Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-12-19

IN the Senate debate yesterday on the
resolution Of Mr.. Salisbury, the speech of
Mr. Pessenden, of Maine, was altogether
the most satisfactory and effective deliver
ed, He made this point, which we appre-
hend will be new to most Of our readers,
that the oath taken by the President was
not like that taken by the members of Con-
gress, to support. but to protect, defend,
and preserve the Consultation of the United
States. He said, truly, that no one had un-
dVrtaken to impugn the motives Of the Pres.
ideut, or had dared to accuse him Of cor
rnPtiOn, in nakingthe arrests complained of.
1t was his duty to arrest any man 81 body of
men whom be honestly believed TO be stri-
wing to overthrow the Government of the
United States, no matter whether they
were found North or South A watcbful
care over the interests of the Republic
makes it just as imperative on the Presi-
dent TO arrest aud imprison traitors aud
spies IN the North, as TO raise and equip
armies against the open rebels Of the South.
There Is no difference between them. Both
are equally to be guarded against. The
arrest Of spies and traitors not in arms, Is
part of our military operations, and is
done in pursuance of the Presidents duty
to preserve, protect, and defend the Consti-
tuition. II in the course of the march Of
our armies, or of the battles they fight,
some loyal man is killed or injured, surely
no one will object that it was uneonstitu.
tional So, If any man, North or South,
puts himself 10 the attitude Of an enemy,
he must expect the consequences il he is
Wronged, he has no right either legally or
morally to raise the question whether the
President was doing his best to preserve,
protect, aud defend the Copstitution against
its assailants. As u rebel he has no con-
stitutional rights. He has placed himself
out Of the pale Of the Constitution Il may
be that he has only acted indiscreetIy,
perhaps talked recklessly, or kept suspi-
cious company, but il he has, by any act
whatever, led the President to believe that
he is dangerous to the Government, it is
the duty Of the Executive to arrest him aud
denude him of all power to harm that Con.
stitution which the President has sworn to
defend. II a man should be caught In a
room full of thieves il would i'll become
him to put on airs when the police Insisted
on searching his pockets (; and il a man
chooses TO travel about the country denOun-
cling the Government, and talking exactly
like the Richmond ErGmiieg or the Char
lesion Mercury, he must not be surprised
&c be finds himselfarresled and Imprisoned
on suspicion of being a secret coadjutor Of
those open enemies of the Government.
What better proof can the President have
that Brown or Jones, of New York. is
traitor, than that his language aud his
ideas correspond exactly with those OF men
who are known to be traitors, and who
are in open arms against the Government!
Mr.. Fesseuden's argument disposes at
once aud forever Ofall these noisy diatribes
of the New York Herald aud World, the
Chicago Times, and all such semi-secession
prints about the unconstitutiouality Of the
4 = II q =,
such an uRroRr. 1t is the Presidents duty
to protect and defend the Consultation and
Government of the United States, and if
he had good reason 10 believe that any per-
son whatever was assSiling that Govern
meut, or WAS aiding and abetting those who
were in arms against it, he was rightiu AZ
resting him, and for such action he IS res
Popsible to God and his conscience. II IL a
great power that he is intFusted with, but it
is a power which is necessary to the preser-
yatiou Of the Government power which
the head of every Government possesses.
aud without which every government would
DO utterly d-fenseless. H.. -slt.,--