Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871, 1862-09-17

| the law of the land, is one of those abstrac-
| lions in the mind Of man who NAV remain
unmolested in either, or who may be willing
| voluntarily to relinquish them 1t has no
practical use for him. Ye: if he be educated
an American, he can never relinouish this
principle. It's dearer to him than his hearts
blood.
Il is the indication of results of such rcfiec-
lions which begin now to attract our attention
SO hopefully. In our courts Of law, and there
| only Liberty establishes her temple. There
only is she sacred. There the minds of men
are evidently turning. They now begin to
| apprehend the fallacy of the cry that the arm
| of the civil authority is dead. WHY should it
be. Cannot the people uphold it, and enable
the courts of justice to preserve pure and I'M
| furnished, in all its divine ustre that liberty
for the preservation of which our armies are
| even now wrestling in the death struggle =
Wien our brave soldiers have poured out their
| blood and THEN lives in her Defence we begin
to feel how sad it will be for the survivors to
return and find the temples of liberty desccra-
ted and neglected. the goddess fled, and des-
potsm in her stead. Upon us it devolves to
keep them ''swept and garnished."
This is our only true safety. Success in
arms on any other terms would be too dearly
purchased. But as all good things consist
with themselves, it happens also, that success
on any other terms is impossible. Tn. con-
test may lie prolonged one. Ii 50, it can on
Y be sustained by home resources. From
our home circles must go forth year by year
the 3ldicrs of the South. to take the pace
of the fallen. From our home industry they
must be support ed. 1t is only under the pro-
lection of law, administered 10y courts whose
portals are ever open, that population can he
kept at its height, that industry flourish.
that products yearly tie EN- to fill the place
of those which ere umed. Ii is only
der the home influence of those family circles,
sacred from rude violence, that love of coun-
try can be eng endered, and cultivated into a
divine passion which rises superior to human
weakness, and conquers the fear of DEATH
Without civil law wa can have none Of these
btrary will. Farmers do not SOW and reap
where their she ayes may De taken by force
The artisan docs not work when he may be de-
prlyed of the fruits of his craft. Their. Is no
recupcrative streng h in such land. Day by
day the dark cloud of d,solati on settles more
heavily upon it.
1t is also true, that martial law. properly
understood, and confined to its Legitimate
bounds, is not antagouistic to civil law. 1t is
because ii was falsely 50 supposed that the
civil law had almost fallen into contempt. If
martial law be authorized by act of Congress,
and in cases only provided or justified by the
Constitution, it becomes itself civil law. If
declared and exercised otherwise. il is usur-
patton. IL the civil law should not yield with
out a contest, not of arms but of principle,
before the tribunals which may decide the ap-
peal. But we speak of martial law rs it
should be. 1t is ancillary to the civil law
an additional hand-maiden Of the courts
without assuming 10 regulate TIE rights or
punish the crimes of citizens, it performs its
part in restraining all things detrimental to
our armies, and should lend its all to sustain
the civil authorities wherever they may be
too weak.
Let Us, then in the manifestation OF spirit
of reverence for civil law and whilst ehecriul'y
submitting to the extraordinary authorities OF
martial law within its proper limits, be
watrhful that they be not exceeded lest we for
get our liberties. - may We mtiuttin the
highest icgree Of strength aud prosperity pos
,ible under the circumstances, AMI sustain
with unfaltering vigor the great contest for
liberty, independence, and the Laws Of GoI.