Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-18
REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT,

c. w. WEEKS, Secretary.
REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Warrington, June IL, 1863
Hon ERAsTUs CORNING and others:
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of May 49, enclosing the re-
solutions of public meeting held in Albany New YORK.
on the 18th of the same month, received several
days ago.
The resolutions as understand them, are resovable
into two propostous-fst the expression OF purpose
TO sustain the of heUnon to secure peace through
victory and to support the Administration IN every constr
tutionsl and lawful to suppress the reoeion
and secondly declaration of censure upon the Admins
traton for supposed unconstitutional action such as the
making of military arrests And from the two PROPOSE
tons third deduced, which is that the gentlemen COM
posing tho meeting resolved doing their part to
maintain our common Government and country despite
the folly wickednes they may conceive of any Ad-
minstraton This position is emineny patriotic, and as
such thank the meeting congratulate the nation for
IT, NY own purpose 10 the that the meeting and
myseh have a object and can have no difference
except in the choice Of for ehecng
that object
And here ought to close this paper and would close
it. if there apprehension that more injurious con
sequences than any merely personal to myself might follow
the censures systematically cast upon for doing what
in my view of duty could not orbear. The resolutions
promise support me in every constitutional and lawful
measure to suppress the rebellion and have not know
inely employed nor shall knowingly employ, any other
Bot the meeting by their resolutions assert and argue
that certain military arrests, and proceedings following
them for which ultimately responsible, unconsti-
tutonal / think they not. The resolutions quote
from the Constitution the definition Of treason and also
the limiting safeguards and guarantees therein provided for
the citizen on trial for treason and bis being held to
answer for capital otherwise infamous crimes, and in
criminal prosecutions his right to speedy and public trial
by an impartial jury They proceed 10 resolve that these
safeguards of the rights Of the citizen against the preten
sions Of arbitrary power intended more especially for
his protection in times Of civil commotion" And aPpa
renty to demonstrate the proposition the resolutions pro-
ceed they were secured substantially to the English
people after years Of protacted civil and adopt
ed into our Constitution at the close CT the Revolution
Would not the demonstration have been better if it could
have been truly that these safeguards had been adopt
ed and applied during the civil and during our Re-
voutop instead Of after the and at the close Of the
otherf l. too devotedy for them after civil war and
before civil war and at all times, except wben in cases
of rebellion and invasion the public safety may require
their suspension The resolutions proceed TO tell US that
these safeguards have stood the test Of sevenysx years
OF trial. republican ystem under circumstances
which show that while they constitute the foundation Of
all free they the elements Of the enduring
stability of the Republic" No denies that they have
30 stood the test up the beginning of the present rebel
lion if we except certain at New Orleans
nor doe. any one question that they will stand the same
test much longer after the rebellion closes But these pro-
vision, Of the Constitution application to the
va have in hand because the arrests complained OF were
not made for treasonthat IT, not for the treason defined
in the Constitution and upon the conviction OF which the
Punishment death yet they made to hold per-
sons for any capital otherwise Infamous
crimes nor we're the proceeding. following, in any
stitutioual legal sense, criminal prosecutions" The
arrests were made totally different grounds and the
proceedings following accorded with the grounds of the
arrests.
Let a. consider the real case with which we are deal
ing and apply to it the parts OF the Constitution plainly
made for such cases.
Prior to my installation here il had been nculcated
that any State had lawful right to secede from the
tional Union that it would be expedlent to
the right whenever the devoees Of the doctrine should
fail to elect President to their liking was elected
contrary their liking and accordingly SO far as it
legally possible they had taken States out Of the
Union had seized many OF the United States forts and
had fred upon the United States Gag all before was in
auQuraed and Of course, before had done any official
act whatever The rebellion thus begun into the
presept civil war and, 10 certain respects, it began
very unequal terms between the parties The nsurgept,
had been preparing for it than thirty years. while
the overnmept had taken steps to resist them The
former had carefully considered all the which could
be- turned 10 their account IL undoubtedly was well
oudered reliance with them that in their own unrestricted
efforts to destroy Union, Constitution and law all TO-
geher the Government would in great degree, be
restrained by the Constitution and law from arrest
ing their progress Their sympathizers pervaded all de-
partments Of the Government and nearly all communities
Of the people From this material under cover of lib
ey Of speech, liberty Of the press and habeas cor
pus" they hoped TO keep foot amongst most eff
Client corps of spies inormers suppers and aders and
sbettors Of their cause 10 thousand ways They knew
that in times such they by the Cons
tuition itself the hsbess corpus might be suspended but
thew also knew they bad friends who would make cues.
tion as to phs to suspend it meanwhile their spies