The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-07-12

hibaeA'
secession except only what proceeds from the
external blockade.
II would do :or the disunfonists that which
Of all things they most desire feed them well
and give them disunion without struggle of
their own. 1t recognizes no fidelity to The
Cons.itution-no obligation to MAINTAIN the u
MON and while very many who have favored
ii are doubtless loyal citizens, 1t Is nevertheless
very injnrIous in effect.
Recurring to the action of the Government,
it may be stated that at first d call was made
for Is 900 militia, and rapidly following this
proclamation was issued for closing the ports of
the insurrectonary districts BY proceedings in
the nature of a blockade. So tar all was be-
Iieved TO be strictly legal.
At this point the insurrectionists announced
their purpose to enter upon the practice OF pri-
watering.
Other calls were made far volunteers TO serve
three years, unless sooner discharged, and also
for large addition TO the regular army aud ma
w.
These measures, whether strictly lsgaI or not,
were ventured upon under what appeared TO br
a popular demand and public necessity, trust
ing, as now, that Congress would readily ratilY
them. # is believed that nothing has been
done beyond the constitutional competency Of
Congress.
Soon after the first call for militia, il was
considered duty to authorize the commanding
general in proper cases, according TO his discrr-
tion, to suspend The privilege OF the writ otAa-
beaS corpus or, in other words 10 arrest sat
detan, without resort to the ordinags 3cesss
and forms of law, such indt,,duai, ae niEHt
deem dangerous 10 the public safety, fls au
lhority has purposeiy been exercised BOT very
sparngly.
Nevertheless, the legality and proprIety Of
what has been done under it are questioned, aud
the attentIoL Of the country has been called 10
the proposition that one " no is sworn TO take
care that the laws be faithfully executed, should
not himself violate them.
OF course some consideration was given TO
the question Of power and Propriety before this
matter was acted upon. The whole OF the laws
which were required 10 be- faithfully executed,
were being resisted, and falling OF execution in
nearly one third of the States, must they be al
lowed to finally fail Of execution, even had 1t
been perfectly clear that by the use OF the
means necessary to their execution some single
law, made In such extreme tenderness ni the
cItlzen's liberty that practically it relieves more
OF the guilty than OF the innocrHt, should to a
very limited extent be violated. To state the
question more directly, are all the laws bot on
TO go unexecuted, and the Government itself 90
to pieces lest that one be violated
Even IN such a case would mol the official
oath be broken # the Government should be
oveIthrown, when it was believed that disre-
glrdiag The single law would tend 10 preserve
it But It was not believed that this question
was presented. It was not believed that any
law was violated
The provision of the Constitution that the
privilege of the writ of haAeaS corDus shall not
br suspended unless when 10 cases OF rebellion
or invasion :he public safety may require, is
equivalent 10 a provision that such privilege
-s' =. eusnanA,d when IN ehOas ,af rshelj
invasion, tie public safety does require 4.
1t was decided that we have case Of rebel
lion and that the public safety does require
the qualified suspension of the writ which was
authorized TO be made. Now it is insisted that
Congress and not the Executive is vested with
the power.
But the Constitution itself is silent as to which
OF who is TO exercise the power; and as the
provision was plainly made for dangerous
emergency,tt it cannot be belIesed the trainers Of
the instrument intended that n every case the
danger should run its course until Congress
be called together, the very assembling Of which
might be prevented, as was intended IN thi,
case Uv the rebellion. No more extended ar
gument is now offered, as an opinion Of some
! length wlll probably be presented by the AT
torney General. Whether there shat! be any
legislation upon the subject, and il any, what, is
submitted entirely TO the better judgment of
| Congress.
The iorbearance Of thus Government had been
so extraordinary and SO long continued as 10
| lead some foreign nalIons TO shape their action
as il they supposed the early drdruction 0: our
| National Union was probable.
| While this one discovery gave the Executive
some concern be is now happy 10 say that the
sovereignty and rights of the Unilyd States are
now everywhere practically respected by for
eign powers, and a general sYnpathy with
the country is maitested Throughout the whole
| world.
The reports of the Secretaries ofthe Treasury,
War and Navy, will grve the Iformation in
detail deemed necessary and convea-rt tor yaur
delibe alton and action, whIi- ~ Egasu.rr-
aud all the Departments will SAND r-aaF 70
supply OMISSIONS, or 10 coRTuur tl- EeW .ac'z
considered important r.; 900 10 ajY.
1t is now recommended Eaal yu give the le-
Sdi HIcduS iOl uidhiitS ijiS oiDll ana a
decisive one that you place al lbe control nt
Government for the work at least400,000 men
and S4O0, 900, 900. That numer of men is
about one-tenh of those Of propr ages within
the regions where apparently alhre willing to
engage and the sum is less thai the twenty
third part Of the money value iwned by the
men who seem ready to devote te whole.
A debt of six hundred mlllionot dollars now
! 10 Ia,- a. J.Lt Il
revolution when we came out olthat struggle :;
and the money value IN thr Coutry now bears
even greater proportion TO wat il was then
| tbaD doas ba popplat,nn Guaiu