The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-15

,calt problep,s of the times is to determine
what 10 do with suspected persons. There
A.. constant arrests Of men considered mimi
al to the South and to the State IN the inme
late ueighburh"od of 'ur armies. These p
ons are ARE ted By the officers III command
and in some instances sent back to Richm"h'
40 be dealt with by the legal officers of tn |
State and Confederate Governments. In gen
.ral they have committed no overt act OF
treason: and while they are known to be IL
imical. no evidence can be found Of positive |
treason or criminality. They can be ai1es'eo
N no other ground than suspicion at' y''
their arrest is almost essential to the "o''
interests.
A.yet there ha. been no SUSPENSION o' '"'
baJea. corpus writ: not by tno o0hi
pr..,Jan, ar the State Governor, peca"s'
neither ha. power to do so nor ny e''"''
c.. Convention or the Confederate Con
when they we're in session, because 'he
necessity of doing SOW as not 'hen "pp"'e"''
The result is. that when suspicious persons
s.nt to Richmond by Gen. BEAuRkGARp"'
:,p M,sRrpgR. and they are taken before 'h'
Ulcers Of the law, i, is Impossible lot 'h's'
..sc.rs 20 do aught in their cases. There !
=, sususnsion Of the writ OF h"beo' o'Tp"'
and these officers have, therefore, no power l.
commit TO Jail Suspicion and' even /
+hsre he some evidence Of ahettlng inc snemle"
- the South, the witnesses are absent ana th'
.,roofs Of the charges imperfect These OIL
n..rs are therefore either bound to dI>charg'
fs pri,oner for want of facts and of proofs
r. which is tho utmost they can do, mu''
stretch their powers 80 far as to SEND them L
ne. Governor, to be held Or sent out OF thu
State,
Ierc is subject which evidently require
.,ms Immediate legislation. The Legislation
.,quired is, partial suspension y the proVl
IONS If tue habsas corpus act. 1t Is coinpe
ent under the Confederate Constitution 10
his to be done by the Confederate Congress
cut the time yet to elapsc before that bod!
meets is too long for the emergency. We gu.
pose it is also competent for the State oon'"h-
mon to pass such Il law, armed as that body
with plenary powers. The conierrlng OF tn
,nver unon tie Confederate Congress does Il I
| We taks is for granted, render its exercise b..
| the State Legislature or Convention Illegal
| The reason Of the case seems TO justify ~
| exercise of the power by either the State 9
Federal Legislature, in their discretion.
| Certainly the power ought to be exercise
| by one or the other Of these legislative bodies
| 81 far as to authorize judges, Justices, al
commissioners, to commit suspected person
| until the condition Of the country 50 change
| as to render their running at large not danger
US to the public safety.
There is an Ordinance OF the Convention
passed towards its close, authorizing the a
resting of suspected persons and the carryn
them before justices and judges; but
| authorizes this to be done in order that Il
prisoners may be "dealt with according
law" If dealt with merely according to LAY
they must be discharged on failure to prov
some overt act of treason they must not
held or even tried on suspicion If dealt Wi
merely according to law, some Of the mo
dangerous characters that ever infested
country must be turned loose to do their wei
| IF secret machination, correspondence, al
treason, with IMMUNITY.
. There is nothing to prevent the leglSlafi
, authority Of the country from inEerposing
Fl provide a remedy for these evils. They ha
! oi1v to authorize the holding of all persons
= confinement against whom there may appe
reasonable cause Of suspicion. When
r. suspicion is light and the character Of t
e. suspected person lie such as to warrant N
:. treatment. the officers of the army, of
!, State, or of the law might be authorized,
-, stead of sending them to the common jail,
- confne them as prisoners of war in otl
>, places, or within prescribed limits on parO
-, In all times and in all countries, it has be-
,s deemed e1pedient and legitimate TO curtaii
;, liberties of citizens for cause, or on suspici
rh during the tendency Of invasion. The c.
cd stitution expressly authorizes Congress to :
Is md Lobeus corpus during such periods. a
mt tie present e1igencies Of the public imperati
at. lv demand that some legal authority should
AL vested in public officers, civil and militia
~, over suspected persons.