends and 9th
er nameless ard numberless ills connected with
course of unappreciated selfdenia for the publ
good.--N Y. Journal Of Commerce.
1t is reported that the rebels at Paducah hav
-n.t .. Tr,;o, ~, for eop,o 81 poundnr-