The Portland daily press., 1862-12-20

the time comes, II 1t ever does arrive, that, i'm
my Judgment, the President, either by himself
or those who are his servants in the eve of the
law, is exercising his power maliciously, even
carelessly, with reference to men, am willing
to call him to account; but until that time
comes l am willing to leave it to them, and l
will not compel them To give reasons for their
action which they may think will place the
country in worse attitude than it is at pres
ent.
Mr.. President, it by no means follows that,
because man is arrested, he therefore has
committed crime. In times like these man
Is arrested when he has not committed crime;
and as my honorable friend from Vermont (Mr.
CoLLAMER) has suggested to me-and to him
l am indebted for great many most valuable
suggestions-it does not follow, if he has COM
mitted crime that it is wise to tell him what
that crime is, or even to try him in time like
this. There may be reasons of State which
we do not know, to induce the continuance of
the incarceration of an individual, without ex-
planning the reasons why he was arrested, and
without trying him. As / said before when
the time comes that think from the conduct
OF the executive, 1t is necessary that the reas-
ons for these arrests should be made known.
shall be perfectly willing to make an impera-
tive call for them. Until then we must bear
as we best may.
Let me say to my honorable friends on this
side of the Chamber, in regard to these denun-
Citations from semi-rebeous, disloya presses,
and from men of the same character with the
papers they are SO fond of reading, whether
found in one place or another, it is the fate of
Government; it is the fate of a political par
ty, If may be permitted to allude to what
other gentlemen talk so much about; it is the
fate of those in power. The object is to pull
us down, to pull down the Administration
Any one can see that. OF course it must do
many things which afford very excellent op-
portunity for efecting that object. What of
it? After all the great question behind the
whole is, was it public duty? We stand here
for purpose, to aid the President in protect
ing, preserving, and defending the Constitu-
tion of the United States. What difference
does 1t make to us what obloquy is heaped up
on us, collectively or individually? We pass
from this state before many days. and we
cease to he of any consequence. 1t is vastly
more important that we should take the respon-
sibility which belongs to us while we are here.
The simple question is, whether we ought to
know 1t or whether we ought to drag 1t out
by force for the mere purpose of silencing a
clamor which may be raised, and SANDER so
bitter that it ''outvenoms all the worms of
Nile"
The honorable Senator from Kentucky has
talked great deal about violations of the Con-
stitution. The Senator will allow me to say
to him, with all respect and in all kindness.
tween him and his late colleagne from The s,ato
of Kentucky. he has not imnroved The snaecb-
es which that Senator made nm tho same suh-
iect over and over again. II is the same in
substance. and. to saw the least. mo better nnt
Why. sir. we had II durino all thar session tbat
the late Senator now a hrigadiar ON, tn,d in
the confederate army was here How, Ala -
affect the country. especially when he tnrned
out as he did Oelv with an amo,;on os CO.
tempt. because the object was nerfactiv naIna-
ble in his case. shonld do rioIanca r. r,v
own estimation offhe Senator from KeptucIy
If Unlimited for 4 moment that wonId niaca
him I'm the same cateoorv for do not fPn,
sir. we heard il before and what p.s tho on
swer riyenp The President n Seams yioia-
ted the Constitution In calling opt tron,s in a
recess of CONGRESS in undertaL;na srh;ao,
unonestionably tn what Congress m;ah, AZ
with reward IN a,nrovaj in : time ~ oraat
nuhlic danger wl.as dime vsa. rrass;.,, .,.d ~
the utmost importance In strengtbsn arorv
arm of the pubIic service tak;ng II far crantaa
thar there was honesty and intasr;,y anJ na,'
riotism ENOUGH in Conoress m snnnort hin, in
what he did SO far as The th;no i,seif fwas r;.rht
Did the country find anv fanla wi,b him ria
not Congress- annrove ito Tn That t;ma of a.
ger in n recess Of Congress would Tho Sana
tor have the President Of the ITn;tad Statas
refuse TO STRENGTHEN our naval arm bacanss
Congress was NOT in ses,ionp Sir there arc
Occasions when the chief M,ois,rata Of ,he
Renublic and tbis dav il s5ow;na IL r,,,s.
choose between nrotectino the Co,s,;,n,;an
and violating The Constitntion of nacassi,,
Yop NAV imagina many ana u,a bara 49, -,
fore MS What then must be dop NJ, ha
abandon the great nalladjum of onr I;har,;as