Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-07-13

| til.ie VIC piN iS-yS VI luS Wiz VI idoCdo
corpus shall not be suspended, except
in cases of rebellion or invasion, when
the public safety requires it. It was
decided that we have case Of REBEL
ion, and the public safety does require
the qualified suspension of the priyi-
lege Of the writ which was authorized
to be made.
| Now, it is insisted that Congress and
not the executed is invested with this
power; but the Constitution itself IS
silent as to which or who is to exercise
the power, and as the provision was
plainly made for dangerous emergen-
cy, it cannot be believed that the fra
pers of the Instrument intended that,
in every case, the danger should run
its course until Congress should be
called together-the very assembling
Of which might be prevented, as was
intended In this ease, by the REBEL
ion
No more extended argument IS now
afforded, as an opinion at some length
will probably be presented by Attor-
ney-General. Whether there shall be
any Legislation on the subject; and if
so, what, is.submitted entirely to the
better judgment of Congress. The
| forbearance of the Government has
been SO extraordinary, and so long
continued as to lead some foreign na-
tons to shape their actions as if they
supposed the early destruction Of our
National Union was probable. While
this, on discovery, gave the executive
some concern, he is how happy to say
that the sovereign and rights Of United
States are now practically respected
| by foreign nations, and 81 general sym
pathy with the Government manifested
throughout the world.
The reports Of the Secretaries Of the
Treasury, War and Navy will give all
the information in detail, deemed ne
cessary and convenient for your action,
while the Executive department will
stand ready to supply omissions, or to
communicate new facts considered I'M
portant for you to know. It is now
recommended that you give the legal
means for making this contest a short
and decisive one. That you place at
the control Of the government for the
work, at least 100000 men, and 40O,-
10000 Of dollars.
| That number Of men IS about one
tenth of those Of proper ages within the
regions, where, apparently, all are will
ing to engage, and the sum is less than
a twenty third part of the money val
ued and owned by the men who seem
ready to devote the whole. 4 debt Of
5000, 100000 now, is less sum per
head than was the debt Of our Revolu-
ton when we came out of that Struggle,
and the money valued i'll the country
bears even q greater proportion.
Surely, each man has as strong
motive now to preserve our liberty, rs
each had then to establish it. 4 right
result at this time, will be worth more.
to the world than ten times the men
and the money. The evidence reach
ing US from the country, leaves no
doubt that the material for the work
is abundant, and that it needs only the
hand Of Legislation to give it sanction,
| and the hand of the Executive to give
it practical shape and efficiency, One
of the greatest perplexi'ios of the gov
ernment, is to avoid receiving troops
faster than it can provide for them
In 4 word, the people will save their
government, if the government will do
its part only indifferently we'll.
| it might seem at first thought to be
of little difference whether the present
movement at the South be called seces-
sion or rebellion. The movers, how
ever, we'll understood the difference
They knew, at the beginning, that they
| could never raise their treason TO any
responsible magnitude by any name
which implies violation of law. They
knew their people possessed as much
devotion to law and order: as much
pride and reverence to the history and
government of their common country
as any other civilized and patriotic
people.
They knew " they could make no ad-
rancement directly in the teeth Of
these strong and noble sentiments !:
they accordingly commenced by an in
sidious debauching Of the public mind
by inventing an ingenious sophism,
which, if conceded, was followed by
perfectly logical steps, through all the
incidents Of the complete des ttruc-
ton of the Union. The sophism Is:
Any State of the Union may consist
emily with the nations Constitution,
and therefore lawfully and peacefully
withdraw from the Union without the
consent of the Uuion or Of any other
State. 4 little disguise that the sup
posed right is to be exercised only for
| Justice, then cause themselves to
be the. sole judges Of its justice, is
too thin to merit any notice.