The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-07-02
Civil And Military Power.
Letter from Judge Duer OF New
York.
OswEao. N. Y May 90. 1868.

your letter inviting me to attend the pub
lie meeting called to viniica,e she right
of the people to express their sentiments
upon political questions. II was not in
my y. wer to be present at the meeting,
aud illness has prevented me until the
present moment from answering your let
Ter. answer it now. though late, both
TO explain my apparent incivll,y, and also
becaus. l think that in The present crisis
no loyal citizen ought to shrink from the
expression q: his opinion.
The action which has taken pace since
your meeting Was held convinces ma that
it 10 the intention of the President and
his advisers to crush opposition to their
sols by M, ans Of force and terror. Fo,
this purpose they have established, aud do
now actually enforce, martial law III sew
ersi leysi States. aud they will doubtless
do tie ssme 10 New York and every " here
cise. unless they mad to know that
the people will not submit to it.
10 many persona the woIds "mar'ia!
Law do Lot convey any very definite
sdca. They know that il is something
very harsh, aud rigorous, and summary,
but ;hey suppose that it bears come re-
sembisnce 10 all oIher laws Of which they
have ever heard or read. III this respect al
least: that it defines otfenses and fixes
their punishment, And canu1, but sup
pose that tnan; who clamor for is estsb.
.ishnIent are ignoran, that il is nothing in
the world but the absolute aud unres-
trained will Of military chietiain. Per-
mi, me. then, 10 give description Of
martial law upon the authority of The
hish.s! jlii>ia tribunal Of our couatry.-
The Language j. tha, of Judge Woodbury.
IN delivering the opinion oi the court in a
case determined 10y tho Supreme Court ol
the United States: "iiy il, ssys tho court
every citizen, instead OF I-posiug under
the shield Of known and tix,d Laws As To
hia l'b,r S. pre-. .'es;y. aud h.t, exists with
rope round his neck, subject TO be hung
by a military despo; a, the next lamp post
under The sentence Of some drum-head
cour, martial
|, is true that the Republicans have
res-cn TO believe tbs! they vii! be safe
/ from the horrors Of thi, law under IA h
publican adniuisrs!i u. NJ Republican
or Ab,l;iorist has 1e, teen Ell, ian
: pr.sonrd, or plnisdtd, aud til y may
reasonably c..cuiate ;hst oUn ever III be
Such p,r.ons are crml sed - S;igmatizs
/ the Consi, i,niion rs league with bell. and
insist that tie war shall b, Prosecuted
! II 1t - restore the Union. but To destroy il.
w.!h.ut being regarded as guilty of any
-di>.oyal practice" The only sufferers.
80 far, have been Dem Gratis. Inde, d
the very purpose Tor which the establish
mem oi martial law Is ught by ihs man
ayers of the clubs anu lea ucs 10 to destroy
tie Democratic party And Ne 6nd i,
declared III an oEc a! doc:ment emana
ting from the War Department that to
support the Dsmmocratc party is 10 sup
port tie cause Of the rebels. This ter.
rible engine then, Is To DC set in motto,
B., one political party for the persecution
anoth'r. armlng neigL bor against neigl
bor, sud setting Issues in eve nousehold
The machinery is prepared. Already III,
secrst soci,ies are In motion, bound BY
what oaths, know not. That they {
design the>e things design all their DIR. ad
ful consequences do not believe; bu
they know little Of human nature and lii
tie of history who cannot discern them
nder q single despot there Is equality
from single despot there may be hope o
escape. But the worst form shat desput
Ism can assume is that ot the tyranny .
party over party; and If anythirg can ad,
! 10 It's horrors it IL when the d MIL n
fac ION is inflamed by fanaucism aud lel
by priests.
What matters it that these men are con
cienIious, that they act under sense o
duty, of re igious duty? l do not imreacl
! t.eir motives. The more cons cenllous
they are. the worse. All fanatics ar
coucienlious, and it is this that make
their ty ranny, of all tyrannies. the mos
in>ufierable.
What We can and ought to do, beyon
p thu mere expression Of our sympathy, i
2 aid u our oppressed countrymen in Oni,
kentucky, and Indiana. is subject upo
which 1t may be Is well at present TO 81
; no'hing. Let u Wait the course of event.
We have an immediate question to d,
trrmine for ourselves. and that is whe,h,
we will permit the establishment Of I'll
same species Of government in our ow
State; n government which not only u
Engishman and no Frenchman would sr