Southern shield., 1862-02-08
H0N. CHARLES s. MOREHEAD.

Me ask attention .al to the following com Der of the Lexington Obsercer and Reporter That paper, which is strongly Union and Lincoln, introduces the communication with the following editorial remarks:
 We publish in our paper to-day a com munication from distinguished citizen and q Union man, in reference to the arrest and confinement of the Hon. Chas s. Morehead. We give place to this communication for two reasons first because the writer treats the matter fairly and in proper spirit; and second. because as the writer remarks, two terms of the Federal Court have transpired in Kentucky, and neither an indictment nor presentment has been found against him, showing his complicity with treason against the government Besides, we have seen a private letter to a friend from Gov. Morehead, which was not intended for the eye of any one but the person to whom it was directed in which he states that hesis totally ignorant of the cause of his arrest and imprisonment, and is conscious of hay ing committed no offence against the Gov ernmcnt to render just the severe punish ment to which he has been subjected.
 
 It is now nearly four months since the Hon. Charles g. Morehead. a distinguished citizen of this Commonwealth, who had filed almost every office in the gift of her people, was torn at night From the bosom of his family, and transported beyond the bounds of the State to a military prison, where he still fingers,
 In the meantime two terms of the Federal Court have been held in Kentucky, and no indictment has been preferred against him, nor has he ever been informed of the exist ence Cf any specific charge against him, or of the names of his accusers. Placed beyond the reach of process from civil courts, he has been unable to procure public hearing; bat with every friend with whom he has been allowed to communicate he has de- clared his innocence of any crime whatever -particularly of any participation, whether direct or indirect, in that invasion of Ken lucky by the Confederate troops, with which his enemies have sought to associate his name.
 Surely there has been a grcyious wrong committed here. If Mr. Morehead be in- nocont, the outrage upon him is almost be- yoni expression; if he be guilty, the per sonai injury may be disregarded; but un- eliaced by the questions of his guilt or in- noconce there remains great public wrong, and gricvous injury done tO every citizen who looks to the Constitution of his country as a safeguard against oppression. For in his case the most sacred articles of the Con stitution of this State and the United States have been and are being fagrantlv violated. The l2Jh section of the Kentucky bill of rights declares "thntin all criminal prosecu- tiJus the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and counsel-to demand the nature and the cause of the accusations against him--to meet the witnesses face to face"
 thor can he hc deprived of his life, liberty, or property, unless by the judgment Of his peers, or the law of tho land." And so, also, K it provided by the 9th article of the amendments to the Constitution of the Uni ted States, that no person shall he deprived of his life, liberty, or property, without due process of law and by the 9th article of the same amendments, 'thatin all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to 8 speedy and public trial by an inn partial jury of thc State and district, where the crime shall have been committed, and to he informed of the nature and cause of tie accusation, and to he confronted with the witnesses against him."
 The case of Mir. Morehead is unhappily far from being an isolated one It is select cd for comment because the victim is well known to the writer and all his readers. Doubtless there are many imprisoned with him to whom the same language would be equally applicable Their imprisonment in defiance to law, justice, and the Constitu- ton is a hideous satire upon our Loasted freedom, anG it's longer continuance is a shame and a reproach to every American more especially to every Kentuckian-who is content to witness such an outrage with out at least the utterance of his indignant protest. D.