, 1861-09-10

with the same crime in the rebel State Of |
Virginia If we act constitutionany in our
intercourse with the rebels, they must cor
tainly be apprehended and sent back on
demand Of Gov. Harris OF Gov. Letcher.
Who will agree to thats
Art. II, Amendments, says: "The right
Of the people to keep and bear arms shall
not be inhinged" Then what constitu-
tional right has the Government to disarm
the re1,els2 None whatever.
Articles ~, Y and VI, Amendments re-
late to persons charged with crime, and
provide that arrests shall be made only on
warrant, and that accused persons shall
hare speedy trial, on Indictment, before
jury Of the State or District where the
crime is alleged to have been committed'
&c. Under these provisions, what right
has the Government to SEIZE rebels with
out regular complaint and warrant?
What right has it to transport them to
other States and cou1ne them in military
forts?
These examples must surely be enough
to demonstrate the proposition, thut IN
dealing ariM the rebels, the provisions Of tie
Constitution, 2rhicA ere shield and q pro
tfctioa to loyal men, haze no force. TAey
canuct 1e Knocked to protect treason. What,
then, is the test by which We should deter
| mine the propriety Of any proposed action
Of the Government against those who are
seeking to overthrow it? We answer,
culy that Of MILITARY ExPED1ENcY. The
blockading Of rebel ports, the invasion Of
| rebel States, the destruction Of rebel prop
erty, the shooting Of rebcls themselves,
and the emancipation Of their slaves, are
all questions Of military expediency, and
as =uch only are they to he judged and de-
tc7mined. The great questions that have
asit;licd the country have been Withdrawn
from Congress and The Courts. They are
rot to be determined on political groun Is
nor according to judicial forms and prece
dents. The traitors have chosen the arbi-
trar1ent Of tic sword. If the Government
is really in earnest about this rebel
lion, If ii means 10 put it down aud to roof
out aid destroy forever The Infamous doc
trl1c Of secession, then let il adopt III once
tie mems lest calculated, in the Judgment
of military men, fer accomplishing lis ob
ject. # L great m< a5urc is proposed, lei
us ut longer consider i; rs political 4ues
tjo,, coming within tlle Limits ct colstitu
ti,,,.al law, l,d to be determined by tile
sa1nc rules md under the same restrictions
that VI: would have applied to il il time
j OF peace. Neither is ii important to know
what the Supreme Court may haye thought
OF it. The CLicf Justice is not command
e1-1l chief Of the army, and the efficiency
| Of the army and the success OF Cur arm
a1e the orcat criterion.
| Non preteEds that the Government
under the Constitution, has a right to dc
cree liberty to the slaves in a loyal State
CT neither has il the right to seize the prop
erty Of loyal citizens, to make war upo
them, Or 20 seize them and put them t
death. All these arc war measures, an
only justifiahle when applied to rebels i
arms. Ard, if IN orlcr to ensure the SUI
cess Of our efforts IL crush out this mos
wicked uprising, If in order to prescr1
the Government and maintain unbroke
tkc existence Of the Union, it Should b
c come necessary ior cur ,nilitlry command
: ers to proclaim every where the liberty I
) the slaves, should We hesitate 10 affirm il
!. Is Lot the preservation Of the Gnyeramei
Z | ,.are,,,17,1t IN overv othpr cf,rs;,}tra*;0n ?