The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-05-27
Gov. Seymour's Letter TO the VAL
landighain Meeting s"'ssatA
The following is the letter Of Governor
Seymour TO the rallandigham meeting NJ
Albany. N T., last Saturday night: rs

The following is the letter OF Governor
Seymour TO the fallsndigham meeting at
Albany. N. T., last Saturday night;
Executive DEPARrMEsT, May l6.
cannot attend the meeting at the Capitol
this evening, bnt / wish to state my opinion
in regard to the arrest of Mr. ValIandigham.
Il is an ACT which has brought dishonor up.
on our country. II is iull OF danger 10 our
persons and our homes. II bears upon Its
front conscious violation Of law and jps-
tice. Acting upon the evidence oi detsilsd
iniormer, shrinking from the light Of day,
in the darkness OF niaht, armed men violate
the house ola American citizen and furtive-
ly bore him away to military trial, conducted,
without those safeguards known to the pros
ceedings Of onr judicial tribunals. The
transaction involved series Of offenses
against our most sacred rights It interier-
ed with the freedom OF speech; it molested
our rights to be secure in our homes sgainst
unreasonable searches and seizures; il pros
nounced sentence without trial. save one
which was mockery, which insulted a. well
as wronged. The perp traitors now seek to
impose punishment, not for an offence
against law but lor the disregard Of an iowa
lid order, put torth in the utter disregard
oil the principles of civil liberty IL this
proceeding IS approved by the Government,
and sustained by the people, it Is not merely
q step toward revolulion--it is revolution;
will not only lead to military despotism--is
establishe, military despotism. Ia this as
pect it must be accepted or in this aspect re.
jected. Ii it il upheld, our liberties are
overthrown, The, SAFETY OF our persons, secur.
ity OF our prope y will depend upon the ar.
bitrary will OF such military rulers as may
be placed over US, while our constitutional
guarantees will lie troken down. Even now
the Governors and courts OF some Of the
great Western States have sunk into insig.
ni6c,nce before the despotie powers claimed
and exercised by military men who have
been sent into their borders. Itisa ieAriul
thing to increase the danger which now
overhangs US by treating the law, the. judci-
ary and the state authorities with contempt:
The people OF this country now wait with
the deepest anxiety the decisions Of the Ad-
mnistration upon these acts. Having given
1t a generous support IN the conduct OF the
war, we pause % see wha: kind Of Govern
ment il is for which we are asked to pour
out our blood ard our treasures. The action
OF the Admins ration will determine in the
minds OF more than one half OF the perple
Of the loyal States whether this war is waged
to put downrebellion az the South or de.
stroy Tree institutions at the North. We
look for its decision with most solemn So
-licitude. $50 lsy.,.o. a..G ..a,. .....f,,
D. d. (Sigped) HORATIO SEYMOUR.
The resolutions adopted point 10 he deVo.
tion shownsby the Democrats during two
years of civil war and express determine.
ton TO deyotetheir energies to the cause Of
the Union; denounce the assumption OF mil.
itary power in the arrest Of Mr.. Vallsndig.
ham; assert the right Of free discussions -
They say that in the election Of Mr.. Sey.
mour the people condemned the system of
arbitrary arrests. and call upon the Presi-
dent to restore Mr.. Valandigham 10 liberty.
They direct copy of the resolutions to be
sent to the President, with the assurance Of
the dasire Of the meeting to support. the
Government in every constitutional and law.
iul measure to suppress the rebellion.