The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-29

The result Of the haJeas corpus case of Mr..
MERRYMAN, before the Chief Justice of the United
States, yesterday, has put an end 10 all honest
doubts in regard to the principles and purposes Of
the Administration. No intelligent man can now
say, with any claim to be believed that he ques-
tons the determination Of the President and his
Cabinet, to march, to the consummatiou of their
purposes, over the PROSTATE institutions of the Re
public. The arbitrary discretion Of a military
officer is boldly and contemptuously set up, by the
Federal Executive, over the express provisions of
the Constitution and the laws. great remedial
statute is put under the feet of the Federal SOL
diery. Military force is interposed to prevent the
execution Of the highest Federal process, issued
on behalf of the liberty of the citizen, by the most
elevated judicial functionary OF the Government.
A free man, dragged from lis home and family,
Mt midnight, by a body of armed soldiers, with
out form or warrant OF law, is imprisoned as ar
hitrarily and as lawlessy as he WAS arrested, and
the high writ Of hadeaS corpus, the bulwarll of
Anglo-SaXon freedom, and heretofore the pledge
and guardian of our own, is spit upon hen sent
for his deliverance. Beyond this it is impossible
to go; for the UNION and the Constitution,
and all the institutions and machinery of
the Government under which we live were
meant but to preserve inviOlate the civil
rights of the citizen, and when these are stricken
down there is nothing left but chaos The su-
premacy Of the laws once at end, there is an
end OF all things that slnctify the love of country
AID make obedience virtue or a duty. Not Il
man Of the multitude assembled yesterday to wit
ness the struggle between the unarmed majesty of
public justice and the insolent con umacy of power
usurped, but must have felt his heart sink within
him, for at least one bitter moment when he
heard that tho If Frdor"l IUrtIess
closed to The entrance Of the Federal law But.
over tue betthless crowd came back, in an Instant
the flush OF Indignant pride, when the calm. low
voice Of the venerable Chief Justice announced his
determination TO demand from the Federal Execu-
tive, the fufment OF his sworn obligation to en-
force tie laws and compel obedience to the con-
s'ituied tribunals. 1t was q scene for hisory-a
moment caught, to be immortal Whatever be
the result Of the conflict which produced it, the
incident itself will be recorded forever as one of
those glorious protests of the right against the
wrong, which dignity the disasters of people
and SOW thu neradiclble seeds of their ultimate
redemption.
OF the effect of the course which the Chief Justice
has indicated his determination to pursue, we have
our own opinion. Either Mr.. LINCOLN will avoid
tie issue by directing the release of Mr.. MERRYMAY
before he hears officially from the Court or he will
deliberately insist upon his point, and set the
mandates Of the law and the Constitution at open
def nce. If he pursues The latter course, we shall
most probably have an opinion from his Attorney
General, justfyng, in ali particulars the lawful
ness Of his proceedings, and perhaps letter
besides from Mr.. SEWARD, in which that apostle
of the truth will set forth, after his most vrtuous
manner, the par amount necessity Of overturning
the Constitution in order to maintain it. Not an
unprincpled appeal will he ioregone, TO every
interest and passion of The Northern mob which
the Government at Washington obeys. Not
ialse suggestion or wicked subteruge will be
forgotten, TO deceive the weak, and furnish texts
for the housand-voiced demagogues of the Repub-
hcan commitee-rooms and presses. The venerable
Chief Justice himself will be the object OF all the
vituperatiOn which the inexhaustib!e repositores
of Republican vindictveness can command and
this noblest act of his long and honorable
life will be shameessly msrepresened and de- |
nonnced. But above the din of fasehood defend |
ing the usurpation which has bought it. will be |
heard, by the returning reason of the land, the
brave, unanswerable words of truth and instice:
and unless the American people have fallen utter
ly away from their manhood their sense OF right,
aud their instincts as freemen, the downfall of the
corrupt and rsurping dynasty at Washington was |
sealed by the occurrences of yesterday The OPP
pressed and injured citizen, whose rights the power
OF the law thus far has been impoent to shield,
will have the honor Of indicating in his person,
and asserting and defending from his prison, The
Constitution of his country and the freedom of her