Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-08-01
from the National Republican,
VINDICATI0N
BY THE PR E S I'D T. n r
WAR POLICY.
correspondence between Erastus
Corning and others, and the
President, I'm relation to the Ar
rest Of Vallandigham as Dis
cusSed at the Public Meeting at
Albany, New York, May IL, 1862.

CWo here omit the letter of the meeting
signed by its President, the thirteen Vice
Presidents and seven Secretaries, and the res
olutions. which would occupy more than a
column, as the former is unessential, and the
latter are faithfully reflected in the Presidents
unauswerable reply.-Ep
Executive MANSION,
WASHINGTON, June 18th, 1868.
Hon. Erastus Corning and others:
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of May 10. in.
closing the resolutions of public meeting held
at Albany, New York, on the 10th Of the same
month, was rec. ived several days ago.
The resolutions, as understand them, are
resolvable into two propositions-tirst, the ex-
preston Of purpose to sustain the cause of
the Union. to secure peace through victory,
and to support the Administration in every
constitutional and lawful measure to suppress
the rebellon and, secondly, declaration of
censure upon the Administration for supposed
unconstitutional action, such as the making of
military arrests. And from the two PROPOSE
tions third is deduced, which is, that the
gentlemen composing the meeting arc resolved
on doing their part to maintain our common
government and country, despite the folly
or wickedness, as they may conceive, of any
Administration. This position is en-
inently patriotic, and as such thank the
meeting, and congratulate the nation for it.
My own purpose is the same so that the
meeting aud myself have common object, and
can have no difference except in tho choice cf
means or measures for effscting that object.
And here ought to close this paper, and
would close it. if thsre were no apprehension
that more injurious consequences than any
merely personal to myself might follow the
censures systematically cast upon me for doing
what, in my view, could not forbear The
resolutions promise to support me in every
constitutional and lawful measure to suppress
the rebellion; and have not knowingly EN-
ploysd, nor shall knowingly employ any other.
But the meeting, by their resolutions, assert
and argue that certain military arrests. and
proceedings following them, for which am
ultimately responsible. are unconstitutional.
think they are not. The resolutions quote
from the Constitution tue definition of treason,
and also the limiting safeguards and guaran
tees therein provided for the citi-
Zen on trials for treason, and on his being
held to answer for capital or otherwise inf,-
nous crimes, and. in criminal prosecutions, his
right to speedy and public trial by an i'm
partial jury. They proceed to resolve "that
these safeguards Of the rights of the
citizen against the pretensions of arbi-
trary power were intended more especially for
his protection in times Of civil commotion." I"
And. apparently to demonstrate the PROPOSE
ton. the resolutions proceed: "They were
secured substantially to the English people
otter years Of protracted civil war, and were
adopted into our Constitution at the close of
the revolution" Would not the demonstration
have been better. ifit could be truly said that
these safeguards had been adopted and applied
dsrisg the civil wars and dxrirg our revolu-
ton, Instead Of after the one and close of the
o.hsrl !. too. am devotedly for them after
civil war. and before civil war, and at all times
Except, when, in cases of rebellion or inva.
sion. the public safety may require" their sus-
pension. The resolutions proceed to tell us
Us that these safeguards have stood the test
Of sevsnty-six years Of trial. under our repub.
l'can system, under circumstances which
show that while they constitute the
!ouodat'1n Of all free government they are
the elements Of the enduring stability Of the