The weekly Butte record., 1862-11-08
ARBITRARY ARRESTS.

istratiou fer lis despotic course il arreStius
men for daring 10 question It's honesty or abili-
" TO administer the Government creditablv Il
It is with dismsy and unspeakable shame
that We, who have supported the AdminiStra-
/ tion from the beginning. observe the abuse of
/ its power Of arrest. There is DO such thing as
either justifying OF eXteuuating It's conduct in
this particular. Every principal OF American
liberty, every regard for the loyal cause, every
sentiment Of justice, every impulse Of monhood,
/ cries out against it. The man who thinks al
all is absolutely staggered that these things
can be. They seem like some hideous dream
One can almost fancy that Memphistopbees
himself had got access to the covncls of the
Government. and by some device, fresh from
the pit, had diverted its energies from the
suppression of rebellion to the suppression of
/ liberty.
/ Last week Charles Ingersoll, of Philadelphia.
was arrested for using the following language
/ in public speech \ more corrupt govern
ment than that which now governs US never
was in the United States and has been seldom
seen in any part Of the European world, 1t is
necessary to so to the older regions of Asia to
+ find as much corruption as exists in this Gov
ernment. Whether this language was true or,
whether it was called for or not, may admit of
dispute; but it is indisputable that it is within
the limits of legitimate and loyal speech. No
language is traitorous which is not directed
against the Union and the Constitution. To
assail the Government is one thing, 10 assail
the administration of the government is entire
I ly another. The first is sedition, and is no
mans privilege; the second is not sedition, and
/ is every freemans right. Mr.. Ingesoll's criti-
csms and denunciations were aimed solely at
the management of President Lincoln and the
officials for whose acts he Is responsible. The
speech was made at a party meeting, and was
probably inspired in some degree by party
spirit but it contained nothing inconsistent
with thorough allegiance to the supreme law
of the land, which is the Federal Constitution.
We can in truth conceive of such language
being dictated by the very intensity of devo-
ton to the sovereign authority. We have DO
sympathy with the party with which Mr. H.
gersol acts. We have no sympathy with any
party in this crisis of the nation. All such
organizations should be in allegiance. But
however inexpedient party action may be,
there is wide difference between it and trea-
son. The Administration, in its capacity as
such, is as truly liable TO criticism, whether
favorable or unfavorable, as any administration
that ever preceded it. If any citizen deems
it corrupt or oppressive be has q right so to
declare. The state Of war confers no exemp
tion from this free criticism, but in truth makes
its exercise all the more necessary. The great
er the interests at stake, the more important
/ the free canyassing of the best means to guard
/ them. The broader the powers intrusted to
the administration, the more rigidly should it
be held to its responsibilities. 1t is humilia-
/ ting to know that the rebel Canfederacy itself
allows latitude of animadversion such as
here is scarcely tolerated. The public journals
of Richmond constantly use language concern
ing the rebel Administration such as it would
not be safe to use in Washington about the
Federal Administration While we are wri
ting, an extract from a late issue of the Allan
ia Confederacy falls under our eye, which
declares of certain procedures of the rebel rule
that more perfect despotism than this is not
practiced by any Government, nor submitted
to by any people on earth, however irresponsi-
BILE and grinding the one or abject and servile
the other This language is identical in sen
timent with that which was used by Mr. In
gersoll, and even more severe in form. And
yet the one, under what we consider the tyran-
nical ceptre of JEFF. Davis, passes with impuni,
ty, while the other, under the constitutional
agis of Washington and Jefferson calls down
summary arrest and Imprisonment,
Brigadier General Stone has. been released
from Fort Lafayette without the trial that was
promised him, or even the disclosure of TIE
cause of his arrest, and is ordered to report in
Washington for duty. He has suffered eight
months imprisonment, has had no opportunity
10 eACuipale HlulSeli II ue was luuOceut, anu
returns to his duties with a blasted name
OF two things, one either General Stone was
| guilty of treachery at Balls Bluff, or be was
not. II be was, the Government commits a
crime in restoring him to trust which be may
again betray. II be was not, the Government
has been outrageously unjust in keeping him
eight months in durance vile, without giving
him chance to prove his innocence. Ia
either case, there has been fragrant wrong.
From the fact OF the final restoration to the
official position. we suppose that the wrong
lay in the original arrest The arrest, even
though mistaken might have been excusable.
if followed soon by military adjudication; but
! in the absence of such a trial, it must wear the
character of pure and simple tyranny.