Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-10-24
The kegis!ntIsrc.

Inc LeGisiuturc.
The legislature adjourned on Friday, and 1
viii no, be in working order much before |
the middle Of this week. The most inter
estiug proceeding, since our last issue, was
The debate in the Senate on Friday of last
week, mainly between Senators Edmunds,
Allen and Stoughton, as follows;
ENVIRONMENT OF PERSONS FOR DIS
LOYAL PRACTICES.
Mr.. Kirkland called up the resolution re-
latinc to the imprisonment of citizens al
this State by order Of the United States.
not in the ordinary course Of justice.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to amend by strik
ing ont that part of the resolution which
provided for joint select committee and
insert instead, the Committee on Military
| Affairs,-making the resolution a senate
+, solution only adopted.
Dir. Stoughtcn moved further to amend
/ by adding 10 the resolution the words.
/" and further report whether any inquiry is
necessary or proper"
! Mr.. Edmunds said the proposal of amend.
ment was apparently harmless in itself. but
inasmGch as it implied that there might be
a case in which the impvisonment OF a citi-
zen OF the State. without process, might not
be proper subject for inquiry by the Leg
islaturn. be could not let the amendment
pass without entering his protest
Since the time when the bold Barons Of
England extracted mngra charta from King
John, IT had been The prerogative of the
representatives Of the people. TO inquire re-
specting any Infringement of the right Of
the citizen not 10 be imprisoned except by
due process Of law. He quoted certain
provisions of the Constitution Of the United
States. and State Of Vermont. g1arding the
liberty Of the subject from assault, exeep;
according to the forms of law, and for Of
. fences committed.
Mr.. Allen, said he was in favor of the
amendment. He stated the facts in respect
10 The imprisonment. ard further stated that
the marshal had been fined 500 and paid
the fine. The persons could be set free
without any legislative action. What then
could be the object of this investigation
The oil ipct could only be TO eensnre the
: Government. Are we prepared TO do this
In this hour Of terrible peril, when the lib-
critics of The people tremnle in the balance,
and the Government is doing what it can
TO suppress treason, are we 10 assault the
Government for an act. which, if wrong. il
i certainly unintentional? If request were
made upon the Government TO release these
persons the request would be at once grant
ed. if it should appear that they were in
nocent.
He thought IL the misfortune of our
times, and not the fault Of the Government,
that in the vigorous prosecution of the war
il should sometimes happen that an uninten-
tional wrong was dore to an innocent man.
Mr.. Stoughon said perhaps lie lid not
2 appreciate the sentiments expressed by The
Senator from Chitenden. Within the last
/, four weeks he had occasion TO examine the
democratic platforms in New York and 9th
er States, and he found the political war in
/. those States declared against the Govern
ment based precisely on such sentiments as
those expressed by the Senator.
He said these persons were arrested for
language calculated to bring the Govern
ms mt ii.to disrepute and prevent eniistments.
r They had had hearing in court, and EN-.
a ployed counsel, and were represented on
this flnor by counsel.
Is it to be said that these persons canno,
be arrested because they have committed
no crime? Under martial law men are
not arrested because they have committed
: crimes, bat because il is feared that they
] will commit crime. This was the ease oil
the arrest of the Maryland Legislature.
He said, we ought 10 stand by the gov.
erument, say TO it, " We will support you
: although you 10 commit errors
Mr.. Ednunds said he congratulated the
administration upon the zeal of the Senator
from Windham. lie had run through all
the stages OF a recent conversion, and was
$ very z~alous in his support Of the admin.
! istration. and he was not surprised that he
S should seize upon the frs: occasion 10 de-
clare his hew faith. But hayiag himself
been born in the Church, he did not pur
pose to be leciured on his duties by so new
a convert. He said there was distinction
between the condemnation of an error. and
the condemnation Of the Government Wa.
; he to be called schislnaiic IL the Church
because he reasoned with his pastor, when
the pastor fell away from grace. He sai;
L that kind OF logic was only fiji for Demo.
crat IN stump speech. where statement.
were expected to be swallowed and not un-
derstood. 1t was immaterial to the ques.
ton thai martial law mad been proclaimed
The resolution merely asked for report Of
facts. and in the hands of the able aud pa
tr'o'ie members of the Military Committee.
the administration could not suffer. IL the
men were guilty, il was still insfice that
: their guilt sisoald be investigated. and he
did no; apprehcnd that the administration