Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-08-22

State courts to the United States courts,
all suits or prosecutions "for trespasses
or wrongs done or committed by virtue or
under color of any authority derived from
or exercised under the President of the
United States y and such authority was
declared to be full defence for the wrong
doer in any action, civil or criminal. The
American Executive is, as the word i'm
ports, the executor of the duly enacted
laws. Yet the pretension is made that
his will can take the place Of the laws
The liberty, the character of every citizen,
is put at the mercy of new functionarios
called 'provost marshals." Secret accusa-
ton before these officials takes the place of
open hearing before lawful magistrate,
and no writ of habeauS corpus may inquire
the cause of the arrest. To illegal ar
rests have been added the mockery Of
trial of private citizen for his political
opinions before court martial, ending in
the inAiction of new and outrageous
penalty, invented by the President of the
United States. We need not comment
upon acts like these. The President of
the United States has no authority, in
peace or war to try, even an enlisted sold
ier by court-martial, save by virtue and in
strict conformity with the military law
laid down in the act Of Congress "estab-
fishing rules and articles for the govern
ment of the armies of the United States"
Yet by his proclamation of September
9th, 1862, he has assumed 10 make all
citizens ameDable to military courts. lie
has violated the great principle of free
government, on which Washington con-
Quoted the war Of the Revolution, and
Madison the war Of 1S12--the principle
of the subordination of the military to the
civil power. He has assumed to put
martial law,' which is the rule Of force
at spot where all laws are silenced, in
the place of civil justice throughout the
; land, and has thus assailed, ID some of the
: States, even the freedom of the ballot-box.
These are not occasional acts, done in
, haste, or heat, or ignorance; but a new
} system of government put in the place ol
: that ordained and established by the peo-
pie. That the Queen could not do what
he could, was Mr.. Stewards boast to the
British Minister. Tie "military arrests
a of Mr.. Stanton received the "hearty com.
# mendation" Of the Convention that renom.
j mated Governor Curtin and it pledged
S him and his party to hearty cooperation
t in such acts of the administration iu future
= Such ia the degrading platform on which
it a candidate for Chief Magistrate Of Penn
S sylvania stands before her people. These
o pretensions to arbitrary power gives omin
c GUS significance to a late change in GU
1t military establishment. The time-hon
d ored American system of calling on tn
o States for drafts from their militia, ha
If been replaced by Federal conscription
l. on the model of European despotisms W
e would not minister to the excitSmen
q. which it has caused among men of al
to parties. Its constitutionality will be teste
y before the courts. If adjudged to b
s. within the power of Congress, the peopl
IN will decide on the propriety Of stretch {
10 power on which the British Parliament
y styled omnipotent-has never venturet
De On this you will pass at the polls, and til
H. next Congress will not be deaf to the voit
IL Of the people, For all political evils,
/" constitutional remedy yet remains, in tn
ry ballot.box We will not entertain ie;
lr that it is not safe in the guardianship Of
ty free people. If men in Office should see
IT. to perpetuate their power by Wrestling fro
of the people of Pennsylvania the right
ne suffrage-if the servants of the poop
I'D should rebel against their master-c
of them will rest the responsibility OF an a
li- tempt at revolution, of which no man CT
Il forosee the consequences or the end. b
eS in now addressing y you upon the polite
d issues OF Inc Jmes, we assume thal Inc Il
OF stitutions Of our country are destined
mt endure.
nd The approaching election derives furth
Ike Importance from the influence it will exc
he else upon the policy OF the Governments
is The aim of men not blinded by fanactisis
he and party spirit would be to reap The be
as fruit from the victories achieved by o
M gallant armies-the best fruit would
ia. peace and the restoration of the Union.
W. Such is not the aim Of the party in powe
of Dominated by its most bigoted membe
m it urges a war lor the Negro and not
as the Union. 1t avowS the design to pl
he tract the war till slavery shall be abolish
ar. in all the Southern States; in the Ian
les uage Of one of its pamphleteers, chow C