Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-12-16
ARBITRARY ARRESTS"

Very much has been said, and not
without show OF reason, against the
summary arrests and Imprisonment of
persons residing or being in the loyal
States who evince too openly and
actively their sympathy with the
Shareholders Rebellion. We have
hitherto pointedly condemned those
arrests, on the assumption that it can
not be diflicult, in loyal communities,
to indict, try and convict overt trai-
tors in the ordinary legal tribunals
We confess that some recent occur.
ances have rudcly shaken our faith in
the soundness Of this assumption.
From among these we will only ad-
duce the trial of Andrew J. Houston
before the u. 5. District Court lately
sitting at Indianapolis. Houston
was clearly PROVED to have last Sum
mcr piloted small party of Rebel
guerrillaS over from the Kentucky
side of the Ohio to Ncwburg, Indiana.
where he resided, and where they
proceeded forthwith to plunder the
U. 5. Hospitol at that place-hc
knowing that there was no Federal
force there but few score Of sick in
the hospital, " hem they parolcd. OF
course, the Rebels would not have
yentured over but for the information
and guidance thus traitorously af-
forded them by this Houston and
yet four of the jury refused, in def
ance of the cleareSt proof, to convict
him! We should like to know what
our conservative" contemporaries
would have the Government do in
such cases. Oar course would be to
proclaim martial law in every in
fected locality, and send all such
Copperheads as this Houston at once
before a drumhead court martial.
composed Of thoroughly loyal military
men, try them in shor: meter, and
shoot them directly after conviction,
giving each a full hour to make his
will and say his prayers. Such a
policy, firmly pursued, would save
the lives of ten loyal men for every
traitor thus summarily prevented
from doing further mischief.
Let us further illustrate by the |
case Of George p. Kane, cS-Marshal /!
Of Baltimore. This man can not de-
ny that hc-the evening after the
massacre of the Massachusetts yolun-
tcers in the streets Of Baltimore, and !
when all connection between the Free
North and Federal Metropolis had
Just been traitorously broken at that
place-tclcgraphed 10 a leading Sc
ccssionist at Frcle rick (who soon
after led band OF Maryland traitors
to join the Rebel forces in Virginia.
as follows:
"Thank you far your Offer. Bring your
men by the first train, aEi we will arrange
with the railroad afierward. .Hretls red ,cita
Marybnd Jiood.
"SenI expresses over the mountains and
valleys OF Maryland and Virginia for the rifle
men to come without delay. Fresh hordes [of
Unicn volunteersl wilt be down upon us
tomorrow (,he 20th.) w ,riH fgt. hsm and
,rhip them or de. GEO. T. kANE.
This was but one Of series Of DEM
onstrations by this Marshal Of Balti-
more, each Of them proving him a
malignant traitor in full communion
with jeff. Davis and Beaurcgard. On
the strength of these, he was arrested
and incarccrated for months, but fin
ally set free without trial or indict-
ment. Hereupon, he writes and pub
lishcs letter, boiling over with abu-
ses of "Mr. Secretary Seward and his
hired miniOns"- Secretary hav-
ing, according to Kane, made him 4
special victim" hcaped upon him all
manner Of accusations which he knew
TO be false" and thereby merited "the
contempt of every honest man and
woman in the land" &c, &c.
We do not Ike the Bastilc mode Of
government. We think better can
very generally be relied on. Yet, if
we were asked to say whether it
would be of any use to try Kane
before fairly selected Baltimore jury,
we should have TO answer in the neg
ative. There would probably be
majority for convicting him but it
would be hard to keep the panel en-
tirely clear Of "Democrats'-that is,
Sccessionis.s and one Of those would
suffice to save him from conviction.
But if Gov. Seward can fully vindi-
cate himself from all completely in
letting this traitor loose to serve his
two masters, JEFF. Davis and Satan,
we think it will not be difficult to
Justify whatever part the Secretary
NAV have had in his arrcs: and incar-
ceration. NY TRIBUNE.