Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-09-20

: "eIR: l was recently so much Athlete
with secession sentiments that | was ir
clined to make liberal propositions of peac
to infamous armed rebels-So much so tia
I was unable to sleep nights, and was un
able to seem to be an honest man. Bu
one package Of your invaluable medicin
restored me in the space of two days t
perfect health. so that l can be on bot
sides Of this question as well as any other
x
What about the liberty of the press I
is like good many other liberties we en-
JOY, but has no right to commit treason
One has no more right TO commit treason
and destroy the Government by press
than he has by any other mode. Tit
rights and liberty Of the press is one g
our greatest and most sacred blessings, t.
be guarded with watchful vigilance, Bu
what does that mean? In time of peace
to discuss all measures Of Government free
y and fearlessly. But the one who has {
press has no more right to overthrow &
Government by reasonable means in war
than one has by writing treason without :
press. There Is no charm about printed
treason which gives it impunity. 1t will dc
well enough to hang up parrot in cage,
/ to say Liberty Of the press - "Lberty
of the press - and we have parrot cry.
ing it now who needs to be Gagged. Sup
| pose was to write to 3Ir. A, or B, and
say-these rebels. after all, are right;
hope they will succeed / am glad they
are fighting our armies and hope they
will be successful l hope the Administra-
tion will be overthrown, and | devise
means and plans to aid rebellion. That
would be treason in private letter.
would be liable to be imprisoned, because
it would be afforrhng aid and comfort. Aud
if in a private letter, how much more in an
internal secession press, which sows Its
dragon teeth broadcast to poison the mind
of the country and urge on the rebellion.
How much more should they be arrested ?
approve Of every act of the President l
would approve of more if he would do
them.
Let US see what this Convention says
about this very matter, for their views are
important as have shown:
Resolvcd, That while we admit the ne
cessity of summary processes and martial
law among insurgent population 1.-THE gram
mar is their own, and within the lines Of
military operations, we protest against the
doctrine that any power except the repre-
5entatives of the people can suspend the
writ of habcas corpus for civil offences
How if these offences are committed when
Congress is not IN session?l We protest
against the assumption Of the Executive
power to establish a system Of passports; !;
against the right of tie government to or
ganze systems Of State Police; against the
assumption Of the Federal Executive to
retress the discussions Of free press by
the refusal OF mail feclit es, or i'll any 9TH
er way except BY the decision Of the civil
tribunals; and that, finally, we protest
against the doctrine Of President Lincoln S
message that the States derive their au-
tborty from tie Federal Government,
President Lincoln has never claimed any
thing of the kind, as subversive to the
fundamental doctrine of American liberty.
Now | propose to compromise Laugh
ter that President Lincoln has the right
to suspend the habeas corpus as long as it
takes to read that lcggy resolution and
understand it. Great Laughter. As
the schoUlboy said, 1T is pretty consdera-
bly, difficult to understand ideas which one
is not possessed Of Notwithstanding, per-
adventure, undoubtedly may be so, I guess
it is F" Most certainly! Laughter. Now
have read President I-incoln's message
earefully-and he does not say, so far as |
have seen, that the States derive their
power from the Federal Government. Ii
he does, he is in error That resolution
is remarkable, at any rate, for its length
and its fogginess and obfusca.ion. 1t is
as clear as mud There can be no doubt
that the rights Of the Executive, and Of the
people, will he understood hereaiter-no
matter whether they were before. It is
very we'll that that resolution came into
| the Convention as it did The members
were dry and parched for the lack Of some
stream of living doctrine, when this mod
ern Moses smote the rock, and out gushed
this refreshing, constitutional well-spring
! to glad len then as did the waters Of old
} the wandering tribes Of Israel. But all
this death bed repentance is too late.
You will remember few years since
when Louis Philippe, with his stealthy
usurpation, finally ranged his guns so that
they would bear on the city of Paris, anC
relied upon his military arm to sustain hin
and his family as the house Of Orleans thr I
all times-ol a sudden commenced one oI
those revolutionary surgcs and grouuo
swells Of the French people. 1t swayeC
there and it svayed there; and at last il
appeared that the people were going
against their Government by revolution IL
earnest He first few to his army Of dc
fence, and his guns and guards. The.
failed him. He then began to make con
cessions and apologies to the French peo
pie but they cried out, Too la'e Tot
iatc?' and he was ignominously driver
from his kingdom. These men new copl
with these break down resolutions the,
are half and half They are mermaic
propositions, half women and half fish an
all scales. Cheers and laughter Bu
the voice of the people Of New York IS Iil
that of the French, '.Too late. Too late !
TIE Democratic party is strong in it
popular element, but it never was stron
enough to carry 50 much dead weight Z
it has upon its back now. (Laughter
It has get to throw overheard Its Jonah :
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