Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-12-25
From the Nov York Hornld.l |
A Bold and Indignant Letter
from ~ New York Judge TO the
Presidcut---Thc Infamous Arr


rests.
ARRESTS BY THE WAR DEpAnTMEST--LET.
TER FROM JUDGE GOULD, or NEw YORK.
To the editor of the Herald
The letter following sufficiently ex.
plains itself. Ii was sent to the Pres-
dent two days alter its date, by friend
of his, who afforded the first opportunity
that could be relied on to insure the de-
livery, 1t was read, and verbel reply
that the case would be investigated was
given. But no pre:ense was made that
the cause for the arrest was not correctly
stated in my letter
Though the claim to "invcstigate" By
means of arbitrary arrest, personal dur.
ess and whatever secret appliances Cabi-
net inqustion might sec fit to resort to,
was re-asserting the right so to arrest for
such causes, and thus was a claim as ut
terly at variance with all law, as would
have been the similar arrest of man
who Gin New York had picked the Secre-
tary's pocket; still steps were taken to
present the case again to the President
and the Secretary, through their personal
and political friends, land they in high
position, in the hope Of obtaining re-
dress without publicity.
But as up to this time (after nearly
three weeks nothing had resulted, except
an inramously rigorous Imprisonment of
Mr.. Tracy, forbearance has reached its
limits. 1t is highly important that the
people should thus and now have spe-
cifc statement showing the enormity Of
the actual oppression exercised in this
case, as warning to them and to the Ad-
mini,tration. Yours, &C.,
GEORGE GOULD.
Troy, n. Y, December 4th, 1862.
JUDGE GOULD TO MR.. LINCOLN.
New York. December A. 1862.
| To his exceency, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States:
SIR-On my arrival in this city from
my residence in Troy, New York, | find
that a cousin Of mine, G. Golden Tracy,
broker of this city, has been, first, ar
rested and sent to Fort Lafayette; and sec
ondly, to-day taken as prisoner to
Washington The newspapers say-and
as far as | can learn by all present enqui-
ries of authorities / can hear nothing
difierent-that the cause of the arrest is
some dealing he has had in contractors s
drafts on Government officers for mon
eys; and it is said, some frauds were
committed in or by the drafts, and he is
charged with completely Herewith.
If this be so, it is crime cognizable
by the Courts, and only by the Courts.
And | am amazed at the fatuity Of public
officers who can take no warning from the
distinctly uttered voice of free people.
I am, and always have been, an unwa-
vering enemy Of this rebellion cursed
in its origin, most accursed in its prog
ress )-and a supporter of the Admins
tration. | am Judge of the highest
Court of this State, And if no honest
voice has yet reached the ears of our Gov
ernmcnt, | wish to say, and to be heard
in saJ ing, that Star Chambers process
and Secretary's warrants are dangerous
instruments to play with, and that,
among us, the true, staunch, supporters oi
the Government, who would crush trea
son with the iron heel, but who, knowing
the law, are compelled to hang our head,
in silence at the mention of cease which
have occurred in our midst.
Spies are hardly cautioned when they
are where they can do no infinite harm;
but a powerful hand and an oppressive
one is laid on person here, who is not
in a position for doing mischief, if he
would, and who is supposed to have no
friends.
In this respect, l thank God, there has
been a mistake. 1t is true that he is a
young man, of not much means or inHu-
ence it is also true that he has young
wife married not long since); and for
no assigned cause, and for no assignabe
cause, that those in power dare to give
breath to, he is taken away from home,
without giving to his wife an instant's in
terview or chance to see him. Is this
country the France of century ago?
The young man is the grandson of that
Urah Tracy who lived and died Sena
tor OF the United States from Connect
cut, who was the first man buried in the
Congressional burying ground at Wash
ington, and whose ashes are insulted by
this attrocious invasion of the liberties o
the people in the person of his descendent.
am not speaking merely my own
opinion of such arrests. I know the
opinions and the feelings of many of my
brethren Of the Bench. And if the Gov
ernment is really deSirous of so proceed
ing as to make it our duty to make pub
lie our opinions, they will! be heard, not
merely in the writ of habeas corpus, but
in open declaration to the world.
Had | been few hours earlier made
aware OF this case, | should not have
troubled you with word; but | would
have seen that the process of the Su'
prcme Court in this State was so eXecu
ted as to protect its citizecs accused OF
such offenses from any arrest, other than
under the appropriate process OF the
Courts.
l beg again to assure you in all SINGER
ity. that this kind proceeding has gone
too far already, and that, while TO the
last of our men and our means we are
ready and determined to sustain the laws,
and the Government in enforcing the law
over the whole land as one country, we
are also determined to be judged by the
law, and not by any Secretary or any
one who is not commissioned for that
purpose. We know and acknowledge
the rules of war, where the necessity OF
the case reqnirts the existence of martial