Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-05-15
CLEARFlELD, PA.
Wednesday Morning May 10, 1861.
Treason and Misprison Ct Treason.

me W eStern DStTlct Vi IeHheyh"'i"' az
Pittsburgh last week, took occasion to di-
rect the attention of that body 10 the
crimes of Treason and Misprison OF Trea-
son. Quoting the Constitution, he detin.
I'D Treason against the United States TO
TO "leyyipg war against them, or aiher'
ing to their enemies, giri"g them aid and
comfort" And quoting Judge Belts ofthe
southern District of New York, he de>
fines giving aid and comfort" to consist
in furnishing military supplies, food cloth
ing, harbor or concealment, or cODm,0lca,
i.ngintormaton 10 them
The reader will observe from this
that if our neighbor, the editor Of the
Journal, was arraigned before either of
shese judges, On the charge o: Treason 10
The Government, and copy of his parer
ef the first inst, was produced, in which
lac announced ths. there were traitors l. c
SeceSsionsts, in ClearGeld-among his
neghbors-his conviction would be almost
certain. We week said that the pro-
duction of proof that the assertion was
ialse, might save him. Tha. was our i'm
preston. But according to the above
opinions. il would not.
Judge McCandless did not stop here,
tut proceeded to define Misprison Of
treason "-saying, Misprison Of Treason
,s the conccalment OF something that
Jught TO be reyealed. Misprison of rrea-
son consists in the bare knowledge and
toncea,meCt Of Treason, citkoW asSl2,tag 10
q" This Interpretation oi the act of
&'ongress ofI790, is very clear, the words
.Sf~hich are as follows -" If any person
or persons, having knowledge of the COM
,.nis sion Of any of the offences aforesaid,
hall conceal, and not, rs soon as may be,
disclose, and make known the same TO
the President of the United States, or
-some one of the judges thereof, or to the
President or Go, erRor of particular
State, or some one Of the judges or justic,
rs thereOf, such person. on conviction,
shall bc adiudgcd guilty Of misprison of
treason, and shall be imprison I'D no. ex-
aseding seven years, and fined, not excec>
Ling one thousand dollars"
The meaning OF this language admit OF
80 dispute. TO be amenable to this law
,Stis not eeessary that che rictim shall be
himself traitor. 1t is no matter how
loyal and faithful 10 the Government a.
man may be, if he is aware of the traitor.
oas conduct OF others, and does not, as
soon rs may be, make k n own the same"
iheis declared guilty ofMisprison ofTretson
How stands our neighbor with regard to
fthis law To believe his paper, oor town
is full of "traitors." 40 place between
this and "the east" Ii is so many "sym-
pathiseis with sccessionists." In his pas
per of the lst instant he outraged the
community by publishing the following
,slander:
SrRIws SNOW WHICH WAY fhE' HisDs BLOw-l
~ is reported, that quite nutnber of strong sym
epathisers with the Southern traitors still in
our midst If this be so, they should be careful
how they express their sentiments, or be prepar-
cd 10 take up their abode with their friends, US
lhc Pennsylvania Legisloture at its last session |
passed IN ac, defining treason in this State.
The woids at is reported" &C., are
very conveniently used to shift: the res
possibility from the editors shoulders.
But it will not avail him; and until he
furnishes the name of his reporter" he
must be held responsible as the SANDER
or Of his neithbors and subject to prose-
.eution for naisprson of treason.
in his las. issue, however, he grows
suoro bold, and makes use OF the following
Ian suage:
"fraitors there are in our land aud whenev-
er we hosr Of such, whether they are in the North
'Or the South, we shall let our readers know tho
they are"
"0ur land" being rather extensive,
this expression might be deemed indeti-
mite, Bot as this sentence is taken from
a small paragraph in which the editor is
making HaIe personal explanation 70 his
readers, OF course it can only have local
application. "0ur land includes all the
States, South as we'll as North, and as all
men III the seeded Stntes are seceSsIon-
lists. of course they are all traitors-hence
the editor must certainly be speaking
only of his own Immediate neighborhoUd
II he does--and we are unable TO put
any ether construction upon his language
-ve ask, in all candor, is not the editor
,ooniesSedly guilty OF misprison Of treason
j" 2raitors," says he, there are in our land"
This is a positive declaration. and, iftrue,
and the editor declines to disclose and
make known the same to the President"
&C., he is liable TO prosecution at any time
lie promises toiet his readers know'who
they are" 1t is due to this community
that he should do SO without delay, He
has no right to cast such imputations up.
on any of his fellow citizens. But IL is