The Nevada journal., 1861-08-09
"L1NcoLN THE usUHPER.~

Tho phra ase Is used by those knowing the
injustice of it with view to inaame and
deceive the southern mind in reference to
the character of the contest between the
traitors and the Government. What has
Lincoln usarped7 1t is alleged by :hose
who are foreswearers of the constitution,
tramplers upon laws, AMI plunderers of the
Government that the President Of the Uni
ted States has infracted the constitution Of
the country in his dealings with traitors in
arms, In calling ont roop, to defend the
national capital and in suspending the writ
Of habea' corpus. How is this2 The Presi-
dent did call upon troops to rally to the
defense Of Washington and the public ar
chiyes. The privileges of the writ ofhabeas
corpus have been denied.
The exigencies OF the case demanded an
army at the capital, and Mr.. Lincoln, with
or without constitutional authority, would
have deserved the e1ecration of all honora-
BILE men had he not taken the responsibiii-
ty to defend the property OF the nation
against any enemies. The President would
have cut pretty figure in the history of
the world had he given over the capital of
the Republic to the plumber and dessecra-
tion Of an enemy on the plea that he had
no power under the constitution to protect
It, That would have been beautiful ex-
cuse indeedl
But the truth is, Mr.. Lincoln has abund-
ant power under the constitution and laws
Of Congress to act defensively or offensive
ly against an enemy in case of invasion or
iusurrection. In future article we shall!
show that the power pertains to the Execu.
tive department. We shall show that 1t
bel longs there from the very necessities Of
government, that the Supreme Court of the
United States has so decided, and that the
power has been exercised
In reference to the suspension Of the
writ Of ha6eds corpus, about which so much
ado is made by secessonists, n word or two
may not be amiss to state the point fairly.
What the rebels complain Of is, that If
Benuregard, JEFF. Davis, or any other enemy
of the Government should happen to be
caught they cannot, by the denial of the
right of habeas corpus, go before Judge Tan
ey, or some other hoaTy headed villain oc-
cupying seat on the Supreme Bench, aud
snatch the traitor away from his doom and
turn him loose TO commit his crimes n
gaiust God and man anew. This is the
ground of their complaint, and they have
no other. The patriotic, loyal people of the
Union have no complaints to make, it is the
rogues who feel the halter draw who have
so poor m opinion of the law.
The presumption of these men who are
enemies TO the Republic, who have declared
war against the Government ty granting
letters Of marque and repr;sal and sending
privateers abroad to prey on the commerce
of the country, contendng for the right of
snatching one of their kind from merted
fate from n Government they do not ac-
knowledge allegiance to- is intolerable. 1t
is plain if they are to have control of one
puppet in our Supreme Court, whose dictum
is TO override the two other branches Of the
Government, who can seize and turn loose
traitors as they are brought into camp, they
have an advantage which secures them die
| tation to their hearts content. OF course
the right of habeas corpus is Of vital import
ance to the confederate thieves, and It is no
wonder they contend for it, anticipating,
perhaps, the time when they shall all fal:
into the hands of the Government forces,
and be put upon trial for their lives.
Tie usurpations of Lincoln form large
share of the stock in-trade of the Dixie
symsathizers here and elsewhere. They
have no argument, but resort 10 the shall
lowest sophistries to deceive the ignorant
and cover up their treason.