The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-01-16
PATRIOTIC SPEECH
HON. LYMAN TRUMBULL.


following resolution, submitted by Mr..
Trumbull, of Illinois. on the 18th ult.:
"Resolced, That the Secretary of State
be directed to inform the Senate whether.
in the loyal States Of the Union. any per-
son or pc, sons have been arrested and i'm
prisoned and are now held in confinement
bv orders from him or his department and,
If so, under what law said arrests have
been made, and said persons imprison-
ed"
Mr.. TRITMBULL - Mr.. President,
the views l entertain. will suppose that
have less zeal for the efficient prosecution
of this war. and the suppression of this
wicked rebellion, than the Senator from
Connecticut. desire the war to be pros
ecuted with the utmost vigor would
have our armies active aud vigiant l
would not waste the energies Of this great
nation guarding persons in the loyal States:
but l would strike with the power Of six
hundred thousand men at the traitors IN
arms and under the military power |
would crush them to the earth at the ear.
liest possible mement l have said upon
this floor that | believe tbs Constitution
of the United States confers all the pow
er necessary to enable the Government to
crush this gigantic rebellion. Why? Be-
cause the Constitution confers on Con.
gress the power to raise armies to put it
down. and when the power is given to
raise armies and put down insurrection,
the power comes also to crush it in the
way that armies are usually accustomed
to act. 1t is with powder and ball that it
is to be done and neither your jury trials
nor your haJeas corpus acts can interfere
with the army. which, clothed with con-
stitutional power to crush rebellion, goes
forth armed for the purpose Of putting it
down in the very way that armies sub lie
their enemies
But, sir, this is resolution of inquiry,
simply as to the arrest Of persons in the
loyal States. That is all it is. The Sem
ator from Conn. tells us there were per-
sons iu his State who were allowed TO 90
at large when ,hey were giving aid and
comfort to the enemy. l am astonished
at that. l should have supposed that in
the goodly State of Connecticut men Civ.
ing aid and comfort to the enemy would
have been arrested and tried, and il con-
vic;ed by a jury. would have been hung
Mr.. DIXON If the Senator will al
low me | will repeat 20 him whs. kind
OF AID and comfort those men gave to the
enemy. stated that they gave aid and
comfort TO the enemy 10y ins,itutng a se-
lies of peace meetings. in which they
addressed large assemblies of people, and
attempted TO deoauch the public mind
on the question of this war. claiming
that We were the aggressors that the
South was acting in self defence that the
administration was making war upon the
South. Now. sir. if the Senator will in
form me h,w such men can be attacked
by arms. by powder and ball. shall thank
him Tor the information. | do not know
how they could be arrested for treason.
| do not say they were guilty of open
treason. And the Secretary Of State, to
the great Joy Of every loyal citizen OF
Connecticut. imprisoned ono or more of
those men and put STOP to the whole
proceeding. thank him for doing it. Il
will not ask him single question as to the
provisions of the law or the Constitution
upon which he acted.
Mr.. TRUMBULL-I did not under.
stand, Mr.. President. that there was any
instruction in the State of Connecticut.
and suppose the army would have no
right in the State Of Connecticut to shoot
persons or to march for the purpose Of
staying its peaceable inhabitants. 1. is
where the judicial authorities are over
borne that the army is called on TO sup.
press an insurrection. The Senator as
sumes that those persons were traitors.
Who is to decide that? He saws he will
ask no questions. Why. sir. how does he
know that. in portions of this country
where there is no disturbance and no in.
surreclion. the right persons will be a..
rested? The uncons,itutionali.y Of such
action as this seems to be admitted bv The
Senator who comes to the support of this
despo'ic power. Why. sir, the power
without charge. without examination. with
out opportunity to reply. at the click Of
the telegraph-to arrest man in a peace
able portion OF the country and imprison
him indefinitely. is the very essence Of
despotism. l thought the Senator from
Connecticut was engaged in war to de-
fend and uphold the Constitution. What.
sir. becomes Of constitutional libsrtv
what are We fvhtinO for ;f ,b;s -