M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-12-18

MIR. Bayard continued at length,
saying the power to suspend the wri;
Of habeGS corpus WAS not an Execu.
tive act. If this was admitted, and
Legislative power had no right to in
quire, then the President might inn
prison men, or torture them, or do as
he pleased with them.
Mr.. Sherman favored the adoption
Of all these resolutions Of inquiry,
which were offered in good faith. lie
believed the right to suspend the writ
OF habeGS corpus was purely a Legis'
lative power, and it could only be
done by Congress, but since the leg
islation Of last Congress, the President
has had power given to him. He
thought many Of these arrests were
great mistakes, aud every arrest ought
to be reported to Congress, and their
reasons for it. Ii this power was lin
limited, the Government would bo-
como oppressive. The people have
been cxasperated at the manner OF
these arrests and discharges, and it
was due 10 the country AID Justice
that no man should be arrested lor a
light cause, and that the cause and
charge should be properly explained,
and Congress had perfect right to
call for information, that they may 70
before the people, ard be able to cx-
plain and defend these arrests
Mr.. Trumbull said as he could not
see any practical benefit to be STAINED
in passing these resolutions, he WAS
inclined to vote against them. lie
thought arrests had eeen unfortunate
and impolitc. Judges and Courts
and commentators have held that the
power disappointing the writ OF h4beaS
corpus WAS a Legislative power. 1t is
not from any sympathy with traitors,
that there is great feeling upon this
subject, but because i ia feared it is all
exercise OF IN unnecessary and arbi-
tary power. lie woul say to his friend
(Mr. Wilson, who glored in these ar,
rests, that there WIS very great dam
ger in them. There was u bill now
here from tho House, relative 10 this
very subject, and he WAS in favor Of
acting upon that as q practical meas
ure.
Mr. Powell said the President had
no right to make those arrests, or tt
suspend the writ, and doing 80 was
usurpation. lie eontended the people
had decided that these arrests should
cease. The recent elections showed
this.
Mr.. Wilson claimed that no sucl
question was settled by the elections
The only thing settled was that the
Republican party could not raise mel
enough 10 send in the field 10 wbil
Southern traitors, and still have meI
enough at home to vute down North
ern Democrats. That's all that was
settled.
| HOUSE.-The House considered
the Senate bill for the admission oI
the States Of Western Virginia into
the Union.
Mr.. Conway said he did not rega:C
the proposition, as now presented, n:
having received the assent r,qIrec
by the Constitution. Western Vr
ginia WAS not q lawful State. lit
believed it was the intention OF tn,
| President to encourage State organi
cations in all tho seeded States, bu
placing the assumption of the State'
in the hands of q lew individuals ap
pointed by the President was flagran
and unconstitutional. The scheme
was revolutionary, and ought to be
exposed to tbs repr0bation Of every
loyal citizen, 1t would be ali uItel
pervcrsion Of our system. 1t would
in effect, concentrate all the power o
the Government in the hands of thu
Executive.
Mr.. Mallory said-I understand
that more than half the counties o
| Virginia were not represented in tn,
Wheeling Legislature.
Mr.. Blair, Of Virginia, asked :
Were rot all the counties invitel3
Mr.. Brown-All we're expressly in
vited.
Mr.. Mallory-Although they werl
invited, were not some Of them SC
completely within the control Of for
eigu governments that they could moi
send representatives to the Legsla-
ture!
Mr.. Brown can't say whether
the people were under intimidation OF
not. 1t is sufficient to say that they
were invited to come. Il they stayed
away it was their fault, not ours. L
they were disloyal they could have nc
voice in the Legislature of Virginia.
MIR. Colfax remarked that at the
last session he had great doubt as to
the propriety of passing this bill; but,
on examination his mind was made up
that it ought to pass.
Mr., Crittenden appreciated the pa
triotsm and valor Of Western Vir-