The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1861-07-20
The Indictment against Lincoln.

That President Lincoln. nnder the pre-
tense Of albering to his oath to support the
Constitution and enforce the laws, has open
" and fragrantlv violated both, cannot be
denied Indeed, although he has repeatedly
been charged With these high offences, we
have no denial of the fact An attempt has
been made to paliae his conduct bv refer
ing to the fact that jeff Davis is also
breaking the laws. 1t seems strange that
men should curse Jeff Davis f in>uborlina
ton to the laws, and, at the same time
praise Mr. Lincoln for doing the same thing
but still such are the facts We observe
that Baltimore paper has made out bill
of Indictment against him, enumerating
some Of the acts Of tyranny of which he is
guilty. The several charges in the indict
ment are SO true. and so susceptible of proof.
that we cannot refrain from laying them be
fore our readers and we hope they will give
them fair and impartial examination. and
then answer in their hearts, il thew are not
literally true. The Baltimore Exchange
after recounting the unconstitutional acts
and usurpations of The President, sums
them up in the following language
"What are we to infer from this long train
of "abuses and usurpations" bu: that, in
the language of the Declaration Of indie
pendence. ''it evinces design to re luce us
under absolute despolism"
Let ;he facts speak or themselves: .
lie has usurped the functions of co ordn
ate branches Of the Government, by order
ing an increase of the army and navy. and
by suspending the act of hobeas corpus.
He has effected to render the Military I'M
dependent Of and superior to the civil pow
er.
He has transported persons beyond the
limits of the State in which they lived, into
another State, to be there tried for pretend.
ed offenses
He has illegally mustered an army of vol.
unteers and administered to it new oath.
In fragrant contempt Of the protest of the
Governor, and in direct opposition to the
known will of the Legislature, he has quar-
tered standing army upon this State
Maryland to harrass and Cypress the PEG
pie.
He has violated the provision of the Con
sttution, which comedies to the people Of a
State ''the right to bear arms" and declares
that it "shal not be infringed," by disarn.
ing the militia of Maryland and Selling the
arms of her private citizens.
lie has caused arrests to be made on blank
warrants and without form of law.
He has invaded the sanctty of private
correspondence.
lie has cut oft our trade by wantonly oh.
structing our main avenues of commerce."
These are the main charges which Mary
land brings against President Lincon-
Lesser offences than these" says the Elk
change, "were held in l776 sufficient to
justify the Colonies in throwing off their
allegiance to England" Illuminating as the
fact may be, the several counts in the above
Indictment are too true. Who can gainsay
them9 But it is contende4 by the adherens
Of the President, that necessity compelled
him to do these things. OH that word
NECESSITY" Go back and read the history
of the world, and it will be seen that this
plea of necessity has been common to all
tyrants. Under this plea the liberties of the
people have been too often subverted. We
should remember these facts, and we should
also bear in mind that eternal vigilance is
the price of liberty" If we grant that this
plea Of necessity is q valid one. we ask
where will it stop 1t may be used against
others, bat who can tell how soon this EN-
CINE of unrestrained oppression may be
turned! agains, us!
STATES RiGnrs JoURNAL.-Mr. Conover
has issued prospectus fora anpaign news