The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-06-19

assisted by long list of Vice Presidents and
Secretaries
SPEECH OF EX-CHIEF JUSTICE LEWIS
Upon taking the chair the Hon. Ellis Lewis,
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Of Penn
sylvania, and gentleman distinguished for i,is
ability, patriotism and devotion to the Union
and Constitution, delivered the following ad-
Dress
FeiLoD Citizens Permit me to return my
thanks for the honor you have conferred in Sc
lecting me to preside over the deliberations of
this large and respectable assemblage of free
men. The object OF the meeting is to express
''the just Indignation of the people upon the
arbitrary arrest, military trial and exile of the
Hon. Clement L. Vallandigham, of Ohio"
AS the Constitution of the United States vests
in Congress all legislative powers granted by ii
to the Federal Government, it follows that nei-
ther the Judges nor the President can make :siy
law whatever 1t is the business of the Judges
to expound, and of the President to execute the
law as it exists But the Constitution of the
United States expressly declares that Congress
shall make no law abridging the freedom d
speech or of the press, or the right of the pso
pie peacably to assemble and petition the Gov.
! ernment for redress of grievances" A.. Cor
ther declares that ''the right of the people to bf
secure in their persons, houses, paper and ef
fects, against unreasonable searches and seizures
shall not be volated;" and that sno warrants
shall issue but upon probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and particularly desert
bing the places to be searched and the persons
or things to be seized !" that mo person shall
be held to answer for capital or otherwise in
famous crime, unless on presentment or indct
ment of grand jury, except in cases arising
in tho land OF naval forces or in the militia
when in actual service, in time of war or rub
lie DANGER" and that Sin all criminal prosecu
tons the accused shall enjoy the right of a spec
dy and public trial by an impartial jury of tn,
State and district where the crime shall hav,
been committed" In addition to these mpor
tant provisions for securing the liberties of tht
people, the Constitution solemnly adopts an,
enforces the great principle of Magma cha,ta
that sno person shall be deprived Of life, liner
ty or property without due process of law"
These inestimable guarantees of our right
have been violated i'll the case of Mr.. Vallandi
CHAM. His house was broken open in the dea'
hour of the night, he was arrested withou
"oath," or eprobabe cause" or 'warrant o
due process of law" He was carried by force
away from his neighbors, his home, and his dis
tracted family He was tried by military tri
bunal which had no more jurisdiction over hin
than had the Emperor of Austria He was no
+ legally convicted of any crime known to thu
law, but he has nevertheless been carried intt
exile and thus banished from his country.
And all this has been done under the per
mission or sanction of President who stand
sworn before God and the country to ''preserve
protect and defend the Constitution"
In these proceedings there is something of ia
greater importance than the private injury com
mitted upon the person and rights OF the par
ticular individual. 1t is an open and darin
attack upon the liberties of the people, and up
ON the sacred Constitution established by then
as the supreme authority.
IF these transactions had occurred within tn
; limits of a rebel State, which had subverted tn
Constitution and laws of the Union, where tn
exercise of military power was necessity, W
could readily understand the force OF the argu
ment by which such arbitrary proceedings ar
exercised. But in loyal State, where th
Courts are in full operation-where the Con
} stitution and laws are entirely unobstructee
except by the unauthorized acts of men weai
ing our own uniform, the pretence of ''militar
necessity is an absurdity Such an excuse
valid, would equally sanction the violation {
all other rights of the people. If the free cit
zens of this nation are not allowed to discus
the acts of their own pnblc servants they may
on the same principle, be deprived of their III
doubted right to change the Administrative
by the Constitutional exercise OF the eectiv
franchise. If the people are prepared to sub
init, without remonstrance, to the dangerous IL
fraction of their rights, which we lave jus
witnessed in the case of Vallandigham, the
the most glorious form of government whic
the world ever witnessed is already overturned
| trust, however, that there is redeemin
spirit of patriotism and true loyalty in the pee
t pie, and that in their energetic and lawfnl az