The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-12-17
that the Government bad been too leuient

that the Government had been too lenien
10 traitors.
, Mr. Bayard continued at some length
saying the power TO suspend the writ Of ha
, beas corpus was not All executive act.1f
this was admitted. and the legislative powe
had no right 10 inquire then the Presiden
: might imprison men, or torture them, or d
as he pleased with them.
, Mr.. Sherman favored the adoption Q
these resolutions of inquiry, which wer
offered in coed faith. He believed th
. right to suspend the writ Of habeas corpu
was purely a legislative power, and it coul,
only be done by Congress; but since the leg
islation OF the last Congress, the Presiden
had the power given to him. He though
many of these arrests we're great mistakes
and every arrest ought TO be reported Il
Congress and the reasons for it. If thi
power was unlimited, the Government
would become oppressive. The people hav
been exasperated at the manner Of these ar
rests and discharges and it was due to th
country and justice that no man should b.
arrested for light causes, and that the caus
and charges should be properly explained
and Congress bad perfect right to call fo
all Information, that they may go before tn,
the people and explain and defend those ar
| rests,
Mr.. Trumbull said, as he could not see an,
particular benefit to be attained in passing
these resolutions, be was, inclined to yott
against them. lie thought those arrests hat
been unfortunate and impolitic. Judges anc
courts and Commentators have held that ths
power Of suspendng the writ of habeas cor
pus was legislative power. 1t is rot from
any sympathy with traitors thst there is
great feeling upon the sui jcct, but because
it is feared this is an exercise of an unneces.
cary and arbitrary power, and he would
say to his friend Wilson, who gloried il
these arrests. that there was very great
danger in them. There was bill now here
from the House relative to this very subject
and he was in IaVor Of acting upon that as a
practcle measure. .........#.. a. ...
Mr.. Powell said the President had nc
right to make these arrests or to suspend the
writ of habeaS corpus, ard doing so was
usurpation. He con!ended that the people
had decided that these arrests should cease
The recent elections showed this. r
AIR. Wilson claimed that no such question
was settled by the elections. The only thing
settled was that the Republican party conld
not raise men enough to send to the field to
whip Southern traitors, and still have men
! enough ~ home to vote down Northern
| Democrats. That's all that was settled.
II The DISCUSSION continued at length
Handing the question the Senate adjourned.
NlfoUsE. The House considered Senate
SUI for the admission Of the state Of " estern
Virginia into the Union.
Mr. Conway said be did not regard the
proposition as now presented as having re
ceved the assent required by the Constitu.
| ton West Virginia was not lawful State.
lie believed it was the intention of the Pres.
ident to encourage State organizations in all
the seeded States, but placing the assump
ton of the State in the hands of few indi.
| viduas appointed by the President, was
| fragrant and unconstitutional. The scheme
was revolutionary, and ought to be exposed
to the reprohation Of yloyal citizen. 1t
would be an utter perversion of our system.
1t would in effect concentrate all the power
of the Government in the hands of the Elk
eeitive. .. ...-. .tt ra ,.-.
Mr. Brown Of Virgiiia, replied, arguing
the erection OF the S ale OF West Virginia
was perfe tly lawful and constitutional -
The provision Of the Consttu ional in regard
to the admission or erection Of new States
had been complied with, and this connection
he quoted as similar the preamble and act
admitting Kentucky, which was formed from
partof Virginia. Prccedents, he insisted,
supported the new State organization.
Mr., Mallory said | understand that more
than half the counties OF Virginia were not
represented in the Wheeling Legislature .
Mr.. Blair OF Virginia asked, Were not Ill
the counties invited?
Mr.. Blown-All were expressly invited.
MIR. Mallory-Although they were invited
were not some Of them SO completely within
the control OF foreign government that they
could not send represen natives 10 the Legis>
latures?
Mr.. Brown--I can't say whether the peo .
pie were under intimidation or not. 1t is sui
ticient to say that they were invited to come.
II they staid away it was their fault, 3, not ours
II they were disloyal, they could have NO
voice in the Legislature Of Virginia.
Before Mr.. Brown concluded, the morn.
ing hour expired, when the House took up
the special order, authorizing assessors and
collectors and their assistants under the tax
law to administer oaths, ect. ..
TIE bill passed
Mr.. Brown resumed mis- remarks in adyo
cacy Of the bull for the admission of the State
Of West Virginia. lie stated various consid.
erations why the Slate should be admitted
as a matter OF expediency. The people OF
that section had been struggling Tor forty
years for seperate existence. They now
had sixteen regiments in the field, obtained
by volunteering, not by draft.
Mr.. ColIaX remarked that at the last ses
sion he had great doubts as to the propriety
OF passing this bill. On examination his mind
was made up that it ought to pass.
Mr.. Crittepden appreciated the patriotism
and valor Of the peotls Of West Virginia,
and the desire which they expressed to be-
come a free people; but on this matter he
was not"goyerned by feelings, but by the prin.
ciples OF constitutional law. Cohgress could
not admit new State out ofthe ancient ter
ritoIy without the assent of the old com
monwealth; and this had not been given
II States should be made in the method pro
posed, new ones could be made at pleasure
irrespective Of the Constitution Of the Unitee
States.
Mr.. Edwards said he would sustain the
loyal people. Ii there was no other way he
would seize he rebellious portions, hold
them as territories and repcpulate them
Mr. Wickliffe- You speak about repopula
ting Virginia. What would you do with
the people? Would you exterlninate, kill,
or make slaves of them? j .aad gft gos
Mr.. Edwards III necessary, / would exs
terminate that whole people, in order to pre-
serve the integrity Of the Union. SA1
y MIR. Wicklitfe asked-Womsn and chill
dren? t
Mr.. Edwards-No, they are not found in
arms. This unintentional pm gave rise to
general laughter.] They are entitled to the
defense and protection Of every civilized peo,
pie Of the world. ~ "ooa EHoh
Mr.. M aynard spoke Of his finding pa triotic
and laval paonla in West V;r1;n;a Inncx:,,s ,r.