The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-09-18
Political APrcsis--Eheir Object.

quite a number of arrests, which seem to
be without Justification. and ip clear vio-
lation of Constitutional rights. If the peo-
pie Of this State and this county desire to
preserve Constitutional liberty, it is high
time that their attention should be direct
ed to this arbitrary exercise of power
Let US examine what are the rights of the
citizen under both State and Federal Gov
erumeuts In the bill of rights guaranteed
by the Constitution of Indiana we fiud the
following
Art. 1. Sec 9.-No law shall be passed
restraining the free interchange of thought
and opinion, or restricting The right to
speak, write or print freely on any subject
whatever, but for the abuse OF that right
any person shall be responsible.
See. 3l.-No law shall restrain any ol
the inhabitants Of the State from assem-
bling together in peaceable manner to
consult for their common good, nor from
insu netting their Representatives, nor from
applying to the General Assembly for re-
dress of grievances.
In lbe amendments to the Constitution
of the Uniied States, Article l., we find
the following:
Congress shall make no law abrido oino
the freedom of speech. or of the press; or
the right of the people peaceably to assem-
bic, and TO petition the Government for a
redress Of grievances"
1t thus appears that neither Congress
nor the Legislature of the State have any
right to abridge the freedom of speech or
Of the press, nor to restrain the ctizens
of the State from assem- bling together in
a peaceable manner, 10 consult for the com
mon good. And if neither Congress nor
the Legislature have the power to restrict
the people in these regards, certainly no
Federal officer, or STATE officer, military or
civil, has any right to exercise power
from which the Legislative authorities are
restrained.
From personal malice, or to avenge per-
sonal or political prejudices anG hos,iliies,
lnoilendng citizens have been arrested in
various parts of the State. in clear violation
FLAW; brought TO this city, and, in many
cases, imprisoned or else compelled TO
submit to personal indignilies and incon
veniences. Should just. Government per-
NIT the com mission Of such gross outrages?
The object OF The Constitution is not only
TO define, but protect the rights Of the hum
blest citizen. Has the Government fulfill.
ed its mission in this respect? Not only
are citizens arrested for political purposes
within the Stale. by State authority, but
citizens of Indiana have been arrested bv
the authorities Of another State, carried
out of it and imprisoned all without the
intervention or even protest. of our public
authorities. What claim can such repre-
sentalives Of the Government have upon
the respect and the confidence of the peo-
pie?
10 illustrate !he partisan character OF
these arrests, we refer to that of Jason B.
Brown. Esq, of Jackson County. on Fri
day last. Mr.. Brown is the Democratic
candidate for Representative in that coun-
ty, and AS such has canvassed it with his
competitor John F. Carr. Mr.. Brown has
not uttered an expression in his speeches
which could be tortured into 'treasonabe
language in public against the govern
ment' as charged. While speaking at Sey-
nour on Friday, man in military clothes
interrupted him and said he must change
the tenor Of his remarks Mr.. Brown told
him he must hear him through 10 Judge
whether he did or not. He went on with
his speech in the same spirit as he had
elsewhere. Another military man was
then directed 10 arrest him, but he was
told by Mr.. b., if he attempted to do sc
while he was speaking, it would be at hi:
after which he waived all technicalities a!
to authority and by agreement met the of
icer at the cars and came with him here
= but there was no attempt to restrain hin
of his liberty. So frivolous were the charg
es against Mr.. Brown that the Deputy q
5. Marshal refused to entertain them. an(
dismissed him upon the condition that HI
should report himself here in case tn,
> Marshal. upon his return from Washing
ton, should desire to investigate the mat
| ter.
That the public may see the way tha
r arrests are made. we copy the charge am
the authority upon which Mr. Brow
was taken from home and brought to thi
city;
Joseph Bosler,
SEYMOUR, Ind. Sep. s. 1869.