The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-09-04

They are men who have been educated at its ex-
pense-been laden with its honors-teen pam
pered at its Treasury.
But Mr.. Lincoln il is said, forsooth. has viola
ted the Constitution in conducting his Admins
tration. Very well; there is day of reckon.
ing 10 come with him and his advisers. But il
is one thing TO violate the Constitution in de-
fence OF your country, and quite another to viO-
late II IN endeavorng TO subvert it, When my
Dtmocisic or Republican friends. "or any other
man" are disposed to call the President to ae
count, snd am hot his De ender, merely beg,
when they get through with him, they will merely
inquire whether Mr.. Jefferson Davis 4 Co, have
gone strictly according TO the Constitution of the
United States. Cheers and laughter. have
the impression that ins ituting pretended gov
ernment within the boundaries of the United
States: that stealing the treasures Of our Gov
eminent, its ships; betraying its commands;
hrIng upon It's foitIhcations organizing piracy
upon the high seas, and long list OF other and
kindred acts-I have the impression, saw, that
these are slight infrlngements upon the Consttu
ton, and may require examination. Laughter.
But want TO have my Constitution friends come
along with me- and, when they get the Admins
tration all regulated and on the constitutional
track, to look at this matter little: for it
to me that it requires attention. l know not
whether Mr.. Lincoln has observed the Constitu.
tion indeed, for all the purposes of resisting
the rebellion, care not. Ii is due to him To
say, however, that he has seemed to be in good
faith attempting to put down the rebellion. He
has not done all things | would have done
them, because would have mutt piled bis men
by about four, ant where he has struck one
blow l would have struck a dozen. Laughter
aud cheering Therefore do not agree with
him in that respect. When the day comes we can
have a settlement with him, for he is TO be held
with all other officers to a strict account. But
would not do even that under the smoke of all
enemys guns. Let us see first that the rebel
| lion is put down. And when that is done am
ready to see hcw it has been done. do not
propose to WELD this Union or any par: of it to
the sO-called Confederate Government that has
been made up in the Southern States. 1t ia no
government, and there is nothing in the shape
OF government under il, over, in it, or around
it, diagonally, horizontally, or perpendcularly.
Like boys training, it is all fficers. Lough
ter. 1t is made up thus: You shall be Presi-
dent of the Congress, and l will be Presi
dent OF the COnfederacy; you shall be Minister
Of Foreign Affairs, and will Secretary OF the
Treasury. Laughter Doubtless, very well !;
satisfactory enough If they lad kept il to
themselves no one would have object to their
strutting in their stolen plumase. But it is time
for the people of the United States to put their
hand upon it in earnest, and to maintain the Gov
ernment of the Constitution. The habas corpus
"a hard kind of name for a writ, but one
which lawyer or Ddtchman finds little diff
Guilty in pronouncng-it is said that the habeas
corpus has been suspended and abused. Well,
l think it is because some have written so much
about it, while they knew SO little. 1t simply
| na n hav fhkh A ia lad, vaA
to be improperly imprisoned; and, in order that
the case may be inquired into, petition is pre-.
sented to Judge, aud then the Judge allows
the writ and the prisoner is brough; up, and
the person who holds him is bound to make
return. If the prisoner is illegally detained tie
Judge orders him to be discharged; if rightful
ly imprisoned, he remands him. That is all there
is about it. 1t is simply civil writ. But there
is an old maxim, as old as julius Caesar would
have been had he lived, inter drnsa silent ieges,
that is, the laws are silent in the midst OF arms.
Here is the question: An individual is imprisOn-
ed here; some friend gets a habeas corpus, and
he is brought up, and the case is inquired into.
And whoever interferes with, or obstructs that
writ, is guilty. of a great moral and legal wrong.
and incurs heavy penalty. In time of war it
is a different matter. Here it is found that a
man is fixing to blow up fortress, or betray an
army to the enemy. The officer in command
has him arrested, and sends HIM to fort, with
orders that he be strongly guarded, because he
is known to be traitor, and in the confidence OF
traitors and enemies. LAWYER sues out a writ
of hab@s corpus. But what is the results l.
cannot be served and the prisoner cannot be pro
cured-they cannot see him unless the Judge:
tongue is longer than the soldiers bayonet
Would any one il he was commanding at Fer
tress Monroe, Fort McHenry. or any where else
, II l. l. 4 4 4
ors at every step, would he, because judg,
sent writ of hab5 az corpus to give up traitor
who was endangering the safety OF his command
!; and the interests OF the country? Cries o
"Never."1 No man can pretend it for a sngl,
, moment-it is one of the terrible necessities O
! war. And if were in command and had goot
, reason to believe that had possession of trai
tor, aud no other remedy would arrest treachery
! l would suspend the writ and the individual too
i Cheers and cries of GOOD, " That goes righ
= TO the spot, "That is sound" "That is sucl
e Democracy as like to sec."l There is no othe
j here. Gen. Jackson had the hearts of tn
e American people more than any man of moder
D times. And why? Because be met great Beces
{ sites like a man. He didn't 60, in times of stir
y ring necessity, to demonstrate problems frOI
i musty precedents, but when man wanted hang
ing he hung him first and looked up the law a
|
}, casons when this is the only way to do in dea
t ing with treason. The civil Law affords no ads
u quate remedy. While you are discussing tn
i question the country may be ruined, the Capt.,
I in flames, the archieves destroyed. When tn
e war is over We may examine and see il any on
!. has incurred penalty for suspending the VT
y of habeas corpus. Gen. Jackson paid his fin,
G but not till after he had put down both foreig
n foes and domestic traitors. So long as there
IS a citizen South that demands the protection
(; this Government, then it is our duty to protet
r. the Government OF the union for his SAX,
Sound" That's the talk" &c. And vhe
q there is none, it is our duty to maintain it, fC
: politically, geographically. socially. and CONNIE
1t ciay it is one in every sense it is utterly impo
e sible for this Government to be divided witho,
q its utter destruction to beth sections. Whe
IL yon attempt to divide North and the South, 70
d must do it East and West Then all will 90
e. pieces, and our country will bes Mexico-wori
y than Mexico, because We have ten times moi
q material for mischief and destruction. A mil
re tary despotism will be insugerated whenever yo
?, perm, this rebebelliOn to triumph. But son
D. cry We are in favor of peace. Yes, We are 8
u for peace now. l was for negotiating peac
i until fertfcation was fred upon by Rebel art
0 lery, and then bade adieu to all expectations
III peace until conquered over rebellion. Cheers
OF | say there is no peace until YOU can put dow
ir rebellion by the force of arms; /; and when eve
I'd other man, woman, and child in the United Stat
OF has acknowledged the independence of the rev'
lg ted States, to those with arms in their hands
ID sill; oppose it, and will talk for nv own graft