The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-12-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS OFFERED
BY Mr.. TRUMBULL.
.frre8t Of Persons an the Loyal States.
y. s. CAPIToL, WASHINGTON, DEC. 16, 1861.
SENATE.

| y. s. CAPITOL, WASHINGTON, DEC. 16, 1861.
SENATE.
| MIR. TRUMBUL (LlI y desired to call up the
resolution inqunng into the authority for, and
| lis arrests made By or under the direction OF
the Secretary OF State.
MFR. DIXON Conn., was opposed 70 the pas
age OF such a resolution. Il was we'll known
',lat during the SIX months, while the existence
Vt the nation hung as it were upon hair,
2llle large armies threatened the capitol and
rs safety at one pelsd was IN great doubt,
}5ere were in the loyal States men OF danger
Gus character who were allowed to 90 at large,
alhough il was we'll understood tbat they were
& wing aid aud comfort to the enemy in every
a9sslble manner.
My own Stale was infested by these, although
/ am glad tina; they were not natives of the
| ale. Iney got up { series of peace meetings,
e1d endesvored to get up feetIog of symPa-
tt.y tor The South, saying lnat the Government
as making war against the South, which was
talting !or ITS rights. They Were at last stop
psd BY the Secretary OF State aud imprisoned.
he adoption OF such a resolution,wouId imply
aat the Secretary bad eXcee5ed his powers.
.ot 10 have acted as he dld would have been
coral treason on bis part, and OF the part OF
De President. Should the President see the
Government paralyze1 by uGprlaclPled Inea
gllo were seeking to destroy the country by
s-rs+-- %!-r--.fs;oions Of the psopiel 1t was r.
Rough that The Puorsu v-s> ;, '..-.--'l a.. -
power should be Upheld, not censured, as the
resolution would IMPLY.
Mr.. TRUMBULL rose to advocate his reso-
Luton. 1t did not, in his opinion, imply any
censure to the Secretary OF State. He was in
favor of prosecuting the war with the utmost
vIgor He would have the army active and
vigllant, and he would strike al the traitors
with the power of 100000 men, and a! the
soonest possible moment. The resolution was
one as to the arrest OF persons in the loyal
States. The Courts were in operation there
and 1t was for them to arrest, not The general
Government
Mr.. DIXON-The Senator will allow ne.
stated that they gave aid and comfort to the
enemy by inStiiutng series OF meetings IN
which they called peace meetings III which
they addressed large assemblies OF the people,
aud attempted 10 influence the public mind that
the South was acting in self defence anu that
the Administration was making war upon the
South. If the Senator could tell me how they
were TO be arrested for treason, should like to
know how it should be done. do not say
they were guiity Of open treason, but they
were guilty o: moral treason.
Mc. TRUMBULL desired to know how the
proper persons were TO be arrested. The Sen
alor from Connecticut had admitted that the
right persons had been arrested, ana he no"
comes 10 the defenceDi this despotIc power -
the essence OF despotism where the President,
by The click OF the telegraph, can order the ar
Test aad imprisonment of any one III the loyal
States What becomes OF constitutional llber-
ty-what are we fighting for, II the broad
ground is t. he assumed, and 10 be justified in
this body, that any man is TO be thanked for
assuming unconstitutional aud unwarraned au-
thority!
T, sir, was willing to vote, and did vote al
the extra session of Congress to sanction the
acts OF the Executive made through the mil
tary power, for the purpose of suppresSing
the rebellion, for some of when no warrent
could, perhapSbe found. But now different
state Of things exists. The President is not in
fallible and must err sometimes. Ifany addi-
.ional legislation is necessary to punish treason
10 Connecticut, or anywhere else, he was IN
favor OF passing such law.
It's in lust such times as these that the ioun-
dations of tyranny and despotism are laid, and
not when the people are wide awake 20 th4ir
own interests. IIIS iedpS uPOu 'HC PeOPIo VII
awares. and under the pretence of necessity as
sumes this great power, and they cannot extri-
cate themselves from the tyranny that Is upon
them. He would never commend any such
usurPation.
Mr.. WILSON Mass regretted the remarks
of the gentleman from Illinois Mr.. TRUMBuLLl.
He (Mr. II knew that all done by the Secre-
tary of Stale was in obedience to the President,
whose chief clerk he virtually was. Why,
then, ask the Secretary if such arrests have been
made. Instead OF rejecting upon the Secretary
or President, why could not the Senator bring in
a bill, proposing to enact law :hat should clothe
the Government with ample power TO arrest and
imp.ison men who have been in completely with
the traitors to the country. Threatened as we are
by domestic tratoIs and foreign powers, why
come INTO the Senate with resolution which
carries implied censure with 1t upon the Gov
eminent? Il was wrong, and there were nine
hundred and n.nety-nine men out Oh every
thousand 10 the loyal States who would sust ain
the Government 10 its action.
Then the President, through the Secretary Of