The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-06-12
SPEECH OF MR.. TRUMBULL.
He Declares for the Supremacy
cftha Constitutions


cage Thursday night. Tbe,eohrage with
which be faced the enemies of American
freedom does him more honor than all
the commissions which could have been
heaped upon him by the federal govern
ment:
The times are grave. A majority Of
the people o: our state are taking ground
against the administration,-and why q
In the name Of Heaven, why is thiss /
will tell you why l will point out to you
some of our mistakes that they may be
corrected in the future The reason is
We have not adhered to David Crockett's
motto. 4" BE sure you are right, and then
60 ahead ~ "a voice" We are always
rightly I have lived long enough to
know that | am not infaIIible, perhap.
you are; I have some respect for the
opinion of others.
The great change, tie change that has
damaged the administration above all
Others, is that we are in favor of the exer-
else of arbitrary power, that ,ce are op-
posed to the freedom Of speech and opinion
to the freedom Of The press, an f,vor of
curtoi|ing personal liberty and in faror of
u de,rt>cniasm'
We are fighting for the restoration of
the Union, and the preservation o. the
constitution, and all the liberties it guar
antees to every citizen. And it makes
me feel bad when here some honest
friend. trimming full of patriotism, say
he does not care for the constitution and
does not want TO have it forced into his
way, or thrust IN his face until the war is
over. The rebels cannot thrust it in his
face, for they have no ri ghts under it, no
rights under at, saws the right to be tried
and hung for treason. Continued ap-
plause)
In certain districts the military law is
supreme. Gen. Grant is in command of
an army IN the State Of Mississippi. which
is in revolt. Will any one deny his right
to make arrests, his right to suppress news
papers, and to level fire, like those around
YOU TO night, in order to gel range for
his guns! No. And yet those are all ar
Htrary powers. But these exercises Of it
|
difficulty is in these districts, where right
ful civil government is 10 operation, where
the judicial tribunals are opon, ard the
laws pected-the laws which afford il
remedy for every Uron0. AS rule, we
must remember that the civil law is supe-
rior to the military law, and The cases are
rare, Very rare, where the rule can be re-
versed. 1t here resolves itself into the
plain, naked question of whether the Pres
ident and his General, BY tho nple click
ing of a telegraph instrUr end. can cause
the imprisonment of A. Is. or c. If one
General can do it another can do it, and
where is the end who will fix the lim! /?
Great sensation and murmurs.
Do you propose to interfere with the
ballot box Cries of" No Nc ~" Never
Never" from oil parts of the meeting |
am glad to here you say that, and glad
ron are unanimous. DIT it ever occur to
YOU that lie next election may PIT an en-
tirely different face upon affairs? The next
election may brig great and deplorable
changes, when Valandgham aud men Of
his class may detrmine " ho are to be ar
rested No ! that can never be, -" Never
Never" from AL parts oflhe crowd Well
gentlemen, there is no use in lang your
eyes % the facts which exis. around you
on every side. | told you came here 10 al
dress myself to your reason and not to
our passions, and in view of that light
ask you who are being elected governors
of loyal states, who compose a majority Of
the Legislature of the loyal state OF Illinois
and who was recently elected '.aynr of
her principal and most loyal city and in
view of the fac.s what may the future not
have in store! Cries Of Jennison,"
Music" We don't want to hear vou."l
You sent telegram to the president."l | !
know am distas' efui, but am not truth
full I! | would claim your reason Invested
of passion. The same chalice YOU hold
to the lips OF your adyersaries to day to
morrow may be returned to your lips.-I
Would you Ike to drink of it! Close
our eyes AS we may, there is no safety for
us, no safely for you and and every
American citizen, now and in the future.
but in an unvarying adherence to the con
stltutional landmarks of our fathers. Il
Farther cries of "Jennson," "Muslc," and
much dissatisfaction
You are wrong,-ltis your greatest and
gravesa mistake, in allowing your adver
saries to place YOU IN tao position of be
ing opposed to the constitution. TCries |
for Jennison," and Give us somebndy
else. - | see that | am dstasteful, but |
cannot help it and will not de,ain you
long.
Who is there among you who does not
believe in adhering strictly to the consti
tuition in these times and extending to
every citizen of the loyal States its guar
antees? Who among Jou is prepared to
acknowledge our government is failure
Who among you is prepared to say the
is tne thing for peace
good enough-but when war comes it
must be rolled up and laid away? Or in
other words, for it means the same
who among yon is ready to substitute
the will and opinion of one man, who
may be another ValIaniigham, in place Of
the constitution as the supreme law of the