North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-05-27


but a RIGHT, to temporarily, canddIy, and
freely discuss, not only the laws, but the acts
of those of their servants who may have pas
ed, or may be in the administration Of, those
laws.
This is the necessary result of the fact
the people are the source of all power. They
must freely discuss, that they may properly
determine whether law is q bad one aud
ought to be changed, or whether it is right
but wrested from its meaning and wrongfully
administered by those in authority, add
therefore such unfaithful servants should be
legally set gside. ...-q
A. While constitutional guarantees-among z
others the right Of free discussion of appeal
to the courts, as against unconstitutional
laws and illegal acts of resort to the legislative
power 10 ahrogate bad laws of removal of
! or obnoxious officials through an untram-
eled, interrupted ballot box, remain inviolate,
it is the duty OF The citizens to aid those who
who are rightfully in authority in all lawful
proceedings; but, If these rights are set at
naught by their official servants, the people
may assert their inherent sovereignty, and
resume the powers thus being abused.
5. To uphold these great and inalienable
principles of liberty one general rule should
! govern those who frame laws, those who are
! iRtrusted with their administration, and the
great body of The people; being those upon
whom they operate, namely, the golden rule
OF RIGHT.
g. The violation Of this rule, BY disobedi-
ance 10 properly enacted laws should be
punished its disregard by the fragrant as
sumption of unauthorized power and perfnr-
nance of unustI fable actSby the servants Of
the people should meet with stern rebuke,
7. In view of these great truths, We here
| by proclaim our fixed and irrevucab,e
condemnation Of every attempt to make laws
| by executive authory alone; OF by mere or
ders Of those representing the military; the
subordinate arm of thegovernment. And We
Indignantly denounce the result of such fla-
grant usurI ations as the act military tyranny
| to wit: arrest Of citizens of Indiana and our,
sister states that are in obedience to the Con
stituiion.
6. That the day has arrived when our official
servants are setting thmselves up above their
employers the people, and have two wars up.
| on tl.eiF handsome against the rebels of the
South-the other against the CJnstitntlon,
and those who attempt to uphold it in he
North. In the first named, the Democracy
have poured out their blood and treasure at
the call Of the administration in the second
they are being prosecuted by illegal arrests
and imprisonment for opinions sake, even sun
| TO strange cities and luathsome bastles.
9. Martial law is no law but the will Of the
military officer proclailning it, within ths
limits in which he has sufficient force to
maintain absolute power. In = state or district
country where the public enemy has no foot
ing, the people are not in rebellion, nor an
armed insurrection prevailing, there is no legal
| authority in any military officer, high or
! low, to substitute his will for the civil laws
and the opera IONS of the three co-ordilate
departments of the government.
TO- That the attempt to suspend civil
rights-among them the right to make in
| auiry as to the cause Of arrests and i'm
prisonments, by the writ of habeas corpus
in Territory loyal to the government, is
such an act of usurpation as demands and
receive our meIited condemnation.
IL. That the Democratic party of Indiana
are now, and they ever have been, attached to
:he Constitution and the Union, and are will,
lBs to make almost any sacrifice to maintain
the former and 10 preserve the latter. We
hold that there Ca. be no trea> on IN submiss
ion to the Constitution and laws made pursu
a n, II lereunto until they are constitutionaly
repealed or judcialIy declared VOID and /;
people who do this can not or dare not main
.ain and exercise the right Of advocating tn,
,s,s.i e bad laws and the change OF policy
which they beI';;"ve to be wrong, are slaves
and if the idea of treas,;n and slavery is righ;
We ar resolved either to be tranI9rs or sta r's
We will svbmit to every law passed pursuant
to the Constitution as long as all constitution
al means Of redress are left open % our free
exercise, inc'udlug free ballots, free speech
free press, and an untrammeled judiciary
and we pronounce every effort to take away
from The people these means Of redress, by mil
Itary orders aud arrest or otherwise . sagranl
outrage against the rights Of Of free people.
IL We denpunce the members oe the Leg
slature, who, by the abandonment of their
seats and failure to discharge the plain duty in
posed upon them, were guilty 0 a violation o.
their oaths, and we fear will bring discredit
upon the state and we declare that the gov
ernor can clear himself from completely ir
that crime only by taking steps to preven,
repu liation.
l3 That the arrest of Hon. Clement L
Vallandigham, of Ohio, for no other reason