Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-10-30
ne.notIe anal LaWIess,

The Petersburg Rxr rsss Of Monday reports tina SEN
tence Of q court martial, In that city, In three cases Of
parties convicted Of selling or smuggling liquor. One
Of these was q soldier, and as such, subject to be dealt
with BY q cour. martial, ordered BY propsr authority,
and properly constituted. Another was that Of q free
negro. over wacm 1; does not appear that such q cOur.
had suy legitimate jurisdiction. The third case is thus
reported:
Aosael Hsnley, q citizen Of Richmond, convicted Of
he charge of attempting to smugsle liquor through this
city 70 Richmond s sentenced 10 wesra a "barrel shirt"
wish the words 'liqlor s~muggler" marked 10 large le-
rrs on il. 20 be marched through town to the Southern
dspo;. and there 20 staud exposed, Ia his novel garment,
from 10 I'll 3 o'clock to dsy. Hs ia then to DO rent to
hard labor on the forih cations at FaE Caswell, for the
period Of SIX months, with ball and chain attached to bis
left leg. Tnis IL the man who attempted to snugslo
liquor through this city soma days ago, packed up 10
barrels Of potatoes. The Eqaor was seized a. the South
ern depot and conHcsted, and the potatoes, about IS
bushelS appropriated TO the use OF the hospitals.
This s~eu,ercs, win the Others, was carried into exc
cuiOu, as described by the Express of Tuesday:
Toe two men, Harold and liAnlsy, convicted by the
court martial In tbs ely Of selling and smuggling liquor
In aud through Petersburg, we're marched through the
public streets for several hours yesterday afterloon,
hareheaded and cooped up in four barrels, to the no
small disgu5t Of the respectable portion Of the commu-
nity, and he Il Anita Amusement Of o thousand and
u TX HllAG ANSAAAon - 1ENAAIA ~ ~ y NAS ~ ~
ton of our population who could properly appreciate the
wisdom or ~prUpristy Of such al iniqitous punishment.
II there ever was an iuslne sentence OF punishment
ordered aud exscuied for such a slight oRstsb as the
sale OF q few drinks of LIQUOR, or the ~suusglng OF the
same into CT through our city, IL iIths We have heard
bat one general VOics of condemnation Of the proceed
Ing, and We coavsrsed with hundreds aboutit yesterday.
Il Cqulll in orig.nSlty and monty some Of the disgrace
nj msars OF punishment. Of The dark ageS end, Ike
thsn, beseis sympathy for the stf snl disgust fog
the osgins:ors.
Thejs mau will be marched out sgaln this afternoon,
to be gsz,d at by al tbs juveniles, white and black, In
the city, whls mel of Common sense will wonder that
sx months hard labor on tho public work., with bail
aud chain, ia not sufficient pu lishnent, without the RI
diculous end outrageous sd1itou OF the "olrrsl shirt"
We do 10; hesitate to pronounce, this proceeding a
mons;rous a1d in;olarA ou.rags-not on account Of the
sevsrity Of t5e punishment, although that was bArb--
rously dispropor;ioaed to the oG,ncs-b1t because Of
tie gross lsElsssnsss Of any plnistm IN. of a ei.is'n. as
HAalsy Was, bT such q tribunal There Ia no such thing
IS martial lAx kloWn to our Constitution or S.aiutes
TIE qu4si authority given, uader q misspprahension Of
i d own powsns, to :ho Prssiisn: by the Congress before
the last, CT aissd by Limitation Of Law thirty days after
ths meeting Of toe las. 0lngsess. So far from the Au.
taority being renewed, the proceedings Of that body
distinctly show thu; they hal no right to b,sioE Il, and,
G toriori, tia tie PreIlisas aud sill less any subordi.
nate ca ser, had 10 rigb, TO declare or enforcs it. Mar.
tai law sas2sud5 tue Ooastluiol and ~absogAteJ all
other law. 4. Is, therefore, an usurp ltion amounting 10
no.hirg shcrt ofn sgb'ersion of the Government-revc-
luion In fac,. Military llv may exist and 6s enforced
ia IN srny, brs no. as to cit 'E,ns. Martial law anywhere
Il a violation Of All law. and should not be submitted
to for 3 day o. an hour. We Wonl as that su,i a shame
lels abuse as ths, reported above was submitted to
quietly in c counalily $, hiSaSp'ri:sl AMI Intelligent
a. thu. Of Ps.sr5oarg. Isis inc TIA! tn, AdninsUs-
d,a should BE- ua,nsd that saoS proceedings cannot DO
repsa.ed wish sletV.