Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-07-18

Rights Of property having been wantonly
violated, it needed but little stretch Of
usurpation to violate the sanctity of the per-
son, and victim was not wanting a pri-
vate citizen of Maryland, not subject to the
rules and articles Of war, not in a case aris-
ing in the land and naval forces, is seized in
his own house-not by process of law, but
by the arbitrary grasp Of military power
and torn from the side of his family, is borne
to Fort McHenry. over which it had been
invoked by Key that the flag of the free for
ever should wave.
=; The aid of the highest privilege which
freedom has yet conferred upon the citizen
of free country was sought to vindicate the
rights of Mr.. Merryman, and the Chief
Justice of the United States, the pure-heart-
ed and high-minded Roger 3. Taney, issued
the writ of habeas corpus requiring the pris-
oner to be brought before him. The result
of his interference has already become his
torical. The officer of the law found the
portals of the fortress barred against him.
He was denied admission, and it was told
that the officer in command had suspended
the writ of Aabeos corpus
Mr.. Vallandigham then entered into
history of the writ of habeas corpus, which
had been extorted, after six hundred years
of toll and suffering, from venal judges and
tyrant kings. Granted to wronged but
spirited people at Runnymede, it was again
conceded by Charles Second Itwas right
which neither English Minister, nor Judge,
nor English King or Queen, would dare to
disregard; and yet that inestimable right,
that dear bulwark of the citizens rights, had
been subverted and trampled under foot by
an - American President, and only in the
seventy third year of American Indepen-
dence; yet it was such acts of usurpation
which Congress was called upon to sanction
He earnestly asserted that the cause which
demanded such sacrifices could not be Just
cause
He recitcd the usurpations already prac-
tised by the Administration. The quarter
ing of troops in private houses without the
consent of their owners-the censorship of
the telegraph-the subversion of the Ri ghts
of citizens of certain States to keep or to
bear arms; and said the next step-and it
was but narrow one, would be the violation
Of the freedom of the press, and of prayer;
the sacred right of petition was even now
tottering under the assaults upon it.
MIR. Vallandigham said he spoke freely
and feariessly as an American Representa-
resurveu not 10 1ose nly own cUnss1vdcfUNaf
liberties in the vain effort to Impose these
rights upon tea millions of unwilling people.
He drew fine comparison between the
meeting of Congress ia December last, when
it was composed of thirty-four Independent
States, and the present Congress, from which
the representatives Of eleven States arc alb
sent
Their places are supplied by $1,000 SOL
diers, and the armed men crowding the
walks and lawns of this beleagured Capital.
and the sound of the drum, give frequent
evidence that in times of war laws are silent.
He hoped that some years, some months
hence, the present generation will demand
to know the cause of all this and some ages
hence the grand and impartial tribunal Of
history will make solemn and diligent in
quest of the authors of this terrible revolu-
ton.