Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-06-23

upon them during the remainder OF hs healthful
lie.
ln giving the resolutions that earnest consider
alton which you request of me, cannot overlook
the fact that the meeting speak as Democrats.
Nor can |, with full respect for their known intel
lgencs, and the fairly presumed dslibsraton with
which thsy prepared their resolutions, be permit.
ted TO suppose that this occurred by accident, or
10 any way other than that they preferred to dss-
ianate themselves 40 Democrats" rather than
American citizens In this time Of national
peril | would have preferred to meet you upon
level one step higher than any party platform
because am sure that, from such more elevated
position, we ceuld do better battle for the country
We all love than we possibly can from those lower
ones where, from the force OF habit, the prejud-
ces OF the past, and selfish hopes OF the future we
are sure to expsnd much Of our ingenuity and
strength in finding fault with and aiming blows at
each other. But, since you have denied me this,
will yet bc thankful, for the countrys sake, that
not all Democrats have done so. He on whose
discretionary judgment vallandigham was arrest
ed and tried Is Democrat, having no old party
affinity with me and the judge who rejected the
constitutional view expressed in these resolutions,
BY refusing to discharge Mr.. Valandigham on
babeas corpus, 10 a Democrat Of better days than
these, having received his Judicial mantle at the
hands OF President Jackson. And still more, OF
all those Democrats who are nobly exposing their
lives and shedding their beod on the battlefield,
! have learned that many approve the course ia
ken with Mr.. Vallandigham, while | have not
heard Of single one condemning it. | cannot
asset! that there are none such. And the name
Of President Jackson recalls an instance of perth
nent history. After the battle OF New Orleans,
and while the fact that the treaty Of peace had
been concluded was we'll known in the city, but
before official knowledge OF it had arrived, Gen.
Jackson still maintained martial or military Law.
Now, that it could be said the war was over, the
clamor against martial law, which had exitted
from the first, grew more furious. Among other
things a MIR. Lousillier published denuneiatory
newspaper article. Gen. Jackson arrested him.
A lawyer by the name Of Morsl procured the
United States Judge Hall TO order writ Of ha-
bsas corpus TO relieve Mr.. Lousiler. General
Jackson arrested both the lawyer and the judge.
A MIR. Hollander ventured to say Of some part oi
the matter that ii was dirty trick" General
Jackson arrested him. When the officer under
took 10 serve the writ Of hakeds corpus General
Jackson took itfrom hun, and sent hun away with
a copy. Holding the judge in custody few days,
the General sent him beyond the limits Of his en-
campnent and set him at liberty, with 40 order 10
remain ti the ratification OF peace should be- reg
4larly announced or until the British should have
ef! tbs southern coast. A day or two more
elapsed, TIE ratification OF the treaty Of peace was
/ Tegu ariy announced, and the Judge aud Other,
we're fully liberated. A few days more and tie
Judge called Gen. Jackson into court and fined
6lm thousand dollar for having arrested him
and the others named. The General paid the
iine, and there the matter rested for nearly thirty
years, When Congress refunded principal and inls-
rest. Tbs late Senator Douglas, then in the
| iou.s of Representatives, took leading part in
the debates, in which the constitutional ques.
lion was much discussed. 1 am not prepared to
say whom the journals would show to have voted
| for the measure.
1t may be remarked: First, that we had the
came Constitution then as now secondly, that
We then had a csse OF invssiou, and now have q
e,. OF rebellion and, thirdly, that the permsn'
ent right Of the people to public discussion, tbs
liberty Of spsssh and tbs press, the trial by jury
the law OF evidence, and the habsss corpus, suffer
cd no dstriment whatever by that eosduot Of Gen
Jackson, or ito subsequent spprsvsl by the Amer
lean Congress.
And yet, let me say, that ln my own discretion
do not know whether would have ordered
the arrest OF Mr.. Vsllsndighan. While cannot
shlit the respsn,ibllity from mJstf hold that, a,
q general rule, the commander iA the field ia the
better judge Of the necessity in any particular
case OF eourss, must practice general drsc
tory sAd rsvssry power In the matter.
One Of the resolutions expresses the opinion o
the meeting that arbitrary arrests will have III Z
feet 10 divide and distract those who should b.
uul,ed 10 .uppresng the rsbellon,and am speci'
fesly called on 10 discharge Mr.. V,landighsn
lregsrd this n, At least, fair sppeal to me on
the eIpedsne' Of exercising a constitutional pov'
or which think exists. In response to such sp
peal have TO say, it gave me pain when learn
ed that Mr., Vslsndigham had been arrested
that is, was panied that there should have seem
ed to be necessity for srresting him-and that
il will afford me great pleasure TO discharge him
40 soon as can, by any means, believe the pub
lie safety will not suffer for il. further say, thai
as the war progresses, il appears to me opinion
aud action, which were in grsat confu'on at first
take shape and fall into more regular channels
so that the necessity for strong dealing with then
gradually decreases. | have every reason to de
sire that it should cease altogether, and far from
the least is my regard for the opinions and wish
es Of those who, like the meeting at Albany, de
clare their purpose 10 sustain the Government in
every constitutional and lawful measure 10 sup
press the rebellion. Still, must continue to dt
so much as may seem 10 be required BY the pub
lie safety. A. LINCOLN.