Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-05-20
The Case of Mr.. Vallandigham.

The following are the charges on which Mr.. Val.
landgham, of Ohio, was arrested: ,r'
In this, the said Clement L. vallandigham, cit
'zen OF the State of Ohio on or about the first day
OF May, 1868, at Mount Vernon, Knox county,
ohlo, did publicly address large meeting Of cti-
zens and did utter sentiments in words in effect
as ioiiows, declaring the present war "a wicked,
cruel and unnecessary war;" ga war not being
waged for the preservation of the Union;" "a war
for the purpose of crushing out liberty and erecting
adespotism !" "a war for the freedom of the blacks
ana the enslavement Of the whites !" stating "that
II the Administration had so wished, the war could
have been honorably terminated months ago :" that
peace might have been honorably obtained by lis
tenng to the. proposed intermedation of France"
that propositions by which the Southern States
could have been won back and the South be guar
anteed their rights under the Constitution had been
rejected the day before the late battle at Fredercks
burg, by Lincoln and his minions," meaning there
by the President of the United States and those
under him in authority. Charging "that the Gov
eminent of the United States were about to appoint
military marshals in every district to restrain the
people of their liberties, and deprive them of their
rights and privileges" Characterising General
Oroers No. 38, Headquarters Department of the
Onio, as "a base ursurpation of arbitrary authori-
W; inviting his hearers to resist the same by say
ing, the sooner the people inform the minions of
usurped power that they will not submit to such
restrictions upon their liberties the BETTER" de-
Glazing "that he was at all times and upon all
casons, resolved to do what he could to defeat the
attempts now being made to build up monarchy
upon the ruins Of our free government" asserting
THAT be firmly believed as be said six months ago.
that the men in power are attempting to establish
desp0tism in this country, more cruel and more op-
pressive than ever existed before"
All of which opinions and sentiments he well
knew did aid, comfort and encourage those in arms
against the government, and could butnduce in his
hearers distrust of their own government and
sympathy for those in arms against it, and dspo-
sition to resist the laws of the land.
JIM QUITS,
Captain Of 18th Infantry, Judge Advocate, De-
partment of the Ohio.
Mr.. Vallandigham protested as follows against
his arrest and imprisonment:
Arrested without due process of law, without
warrant from any judicial officer, and now in mill
tary custody, have been served with charge and
specifications as from court'martial or military
commission l am not either in the land or naval
service of the United States, and therefore, am not
triable for any cause by any such court but am
subject by the express terms of the Constitution,
to arrest only by due process of law, or warrant
issued by some officer of court of competent iu-
risdiction for trial of citizens am subject to lndict
ment and trial on presentmci,t of grand jury, and
am entitled to speedy trial, to be confronted with
witnesses aud to compulsory process for witnesses
IN my behalf and am entitled to counsel. All these
demand, as my right as citizen of the United
Sates, under the Constitution of tho United States
But the alleged offence itself is not known to the
Constitution, nor to any law thereof 1t is words
spoken to the people Of Ohio in an open public po-
htlcal meeting, lawfully and peacefully assembled
under the Constitution and upon full notice
1t is the words of a citizen on the public policy
Of the public servants of the people, by which poll
cy it was alleged that the welfare of the country
was not promoted. 1t was an appeal to the people
to change that policy, not by force but by the cleo
tions ard the ballot:box. 1t is not pretended thai
connselled disobedence to the Constitution, or re
slstance to law or lawful authority. l have nevel
done this
have nothing further to submit
G. L. VALLANDIGHAM.