Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-06-11
"Treason and Traitors. ,,

There 10 no offence known to the laws of
greater magnitude than treason. 1t is
punishable with death, and entails infamy
upon the descendants Of him who is guilty
OF it. j. it not most extraordinary, then,
tat the terms treason and traitor are so
frequently and commonly banded from
muush to mouth against individuals, to
whom no one would yenture to impute
the least deviation from any social or legal
obligation? Who upon mere suspicion OF
idle report, would proclaim HE fellow eiti-
zen thief, or assassin, or swindler? And
still men who desire to be considered decent
and respectable, who profess religion and
read constantly the command Of God "thou
shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor," are ready at any moment and
even seek occasions in the highways and
byways to imrute to their neighbors tho
most foul and unnatural Of crimes, such as
rs treason. Theft and murder, detachable
as they are, are trifies compared to Il eason,
because these are offences for tho most part
against individuals. and are limited in the
range Of their injuries; but Treason j. an
offence against communities. IL paralyzes
the hand Of power raised for the prutec-
tion and defence Of States and Nations
And although the legal definition Of trea-
con in the United States has limited
scopein comparison to what il has in more
despotic governments, its Obligations ought
to have higher moral force ia the former,
because in them no ones allegiance IS
forced, The maxim that all persons have
the inherent right TO cbOuse their country
and to pledge their Allegiance wheresoever
1t may seem to them best, imposes upon
them with increased force the moral obi
CATION to be faithful to the government to
which they have voluntarily pledged it,
so long at least as they remained within
its d mains
But 1t may be that the terms referred
to are otherwise constructed by those WIN
use them so freely. They may mean
nothing more than what was intended in
former days by the terms tory, or federal
lst. or lucofocn, which though used in an
opprobIous sense, has no especial insignif
canoe. But circumstances alter cases, I"
and, while in times Of peace, when the
country is without enemies, the term
"TreusoD," or Traitor" may have 10
significance, when it has enemies arrayed
against 1t In arms, they Convey a mean
ing Ct great sign fcance, wli:h no 10y al
man ls willing to submit to. Treason is
defined by the Constitution Of the United
States, as the commission Of on overt act
against the Government and the giving
nid and comfort to the enemies. The man
or woman who will do either is a traitor,
and is amendable to the punishment of
treason, which is DEATH Thus considered
IT is grave and enormous crime. and
should not be lightly charged upon any
one. To differ with the policy Of any ad-
ministration-is not treason. To express
such difference is not treason. misprison of
treason. If it were, there is hardly man
IN this vast Republic who has not at Cne
time or another been guilty Of the crime.
The freedom of speech and of the press
Is the palladium OF liberty, and is guaran,
teed to every citizen Of the Republic. sub
ject, however, to legal punishment for its
abuse. Tn re can be no greater abuse Of
1t than to misdirect to the public mind by
false charges upon indiViduals.-T Trenton
True 1mericdH