The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-04-10
EVANSVILLE, IND. FRIDAY MORNING,

uniform clothing The act of March
ID, 1868 has extended the penalties to
all persons who shall harbor or give en-
ployment to deserter, knowing him to
be such.
1t will be your duty to present by in
dlctment all persons within the district
who shall be proved to have been guilty
OF either of these offenses
In the progress of investigations which
have been made in this Court, it has
been proved that there exists in different
parts OF this State secret organizations
of POLITICAL character, the members of
which pledge themselve by voluntary
oaths to mutual protection and assistance,
and to secresy in regard to their transac-
tlons. AS it is probable that your at
tentlon may be called to this subject it
Is proper that l should explain to you
the law bearing upon organizations of
this character.
The citizens have an nndoubted right
TO organize societies or associations for
the country, and not INCONSISTENT wTUH
their obligations to the Government.
They have also right to keep their pro-
ceedings and transactions concealed
from the public by such pledges of secre-
sy as they may deem proper to adopt
Such pledges of secresy. however, do not
release the members of such associations
from their obligations to testify in courts
of justice, and disclose fully, all the pro-
ceedings of the associations whenever
the purposes of justice require such dis
closures to be made.
Secret societies for the promotion of
moral and benevolent objects exist in
every part of the country. Nor, how
ever unwise and impolitic they may be,
does the law prohibit the organization of
secret societies for the promotion of po-
litical or party objects not inconsistent
with the laws.
But if such societies are organized for
the purpose of resisting by force any law
of the United States, or hindering or OBJ
structing its execution, or for the pur-
pose of opposing by force the authority
of the Government of the United States,
they are unlawful and criminal 1t is
alleged that part of the objects of such
organizations is to prevent the arrest of
deserters from the army, and to prevent
the execution Of the laws provided for
the increase of the army by draft or con-
scription, and that the members pledge
themselves by oaths to mptual assist
ance and protection in the execution of
these unlawful designs.
These obligations are proper subjects
for your examination. An association
organized for such purposes is dangerous
to the peace of the community Those
who become members to aid in carrying
out by force such designs are liable to
Indictment as conspirators under the
act of Congress of July 81, 1861.
If there are citizens Of the State .Khle
the Government, however unpatriotic
they may be, the law provides no punish
ment for their disloyal sentiments. But
if they seek to give effect to such senti-
ments bv combinations and conSpiracies
to resist the laws and oppose the author
ity of the Government they commit an
| overt act which makes them criminals
and subjects them to punishment 1t is
the duty of every citizen to yield obedi-
ence to the laws, whatever may be his
opinion of their propriety or expediency.
| Under our free nsttutions the ballot-box
presents the legitimate means Of chang
ing the policy of the Government as we'll
! as the officers who administer it.
The people of this State have, so far,
happily escaped the horrors of the con
fiict which has desolated so large por-
ton OF the country. They can continue
to enjoy this exemption only so long as
they respect the authority of the Govern
ment and yield obedience to the laws.
Any attempt to resist the execution of
the laws must necessarily endanger the
peace of the community, and may bring
upon US all the calamitIes of civil war.
Opposition to the Government can as
sumo no form more dangerous than that
of secret organizations formed to obstruct
the execution of the laws If there are
such organizations in the State, their ex-
tent and the specific object they have in
view should be made known to the pub
lie. 1t is your province, gentlemen of
the Grand Jury, to make such investiga-
tions as will develop their true character,
and present for trial such persons as you
may be satisfied, from legal evidence,
have conspired together, either through
the instrumentality of secret organiza-
tions or in any other mode, to oppose
by force, the authority of the Govern,
ment of the United States
-TnOOER RTES.