The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1861-07-12
..lh the SO. called Confederate statss. and

Soheiy J, &uiJ Hudiiy, tutyS peFElltLeQ tD6:
'nsurrectionary government to be trans
Tered ,e their Capitol at Richmond. The
people OF Virginia haze thus allowed this
giant lnsurreetion to make its nest within
her borders, and this Government has no
choice left but to deal with it where it
finds 1t, and it has. the less to regret as
the loyal citizens have in d1e form claim
d Its protection. Those loyal citizens the
Governmsnt is bound to recognize and
Totect as being in Virginia In the bor-
der States so-cslled, in fact the middle
States, there are those who favor policy
which they called armed neutrality; that
Is, an army OF those States to prevent thu
Union forces passing one way or the dis
union the other, over their soil. This
would be disunion completed, 6gurative-
|ly speaking. 1t world he the bs,ilding {
IN impossible wall along the line OF sep.
ara;ion, and yet not quite an impossible,
'or under the guise of neutrality, it would
lie the hands of the Union men, and free
pass supplies from among them to tie
which IL could not do as
an open enemy. At stroke It would
take all the treuble off the hands OF Sc
cesslon, except only what proceeds frcm
the external blockade. It would do for
the disunionists 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 Constitution; no obligation to maintain
The Union. While very many who have
favored it are doubtless loyal citizens,it is
| nevertheless very injurious in effect.
/ Recurring to the action of the Govern
ment, it may be stated that at first call
Was made for 1900 military, and rap-
IDLY following this, a proclamation was
Issued for closing the ports of the insur~
sectionary districts. by proceedings in
them of blockade. So far all was be-
lieved to be s;ri:tly legal. at this point the
lnsurrectionists announced their purpose
| Of entering upon the practice Of priyateer-
ing. Other calls were made fer volun-
teers to serve threeye ars, unless sooner
discharged; aud also large additions to the
e,ular army and navy. These measures
whether strictly legal or not, were ven~
tured upon what appeared o @ a popu-
lar demand for a public. necessity, trusts
ting then as now, that Congress W ould
readily satisfy them. Ii is believed that
nothing has been done beyond the con-
stltutional competency Of Congress. Soon
after he first call for militia it was con-
sidered a duty GO authorize the Comman-
ding General, In proper cases, accordlng
TO his discretion, to suspead the privilege
OF the habeas corpus, or, ii other words
to arrest and detain without resort to or
dlnary processes and forms and law such
lindisidurls as he might deem dangerous
TO the public safety. This authority has
Iparposely been exercised, but very spar
ugly; nevertheless the legality and pro-
priety Of what has been done under it
are questions, and the attent on of the
country has been called to the proposition
that one who is sworn to take elre that the
laws be faithfully executed should not
himself violate them.
OF course, some consideration was CIV
en- to the questions Of the power and pre-
priety before this matter was ac ed upon.
The whole of the laws, which were re-
quired to be faiti. fully executed, were be-
ing resisted, and failing of execution in
nearly Que thbd OF the States. Must
they be allowed to finally fail of execu
ton? Even had it been perfectly cleec
that by the use of the means necessary
to their execution, some single law nf<ie
in such extreme tenderness of the ctr
= 1eas' liberty, that practically it relieve
; more OF gully than the innocen
should to very llmlted v-s.Ant be yioia
/ ted. To state the question more asr---,--
:, ly, are all the laws but one to GO uneZe
cuted, and the Government itself to
i to pieces lest that one be violated? E
t in such case would not the official oa-;
h. fI,o Oh ~
h elthrown when it Wa believed tii a
Y disregarding the single law would pre-
n serve it? But it was not believed tl4ss
Il this question was presented. 1t was nos
:, believed that any law was violated. The
q provision Of the Constitution, that the
d privilege of the writ of habeas corpus
). Shall not be suspended except in cases Q.
'i re oellon or invasion, when the pubho
: safety requires it. 1t was decided thai
e we have a case Of rebellion, and the
e public safety does net require the quail
i fed suspension of the privilege OF the
+ writ, which was authorized to be made,
Now it is insisted that Congress and no.
e the Executive is vested with this pow
err. But the Constitution itself is silen'
e as to which or who is to exercise the
J power, and as the provision was plainly
u made for dangerous emergency, 1T can
Ia not be believed that the trainers ofinstru
le ment intended that in every case th'
OF danger should run its course until Con
l. giess should be called together, the very
., assembling of which might be prevented
al as was intended in this case by the re
belliun.
- ~ No more extended argument is nov
% % afforded. as an opinion at some lengt
:, - will probably be presented BY the Attor-
- ney General. whether there shalibe any
i, Legislation on the subject, and if SO, wha
or is submitted entirely to the better iudg
De ment Ct Congress.
'n Phs fofbearance of this Governmen
p, has been SO extraordinary and SO lon:
OF continued, as to lead some foreign nation
e. 20 shape their actions as if they suPpose'
''e the early destruction of out na'ioIlai Z hio'