Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-23
A New Law OF Treason.

The low shifts to which knavery will resort seldom
more srkpgly illustrated than in the late letter OF Sew
ard to Mr. Heueken of New York relative to the steam
ers Yorktown and Janest non, now lying in this port
These vessels owned in part in Virginia, were forbidden
some weeks ago. by the Governor to qun our waters
we're ia fact taken possession of for the Of the State
The Roanoke belonging the line, lying in New
York was taken possession of by the Lincoln Govern
ment for its use. Nobody questions that the sc Of
the Governor was legitimate and udicious The right
to appropriate private property for public uses in time
of peril to the State among the least dubious princi
pies of general law 1t followed Immediately IN this
instance by proposal indemnify the owners by pay
ing the full value of the property taken. But the Gov
eminent at Washington awless and tyrannical in every
thing interposed and forbade the agent for the owners
to receive the compensation profsred, threatening bin
with a prosecution for treason il he did So Never
there elct aser in and law, more base or des-
poc Treason against the United States deinedby the
Constitution consists only in levyng war" against them,
or giving aid ard comfort" to their enemies To have
received the preferred pay for these steamers SO far
from evyng war against the United States giving us
aid aud comfort would have been las the reader need
not be told to deprive of portion Of our for
the money, he would have given us "ad and comfort"
to that extent and might with some show of reason,
have been arraigned for treason because the money
left in our hands could be used in "svying war against
the United States" But this is what Seward has done
he has given us aid and comfort by leaving
uudimnished; and if there be any treason, he s the
traitor We commend his case to the attention of the
federal law officers
The following remarks on the subject by the Bal
timore Erchmqe:
The Secretary of State OF the United States has either
lost his mind or his remanlI OF shame, or has
persuaded himself that he has nothing TO do but to hum
hug generation of fools. We pa lshed, on Saturday,
letter of his, which we think justies this COMMENT
The New York and Virginia steamship Company has
hal two OF their steamers orcbly seiz ID by tine Virgil
ul authorities Who af.er having obtained possession Of
the vessels honest enough 10 tender compensation
therefor to the innocent owners. The Agent OF the
COMPANY naturally DESTROYS 10 know what the Admin
strntion NAV do with him if he accepts the money,
writes respectfully to Br Seward obtain the latest i'm
peria IT script applicable 10 the case. The Secretary
ccoy replies that the authorizes OF Virginia parties
10 the "insurrcction which has broken out in
hat State that to sell them vessels is to give them
"aid ard comfort" which ia treason aud that TO take
money Tor the vessels already seized is ito convert the
unlawful seizure into a SALE aud will consequently sub
ect the offender to the punishment OF traitor In
o:her words innocent man, who has been deprived
of his property against his will and is unable to get
back is wicked enough 10 accept indemnity for the
spoliation he must be hanged, precisely if he had
yo unfairly and cminay transferred it TO the enemy
Governor Letcher has the steamers aud will keep and
use them whether the compensation he offers be p:
ID or not. How i; will give him laid aud comfort" TO
take his money passes all understanding. How the sur
render Of the vessels which innocent when made
simply because it could be helpedwll be converted
into crime by or post facio restitution in value, is
question the solution of which will be thing in the
penal law.
Ia: there is another point OF Mr. Stewards letter,
whi,n j. almost extraordinary that to which
have alluded 1t is the remarkable suggestion that the
Virginia authorities "public enemies, and their buy
ing vessels for belgefent purposes is nevertheless
treason" II there be principle Of publ; law familiar
20 II civilized communities il is that public enemy"
il not traitor" Mr. Seward had stated previously, in
his letter to Mr. DAYTON that the Confederate States
il "open hlgraut deadly w4r'-"civ.l war"-with the
United States That they admitted to be public
enemy" now, is TO say al 10 regard 70 them that
can be said to put Rn end to the whole question
of treason so far they Concerned Such being the
ease according the fixed and established rule laid down
by every publct whose opinion is authority, the Of
me o2prC5rous language referred to only be intend
ed 10 stimulate passion and sharpen the edge of resent
N NJ aud revenge. Nothing more malignant and bad
hearted can well be Conceived. There j. old saying
OF she devil turned precisian" We are having our ex
yereuce of the preciian turned devil.