Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-07-12
OLD SERIES VOLUME %, NO. "a.

'hss ssssuN u 10 NOT definitely known al
though they subuittei the ordinance for
ratification 10 . vote Of the people TO Be h.
ken 10 day then somswhst more than u
month distant.
The Conveutiou and Lesisls,urs whie',
Was slso 10 session at the sane time ani
place. with leading men Of the State no,
Immediately connected with either, immr-
diatsly commenced acting - II the s,sI.
were already out OF the Union. They pasL.
ed military preparations vigorously forwsrl
oil over the State; they seized the U. :
Armory at llsrper's. and the Navy Yard a.
Go'pors near Norfolk; they received, per
haps invited, into their State large bodi',
Of troops With their warliko appointments
from the 20 called seeded States they fo'.
mslly en,ared into temporary alliance,
and co operation with the 'o.called cOnfsd
crate States. and sent members 10 the Cor
gre's ss Montgomery. and finally they Per.
Iaitted the in'ureetion government TO b.
transferred to their Capital a, Richmond.
The people OF Virginia have thus allowt!
this grand in'urrsction TO make iu net
within her bordep and the government hos
no choi.s left bot to deal with it where it
ends !, and IL has the less regret as tn
loyal citizens have IN duo form claimed IL
protection.
Those loyal citizens ,his go'ernmen, j.
bound to recognize and protect a' bsins VII
ginia. In tho Border States. 90 called. in
fac, the Middle States. there are those VIII
favor policy which they called armed net
trali,y; tha, -. an srming OF those STATE
10 prevent the Union forces passing OF
xay, or the di.union the other, over their
.oil. This would be dsunion completed
fsura,ively speaking. II would be the build
Of an impas.able wall along the line OF eel
aration. and yet not qciss IN impasabl
one. for under the guiss Of neutrality
would tie tho hands Of the Union men, an
freely pass supplies from among them to 'r-
surrec,ioniss, which IL could not do msn
open enemy.
Ala stroke Il would take oil the troubli
OF the hands Of secession eIcep, only wbai
proceed. from external blockade. IL woui
do for the disuuioni,ts that which Of GIL
thing, they mos, deslrc-ieed them we'll ani
give them dl'union without struggle ct
their own. IL recognises no fidelity to tbs
constitution. no obligation to maintain Ill
Union. While very many who have favor
ed IL are doubtless loyal eitirens. IL Is never
,helsss injurious IN eject.
Recurring to the action OF the government
II may 30 stated that, at frs, q call wa
made for 5000 militia. and rapidly FOL.
lowing this . proclamation was Issued for
closing the ports OF the in'urrsc.ionary die
,ric,. by proceeiins' in the nature OF a.
blockade. So FAR all WAS believed to b.
strictly legal. A, this pOin. the in'arrs1
,ioni.ts announced their purpose to enter
upon the praeticc Of pri'a'eering.
Other calls wcro made Tor volunteers T.
serve ,hrrs years. unless sooner discharged.
and also for lars, additions to the regular
army and navy. Thc.s measures, whsther
strictly legal or not. were ssntured upon
under villa, appeared to be . populsr De
mand add public necessity. trusting then.
a. now. that Congress would readily ra.iiy
them II is believed that nothing has been
done beyond tho constitutional somPsteoe'
o, Congress. Soon after the call for mill.
tia, IL W.. considered a duty to au'hori1'
the commanding General 10 proper cases a.
cordinc to his discretion 70 .uspstd a.
privilege OF habeas corpus. or In other wor
TO arre., and ie,ain without resort TO Ill
ordinary process and fJrma Of law, such H.
dividual. as he might deem dangerous g.
the public safety.
This authority has pnrpO.ely been sIsr
ci.cd but very 'paringly; nevertheless thi
legality and propris,y Of what has bee'
done under l, are unques,ionabls. and tha
attention OF the country has been called &
the proposition tha, one who IL sworn T.
take care that the laws DO faithfully eIecu
ted should not himself violate them. o.
cour., some consideration was given TO Oh"
questions Of power and propriety before ,hi'
matter Was acted upon.
The whole Of the laws which were re.
quircd TO be faithfully executed were being
resisted. and failing Of execution in nearly
one third Of the States must they be allow
ed to finally fail Of execution even bad IL
been perfectly clear. that BY the use OF 'h'
mesns necessary to their execution somc
single law made 10 such extreme tenderness.
Of the si,izsn'. liberty that practically 1t r.
lieves NOR. Of the guilty than OF the limo
cent. showed to y very limited extent be VI.
olated.
To state the question more directly. ar
all the laws but ono TO 20 uncxccuted and
the Government, itself 20 to pieces lest one
bs violated.
Even In such case would not tho Official
oath be broken? II the xovernmeo'
should be over,hrown. when II was believed
tha. d,.resardIns the single Law would ten!
to prevent l, bu, 10 was not bells1st thai
this question Was pre'en1ed-ls was no. be-
lieved tbs, any Law Was violated.
The provision Of tho Consultation that
the privilege Of the babess corpus shall not
bs suspended uulsss when In cases Of rebel
lion or INVASION tho public safety does fs
lquirs II.
I, was decided that ws have case OF re-
belliou, and ,hs. the public safety docs re.
/ .us0saaian M ha ngtV 4