The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-07-17


red to their Capital at Richmond
The people Of Virginia have thus allowed
this great insurrection to make its nest with
in her borders; and this Government has no
choice lett but to deal with it where it finds
it.
And it has the less regret, as the LOYAL
citizens have, in due form, claimed its pro-
lection. Those loyal citizens this Govern
ment is bonnd to recognize and protect as
being Virginians.
II the Border States, so called In fact,
the Middle States-there are those who favor
a policy which they call an armed neutralityi
that is. the arming of those States to prevent
the Union forces passing one way, or the DIS
union the other, over their soil.
This would be dlsunion completed, Fign-
ra,iyely speaking, it would be the building
of an impossible wall along the line of sep.
aralion; ana yet not quite an impossible one,
for, under the guise OF neutrality, il would
tie the hands Of the Union men and freely
pass supplies from among them to the insur-
rectiRists, which il could not do as an open
enemy. At stroke, it weuld take all the
trouble off the hands Of secession, except on.
| ly what proceeds from the external blockade.
Il would dofor the Disunionists that which,
Of all things, they most desire-teed them
we'll and give them lisunlon without strug
gle OF their own. 1t recognizes nc fidelity
/ to- the COnslitution-nO obligation to main
tain the Union and while very many who
have favored it are doubtless loyal citizens
it is nevertheless very injurious in effect.
Recurring to the action of the Government
/ - h. al g., A..
for $4,000 militia, and rapidly following this
a proclamation was issued for closing the
ports Of the insurrectonary districts By pro.
ceedings in the nature OF blockade. So
far all was believed to be strictly legal.
At that point, the insurrectionists announc.
ed their purpose to enter upon the practice
Of priyateering.
Other calls were made for volunteers Il
serve three years, unless sooner discharged
and also for large additions to the regular
Army and Navy.
These measures, whether strictly legal or
not, were yentured upon under what appear
ed TO be popular demand and pubic ne.
kcessity, trusting, as now, that Congress,
would readily rati(y them. 1t is believed
that nothing has been done beyond tina con
stitutional competency Of Congress.
/ Soon alter tie FIRST call for militia. 1t wa.
considered duty 10 authorize tile com nand-
Ing general, in proper cases, according 70 hi,
discretion. to suspend the privilege OF the
writ OF ha5eGs corpus, or, IN other words, II
arrest aud detaln, without feslrt to the ordl.
nary processes and form Of Law, such indi,
ylduals a. he might deem dangerous, 10 the
public safety. fnis authority has purpose
~ been exercised. bat very sparingly.
| Nevertheless, the leg llity aud popriety Of
what has been done under Il are questioned,
and the attention of the country has been
called 70 the proposition that Onr whn i.
sworn 20 take care that the laws be faithfully
executed should not himself violate them.
| Oh course sumo consideration was gwen 4
the question OF poser aud property beinre
this matter was acted up,n. III. whole 81
the laws which were reqIired Ii Ne faithful.
] ly executed were being resisted AID failin.
OF execution in nearly one third OF the State,
Mus, they be allowed TO finally fail OF exc.
cutlon, even had il been perfectly clear tbai
/ by the use ol the means necessary to then
execution s0ne single law. md, IN such cx.
IRENE tenderness OF the ctllLsns liberty, that
practically il relieves more OF the guilty than
OF the Innoseat, shunld 10 4 very limited ex.
tent be violated: 10 state the question
more directly, are III the law but me 10 n
unexecdsed. add the Government itself 90 Il
pieces lest that one be violated :
/ Even IN such case would u the oil RIA
oath be broken IL the Gpyernm "a, should b,
oyerhrOwn, when il was believed that dl..
regarding the single law would tend ID PIE.
serve It: Bat 1t was nr believed that III.
question was presented. Il was 40! beltey.
Ell thai any law was violated.
I The proYisloI OF the Constitution that iht
privilege Of the writ nf haJsas corpus shali
not be suspended unless wiien, III cases ii
/ rebellion or INVASION. the public safety M,
require. Is equivalent t, prosisinl-i. 1
i provision that such privilege nav be sus.
pended whea. 10 case, Of rebellion " Ias4.
sion, the public safety does require ii.
i u vas decided That We have 4 case ii fs.
bellion aud that the public safety dae, re-.
Fqulfe the qualified suspension ol the Nflt
which was 4dthprlLed to be made. Nv. il
= las sted THAI Congress and not the Execu,
tive i vested with This power.
Bat the Constitution itself il silent A. 4
which or who IS to exercise tie ppwer; ami
Is the provision was plainly made ftr dan
gerous emergency, il cannot be believed ii,
trainers Of the instrument intended that il
every case danger should run its cOurs,
until Congress should be called together, IL,
very assembling Of which might have beer
prevented, a. was inteaded in this case b,
the rebellion. No more extended argument
Is pos offered. as an opinion u some length
will probably be presented by the AttDrae,
General. Whether there shall BE- any Lex
islatiOu upon the subject, anil IL any sbat. i
submitted entirely TO the better judgment 0
Congress.
The fufbearanre Of the Government la.
been - extraordinary and 10 long continued
as to lead some foreign nations 10 slispt
their actions as il they supposed tic earl,
destruction OF our national Union was prob
able.
While this, on discovery, gave the Ex
ecutiys some concern, lie il nov happy Il