The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-05-23
Letter Of Gov. seymour to the Albany
Meeting.
ALBANY, MAY II

ALBANY. May ~.
The following is the letter Of Gov. Sey-
mour to tho Vallaudinsham meeting last
night:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, May l6. 1868
cannot attend the meeting at the Capt.
tol this evening, but wish to state my
opinion in regard TO the arrest OF Mr.. Vel
landlngham 1t is an act which has
brought dishonor upon our country. 1t II
full Of danger to our persons and our homes.
1t bears upon its front conscious violation
Of law and justice.
Acting upon the evidence Of detailed
inforners shrinking from the light Of day,
in the darkness Of night. armed men vio-
lated the home Of an American citizen
and furtively bore him away TO military
trial. conducted without those safeguards
known in the proceedings Of our judicial
tribunals. The transaction involved a
series of offences against our most sacred
rights.
Itinterfered with the freedom ofspeech
it violated our rights to be secure, IN our
homes against unreasonable searches and
seizures it pronounced sentence without
trial, save one which was Inockery,
which in.ulted as we'll as wronged The
perpetrators now seek to impose punish
ment not for an offence against law but
for the disregard Of an invalid order. put
forth in the utter disregard of the princi-
plies Of civil liberty.
If this proceeding is approved by the
govern nent, and sanctioned by the people,
1t is not merely a step toward revolution ;
it will not only lead TO military despotIsm
it establishes military despotism. In
- ha Tod int IL
aspect rejected If it is upheld our iber-
ties are overthrow; the safety of our
persons. security Of our property will
hereafter depend upon the arbitrary will
of such military rulers as may be placed
over US. while our constitutional guaran
tees will be broken down.
| Even now the Governors and courts Of
some Of the great western states have
sunk into insignficance before the despotis
| mowers claimed and exercised by military
men who have been sent into their bord
ers. 1t is fearful thing TO increase the
! danger which now overhargs US by treat
/ ing the law, tie judiciary, ard the State
authorities with contempt
The people Of this country now wait
with the deepest anxiety the decision Of
the administration upon these acts iav
! ing given it a generous support in the con
duct Of the war. We pause to see what KIND
of government il is for which we are asked
to pour ont our Blood and our treasure.
: The action Of the administration viii
determine in the minds Of more than ont
half Of tn. people Of the loPaf State
whether the war is waged to put down
rebellion at the South. or destroy free In
stitu,ions at the North. We look for IT
decision with most solemn soiicituds
EoRATIo SEYMOUR
The resolutions adopted claim that tn
democrats have devoted during the tw
wears OF civil war, and express deter
rAination 10 devote their energies to tn
cause OF the Union; deuownce the a.
SUMPTION of military power IN the arres
Of Mr. Eallandinshain, and Assert tn
right OF Tree discussion. They say that II
the election Of Mr.. Seymour the peopi
condemned the system of arbitrary arrests
and call upon the President to res ore NJ
Vallandin CHAM to liberty They direct
COPY of the resolutions to be sent 10 III
President. with the assurance o: the desir
of tho meeting to support the government
in every constitutional and lawful measur
TO xuppr css the rebellion.