The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-08-07

consequence they Were arrested
Their whole life and conversation
for a year past has been sifted and
pried into. Their friends and
neighbors have been sdmmoned to
testify about them And on this
testimony, so obtaiHed, I'VE are to
bold them, ifit offers probable
cause. Now, does ik2
And here, how SIMPLE how easy
lis the task Of the if5i Avs 81 Il
the mere COMMISSIONED Bit, Il l
regard such a case as this, or if you
did, with the eye of a mere lawyer,
| should desplse myself, and, sir, |
would be astonishcd at you !
What would be the use of liberal
education outside of our profession,
as well as of a severe training with
it? What the benefit of active
exertion in the political affairs of
our country, beginning for each of
US long before we could vote p
What the continued exercise Of
every manly and more than kingly
prerogative, which dignifies our
existence as citizens OF this impe-
rial Republic--if we should merely
Peep through the pin-holes of evl-
dence at a case which, in its prin.
ciples, involves the LIBERTY of us
all
l shall take leave, sir, not to do
so. And while / shall take care
not to present all un.lawyer-like
view, or to say any thing at all
inconsistent with legal analysis
of the charge-while l shall even
use the testimony faithfully as the
stimulus Of reflection and the oc-
casion of argument-I shall leave
the law part where it should be
left in this stage of the ease-to
wit in q subordinate relation, and
speak of it briefly and iu conclu-
sion of the matter.
Viewing the testimony, then,
does it show any offense commit
ted, except by the conspirators-
the sples-the informers-the Gel
lar lnquisition, who have bore false
witness against their neighbor to
destroy him?; Suppose them tc
have acted against their nature
and have told the truth under oath
Then the Gordons in various ways
have found fault with the Govern
ment! That is the essence, the
spirit, and even the scope of the
testimony.
Is that treason? Is 1t treason
here? This was the home of free
speech and all the colors of Re
publicanism-from black to bill
lious-declared that speech should
be free.
| Gordons' case is ours. We are
tried with them. And in defend
lug them we defend ourselves and
our couLtry from a gang compared
with whom Colonel Leadbelter,
the murderer, is humane, and Gen.
eral Floyd, the thief, is respecta-
Bile.
Is this prosecution an expert
ment made upon poor mechanics
by few small conspirators in pur
suance of an agreement among the
principal Thugs at Washington,
in order, if it works well, to sacri-
flee more important victims to the
Abolition Kalee? l do not know.
But ] know this. l know that the
gentlemen of the Republican party
do not countenance it, and that it
will fail here, because, among 9TH
er reasons, to reach their political
opponents they must cut down
10th politicil and personal friends.
If free speech is treason, our excel
Lent Government would speedily be
known as the late unlamented John
A. Andrew, for his speech is ex-
cessively free and easy-quite loose,
as you may say! We have merely
to 60 back to his letter to Mr..
Kimball to make him an advocate
and champion Of treason in its
broadest extent. Then, what would
become of Mr.. Phillips? Does he
speak in favor of the Government?
Has he ever said any thing in favor
of any Government except that of
lIayti?
Did he not lately advise o large
and patriotic assembly not to give
a man or dollar to the Govern
ment of the United States F? And
did not that patriotic society ap-
plaud the liberal suggestion p
Shall we prosecute Mr.. Phillips
Not with my good will.
The Governor refuses to supply
troops to the President. In fact,
he Supplies many, and urges more
to 60. Do. we prosecute him for
his letter? No; but tempest of
derison breaks over what he calls
his head from all parts of the Uni
ted States and even from England,
and to that we leave him. In South
Carolina, where speech was never
free, they settled its limits before
! Iu,,@a I@a Lynch. Let us not deseerate
tbis Court WITH what belongs to
Kim. or we shall sink below the
Ievsl Of even South Carolina.