The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-09-03
C0MMU NICATED.1


WesSys. Edifors:-I ask place in vonr coIp,,ns
in order to give my impressions as to the duties
and rights OF naturaized citizens during the
crisis. As class we are peculiarly situated. In
like our nativeborn fellow citizens we have taken
an oath to support the Constitution of the trnjted
States and as good citizens it ia our duty to do 60.
But at the same time are religiously and lepaIIv
bound, both by proper reverence for the sanctty
OF an oath and the responsibilities Of citizenship to
not close our eyes to the paIpable distinction be-
tween supporting the Constitution and supporting
an unconstitutional and despoiic government. That
the government of Mr. Lincoln is such few briaf
| facts will prove.
"The privilege Of the writ of haJeas corpus shall
not De suspended unless when in of rebellion
or invasion, the public safety m az require t'-srt
lst sec. 9Th Con. u. S. Mr.. Lincoln did suspend II
without the consent of Congress- and persisted in
his course after the act had been declared uncon.
sti'ntonai by the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court OF the United States, who is uncovered he
the Constitution to adjudcate upon "all cases in
law and equity arising under this Constitution -
Art. Sd, sec. 2.
ale shall take care that the laws be faithfully
executed" Art. I'd, sec. Sd, Con. u s He has
not done So but the contrary has prevented their
execution. "Ths Constitution, and the laws of the
United States which shall be made in pursuance
thereof, shall be the supreme law of the land'-
Art 9th, sec. ID. You will perceive that the Con
stitution which are sworn to support only re-
quires oil us to support such laws as are in accord
ance with that instrument; a despotism has NO
claims upon US "Congress shall make no law re-
speeding an establishment of religion or prohibit
ing the free exercise thereof or abridginp the
dom OF speech, or of the press. Art. lst Amend
ments to the Constitution. Here the Constitution
particularly specifies what Congress cannot do, and
yet Mr.. Lincoln, in the pride of his despolstp has
dared to go beyond the powers of Congress: he has
arrested and imprisoned citizens for the expression
OF opinion and seized upon the public press thereby
destroying that freedom which the Constitution for
bids him even to dbridge.
'The right of the people to be secure in THAR
persons houses, papers and effects, against unrea
sonable searches and seizures shall not be violated
Art. 4th, Amendments to the Constitution So
says the Constitution-but what saws Mr.. Lin
conr Let his acts answer! He has, through his
agents, searched and seized either with or yitbon
warrant, according to the within or malevnlepce of
MS officers, thereby harassng citizens whose right
ne mas sworn TO protect. IN person shall be held
to answer for capital or other infamous crime
unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand
jury, nor be deprived of life liberty or property
mtHout que process OF law.'-Art. 5tb, Amend
ments TO the Constitution. Have the PoIice o.
missloners been presented or indicted nv n 60
jury! They have not and further as If to sbnn
the total disregard of the Lincoln government fnr
the constitutional rights of the people IL rprueas
through its military officers to obey the ordor ~
the Court, issued in accordance with the Constilu
ton and laws of the United States; thus denrivnr
those citizens of "iijerty, ,1hoat due process Of
la,o" f' "
an all criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right to speedy and public triaI by an
impartial jury; shall be Informed of the nature
and the cause Of the accusation and be confronted
with the witnesses against him. Art 9th Amend
ments to Constitution.
Have the Police Commissioners been alIovad
speedy tr'oIF No. Have they been informed of
the nature and cause of the accnsation orsinot
then, No. Have they been confronted with the
witnesses Against them? The reply is still the same
No. Here are three more wfu palpable and mar
slstent violations Of the Constitution by the Lincoln
Government. Now the question with ma ie Shall
We either by tacit acquescence active paricipa-
ton sustain this Government? or rather will nur
oaths permit Us to do so? We are to ask our CON.
sciences, is the Government of Mr. Lincoln in sccor
Van'1 Win ,he constitution Of the United States
we nave taken a solemn oath to support that
Constitution and the Government IF tb
onitea states, '0hen administered an eopforra;tU
ruth 't-nothing more If we, with q mi
knowledge Of the countless usurnntinn g Ia
Lincoln Government can reconcileit win o. sno
sciences to sustain the men who are DESTROYING 49,
Constitution, which we have sicorn to defend wa
should do so; but il, the other hand we are sat-
lsfied that the present Government is a despotism
built upon the ruins OF the Constitution it can lust
iy claim no allegiance fr0m any naturaljzed citi-
Zeh put on the contrary, it is both his right and
DUTY to oppose 1t in any and every way becoming
Tree citizen of the United States. We have heard
great zeal ABOUT the necessity of suSpendng the Com
stitution, in order that the country NAV be saved.
nut Is 1T not strange that it never occurred to Mr.
Lincoln that by suspending the Chicago platform.
instead OF the Constitution, he might have saved
the country and his reputation with it? But mo.
ms ms party was above his country, fealty to the
onicago platform above his reverence for the Can
ss.ntution, and rather than yield single plank of
the one, he has torn the other to pieces
IN the name of common decency, what could the
bnt nave been thinking OFF, Does he forget that
the aso M months ago he stood in the presence of
resens;n nation and the foreign minister's rem.
world, and ne Chrstianty and civilization of the
has deberss,n0en and there swore an oath which he
to preserve, prst sna crmnaly violated? He
line 5Ge Unted he has Uedittqon OF
hanep o will him We
caolery nor the denunciat;onn the Casualty the
political cormorants should influence us ano heying
our interests as we'll as our oaths to Iool we have
constitution in its entirety is our sheetanoh. The
ss;iegnara With it inviolate We are freeme%nc!
without it we are the slaves of dsspotism, Cn;II