Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-23
The Protest oFthe Democratic W.-s-
beTE OF the New FHampsnEre I.egTE-
IaGuVc against appropriations Ser
War AGAINST the south.

The Protest oFthe Democratic M.-s-
beTs OF the New UampsnEre LegS-
fatuvc agsinst Appropriations Scr
War AgatHstthe south.
4 The undersigned claim their constitutional
/ right OF tering upon the journal Of ihe house
| this, their protest, against the passage Of a
/ bill entitled an "aet to aid in the defense of
the country" with tie following, our reasons
/ therefor:
1. Because the bill compeIs US 10 approve,
ratify and confirm Hall payments made BY The
governor and council or by their authority ard
/ direction, IN order to furnish troops from this
State for the defense Of She United States. or
1 for enlistipg, aTmipg, eqUippiBg, disciplining.
maintaining or Transporting said troops, or in
! any way connected thsrewjtb;' IF The nature
extent validity and equity OF which We know
50 little az to be entirely unable to form aDv
/ definite judgment relative thereto, and because
/ from any Information communicated 20 this
I house, we cannot assure ourselves OF our con-
stituents that it would be safe and proper for
I us thus to approve, ratifV and confirm.
! ? Because by the provisions OF this bill the
/ power to consider ana determine what appro-
/ pIiations are necessary, and what disposition
has been, and shall be made Of the money Of
the people, bow, and py what agents disbursed
and in what manner accounted for, as taken
from the representatives Of the people, TO
whom such power constitutionsliY belongs,
and surrendered to tbe executive branch of the
government
g. Because we cannot permit trsnsac ions
of any branch Of tie government to be sealed
up from the eyes OF the people, OF 70 be placed
beyond their power to examine, inspect and
judge.
4. Because we cannot regard the action OF
this house in the rRieetioon Of the amend
ments proposed to the bill, as other han the
assurance that The present war NAV be waged
By unlawful mssns, for conquest, suhiugatioB.
national consolidation and the extingnishment
Of State sovereigntiss, and ve are unalterahly
opposed to the attainment, BY any means, Of
such objects.
DisavOwing all considerations and motives
OF partisan character, we enter our protest
against ibis bill because OF lis loose, ire
sp5nsible, extTavagant provisions, and also
because we desire to put upon the record our
earnest will TO protect the State against the
exercise OF degree Of executive power such
as the constitution never concentrated, and
the people never before dreamed of. When
such an extraordinary appropriation was sub
mittsd to our sanction, we b right to know,
and the people had a rigbS TO know, distinctly
and specifically, where their money was to 60,
for What purposes It had been and was 10 be
applied, and by what suitable checks its die
bnrsement bad been. and was TO be guarded
We cannot consent to give to the idle catch
reason and argument. The political party to
which we belong has fortunately no occasion |
for new and extraordinary demonstrations o.
devotion to the flag Of our country. They !
have never heaped maledictlon upon It, or |
upon the constitution. They have not only |
loved and honored it, but they have upheld |
and defended if at home and abroad, on sea /
and land, at all times and in all places. They /
have striFen to maintain the government 1
as it de.eended to them, and In the spirit /
which animated their fathers-not fsconsOli- |
datedo government such as is nov accession |
ally foFesh showed, but government composed |
OF Independent, sovereign States, Enited for the
purposes expressed, and clothed with TIE pow
ers, delegated by the States and the people. /
and with no 0 her. This Union, which has /
been oHr pride and delight, had tts birth IN the |
adoption Of the constitution. Upon that in |
strumsHt, as its firm foundation, warmed and |
strengthened by glorioEs memories Of the dan
gers. trials and privstiOns Of a seven YEAR, /
conflict for independence, bsdged all round by /
the forces OF mutual affection and interest, It /
stood FOR the FIRST fifty years, in calm dignity, |
assuring frasernai regard among all its mem
beTs, safety for the rights Of every citizen OF /
every latitude throughout the broad extent OF |
oar land, an amount Of Individual and social
freedom and prosperity hitherto unknown, Sc
curity at home and respect thFought the world
Il was only when the provisions Of the Consti-
tuition itself relating 20 domestic servitnde.
came TO be denounced and boldly repudiated,
that all these great interests and precious
blessings were seriously imported
We are ready to make any APPROXIMATION
reasonable In itself, and properly guarded,
which looks practically TO restored respect for
ooaRtii9tlonal rights, aud consequently 10 re-
stored Ifa ernitys unity, peace and prosperity
Nay more, Tor these objects we are ready to
pie"ge our hFes, our fortunes and our sacred
hoDof-" But We enter our solemn protest |
against making this the occasion FOR insugu |
rating in New Hampshire legislation like that
OF which the bill just passed ia type. We
will not sanction appropriations Of the peo-
ple's hard earnings, unhssT6 Of IN amount
without hgures, without facts without sorn6
reasons az a basis. This legislation. IN ovr
judgment, does little less than to invite peeula-
tion. II is not material that this great debt js
70 be funded, and that the bonds are not to be
redeemed this year, the next, or he year af.
ter. TbsY are to be paid some time. by rs or
BY our children. Il is vain to remind us of
the old Latin maxim sc often Reproduced of
late, that in the midst Of arms the laws are
silent II we 20 back to the origin of that
maxim, we shall find that In the midst Of arms
the best institutions have been overthrown,
and upon the tyrant's plea OF necessity,
great liberties have been crushed under tue
iron heel Of military despotsm. However
important may be other objects contam-
plated, or to be achieved by this, war, moth
ing can be more important than for the
people to bold in their own hands, with firm
grasp, all the rights which our fathers deliver
ed to Us; among these and above all, the sacred
personal security OF the h0beas corpHs, the
freedom Of opinion and freedom Of utterance.
We have demanded a specification If the OBJ
lects for which this unparalleled call upon the
industry and income Of our constituents is
predieated. We have asked whether this war
contempiates reunion, and If so, in what man
ner arms are to achieve that object. Rebave
asked whether It means the desolation of ,
southern bones, the overthrow OF southern .
and the destruction of our own
race there. We have demanded more perfect
security FOR the economical. faithful, legiti-
mate application Of this vast amount of money. /
sna their result is that we are turned round ,
upon the privilege which we are thankful is
yet reserved to uss spreading spon The journals
Of the house this our respectful, solemn pro-
test.
Signed BY Harry Bingham, Aaron p Hughes
and eighty-nIne others, members Of the New