Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-03

We give 4 ruler report OF very important proceed
ing in the House Of Representatives on Saturday:
rhE wRIr or HAREAs CORPUS.
Mr. BAEksDALE Of Mississippi, introduced the follow
ing bill
That during the present invasion Of the Confederate
States the President shall have power TO suspend the
operation Of the writ Of hdjsas corpus in any town, city
or military district whenever in his opinion, the public
safety may require il; but such suspension shall apply
only made by the authorities Of the COnted-
crate Government OF offences against the same
SEc. ?. The President shall cause the proper
officers investigate the Of all persons arrested,
in order that they may be discharged # improperly de-
tanned unless they be speedily tried in due course OF
law.
SEc s. This act shall continue in force for thirty
days aeF the next meeting OF Congress, and no longer
Mr. BARKsDALE moved a suspension Of the rule for
the purpose Of putting the bill upon its passage, and on
this motion, Mr. BALDWIN demanded the yeas and nays.
The vote resulled-yeaS A. nays y, less than two
thirds voting in the affirmative. 80 the rule was not
suspended aud the bill referred to the Committee
On the Judiciary.
This Is very sweeping proposition. 1t cOntemplates
the abrogalou Of the dearest rights Of every citizen of
the Confederate States places the liberty Of every
mantle inestmabIe blessing Of breathing the pure sir
Of Heaven, at the mercy of a single individual The
caprice or prejudice or passion or personal malgnity
Of thai ndividuil may eOnsgn him 70 the dungeon
There Is no redr,sA This measure strips him at Once Of
oesl.-ss. s.-sss- E..slA--- -
measure fraughs with such consequences thus sub
verting the whole framework Of English and American
freedom, and making mans will the arbiter Of every
others fate, was introduced by individual member,
without the Formally Of committees report for
mality accorded to the trivial proposition, and
sought to be forced through in hot haste without con-
sideratOn or disc ou Luckily the rules of the House
prevented the surprise and gave gentlemen at least
deeeat time for taking on the yoke
An impression prevails TO some extent that the Con
federae Congress disposed to be unduly submissive
to the Executive will This impression may DO the
Congress Injustice and may have arisen from proper
indi-pOston on the part Of patriotic members to make
issues on petty points with imprac,cable and -con-
trived funetOnary We trust that such may be the
fact and that when tic Fundamentals Of cur free insti-
tu,iOns assaed the majority of Congress w with
out fear or favor prove themselves fearless champions
of the righr.
Every patriotic citizen is willing aud anxious that all
power necessary the vigorous prosecution of the war
should be conferred on the Executive But We cannot
understand how that end can be promoted by giving to
one man the authority deprive all the rest Of the go
rous brthrighi Of liberty Tue first Washington sue
cessuy carried through the first Revolution without
asking for or exercising this despo,ic power And we
supposed that the grand and distinguishing difference
between and our enemils was, that ours was the
Cause OF Freedom and theirs Of Tyranny If we de-
grade Cause by assimatng it to that Of the Yau
KEGS and sSsOeiating it with despOtism chill warm
hearts praying for its success and palsy brave out
stretched 10 defend il.
There are not wanting indications TO admonish US,
that we have chief who loves power and loves to use
it. We have disposition to question the purity Of his
motives; but il IS sacred duty owe to ourselves and
our glorious Cause TO keep liberties in own hand
and hedged about by those bulwarks Of law which for
ages have proved mpreguabe the assaults of tyranny