The mountain Democrat., 1863-06-27
ArchbIshOP Hughes.

friend of the war and the Administra-
ton, but in Mr.. Lincoln's employ from
the first. He went with Bishop McIlvaine
of Ohio, and Thuriow Weed, on mis-
sion to Europe, by Mr.. Lincoln, and up
to the passage of the recent extraordinary
acts Of Congress, placed among the most
ardent friends Of the powers that be.
The Archbishop, however, like a great
many others, was friend Of the Govern
ment under constitutional limits and
guarantees, and not for military and mon
led despotism, worse than ever CALLED the
people of down trS>l@em Europe.
In the Metropolitan Record Of last
week, we are informed through the N.
Y. Express. Bishop Hughes has an arti
Gle four columns in length, protesting in
strong and open language against the re-
cent acts of Congress, converting this
Government into military despotisn.
Speaking Of the Conscript law he says: :
"Al the citizens of, New York liable
to military duty pndHr this law can be
called upon by the President whenever
he shall deem it necessary, and on the
refusal Of any one Of these to obey the
call, he "shall be deemed deserter, be
arrested by the Provost Marshal, and
sent to the nearest military post for
court martial" If this is not the estab
lshment of a military despotiSn, then
We should like to know the true mean
ing of the words. We have no hesitation
whatever in saying that this law is un-
constitutional, and, Of course, not bind
ing upon any citizen Of the United States,
and since the miScalled National LegiSla-
ture has SO far exceeded its powers, the
people must, under such circumstances,
look for protection to the only authori-
ties that can grant it, the Governors of
their respective States. We owe allegi
ance as citizens Of the State Of New York,
to the Constitution Of that and in the ex
ercisc Of his lawful authority we are SOL
emnly bound by that obligation to sus-
tain and support its Chief Magistrate,
whom that Constitution declares is the
COMMANDMENTS Chief Of the military and
naval forces Of the State. If allegiance
belong to that regularly constituted pow
er, which, in the general community, af-
fords protection to life and property. then
We say our loyalty is pre-eminenty due
]
stitution of the United States that instru-
ment no longer affords protection to its
| citizens and the only barrier which now
intcrposes between the liberties of the
people and the consolidating power of
centralized despotiSm at Washington, is
the sovereignty Of State.
Let not the willing tools of the re-
Gently initiated tyranny in this country
imagine that the Press is to be deferred
! by the threats contained in this unc0nsti-
tutional law against all who interfere with
its operation. We have too much faith
in the Executive of the Empire State to
suppose that he will ever allow an Ad-
miniStIation which is sapping the very
foundations of a constitutional freedom to
seize upon his fellow citizens as the Rus
sian autocrat has attempted to do with
| the i'll. fated victims of his most tiendish
rule in Poland. The moment such an
assault is made upon citizens rights the
last link that bind the States together
will be rent asunder like SO many cob
webs. The administration will then find
when it is too late. that it is the States
which constitute the Republic, and that
they are sovereign, that it is the powers
which they have delegated that make up
what is called the General Government,
they are the pillars which supporta grand
dome, and that the moment their support
is withdrawn, that part Of the editice
must fall to the ground.
! 1--WE know there are men in our midst,
for we have latcly had disgraccful evil
dence of the fact, who would aid the new
ly constituted tyranny at Washington in
riveting its fetters upon the people. Such
men assume to be the mouth pieces Of
the conservative masses, but they will
find, when toe late, that the trickery of
! the dcmagogue to which they have re
sorted will not save them from the judy
ment Of an incensed and outraged people.
Such men may imagine that the liberty
of nation is thing Of no value but as
long as the great heart of the people is
right, their intrigues in the int rests of
American autocracy will prove wretched
failure. These are the enemies against
which the great statesmen Of the Repub-
lie have warned us again and again; it is
they who are ready to assist in undoing
the work Of the patriots Of the revolution
by ignoring the Constitution, and hand
ing over the rights of the people to mil
/ itary dictator to put under bolt and bar.
Such men can see no harm in the suspen-
sion of the haheaS corpuS,in the suppress
ion of the liberty of the press. in the over
throw of State sovereignty, in the arbitra-
ry arrest and incarceration in government
dungeons @f loyal citizens, in proclama,
tions placing loyal and sovereign States
under martial law, and in investing the
so called President OF the United States
with supreme power above the Consttu-
tion, above State rights, above all law,
over the personal liberty Of the citizen.
Such things, in their estimation, are a
mere bagatelle. The liberty for which
the infant Republic waged seven years
war against Great Britain is to he bartered
away, and for what? A military despot-
iSm-nOt even such despotism as they
have in some parts Of Europe-but des-
potism directed by men who have proved
themselves weak in every thing else but
the will to destroy. They are ready to
carry out the conScription but so long as
they are the owners of three hundred dol.
lars not one Of them, We venture to say,
will take the field"
This is certainly very bold language,
and we shall look with no small interest
to see what his late political friends on
the war measures will say in answer to
these charges against the Republican par.
ty. Congress and the President. We
have seen nothing equal to this yet in
print, and the Republican leaders should
be invited to plead yea or nay to the in.
dictment 1t is fearful thing for mer
who, through the elective franchise, have
been entrusted with high and responsible
officaS nladOad and SwOrn RI nracarvo III